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Public holidays in Bulgaria

17 days in 2026 · 15 in 2027

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Next public holiday

Christmas Eve

Бъдни вечер

After it: Christmas Day, Friday 25 December

Thursday, 24 December 2026

Bulgarian law names 14 public holidays: ten on fixed dates and four around Orthodox Easter, from Good Friday to Easter Monday. In 2026 a fifteenth was added for one year only, 2 January, so that banks and businesses could switch their systems to the euro. When a fixed-date holiday lands on a Saturday or Sunday, the first working day after it, or the first two, are taken off instead.

Easter follows the Orthodox church, so its dates rarely match those of Western Europe. In 2026 the four days ran from 10 to 13 April. In 2027 they run from 30 April to 3 May, and Holy Saturday falls on 1 May, the same day as Labour Day, whose day off then moves past Easter Monday to Tuesday 4 May.

The national day is 3 March, which marks the treaty of 1878 that ended Ottoman rule over Bulgaria. Two September holidays mark the steps that followed: union with Eastern Rumelia in 1885, kept on 6 September, and independence in 1908, kept on 22 September.

Days off in 2026
17Not counting Easter Sunday, always a Sunday
On a weekday
13Monday to Friday
On a weekend
4Saturday or Sunday
Long weekends
6and 2 with one day of leave

2026

Public holidays in Bulgaria in 2026

  1. 1 January: New Year's DayНова годинаNew Year's Day. In 2026 the day after it was a day off as well, for the change to the euro.Thursday
  2. 2 January: Currency change dayДен на валутната смянаA one-off day off on 2 January 2026. The Council of Ministers declared it, together with 31 December 2025, so that financial and other systems could be reset for the euro, Bulgaria's currency from 1 January 2026.FridayDate moves
  3. 3 March: Liberation DayДен на Освобождението на България от османско игоThe national day. The Treaty of San Stefano, signed by Russia and the Ottoman Empire on 3 March 1878, set up an autonomous Bulgarian principality.Tuesday
  4. 10 April: Good FridayРазпети петъкGood Friday by the Orthodox calendar, which sets all four Easter days.FridayDate moves
  5. 11 April: Holy SaturdayВелика съботаHoly Saturday. The official list names it among the Easter holidays, although it always falls on a Saturday.SaturdayDate moves
  6. 13 April: Easter MondayВелики понеделникEaster Monday, the last of the four Easter days and the one that lengthens the weekend.MondayDate moves
  7. 1 May: International Workers' DayДен на труда и на международната работническа солидарностDay of Labour and International Workers' Solidarity. In 2027 it coincides with Holy Saturday, and its day off moves to Tuesday 4 May, the first working day after Easter Monday.Friday
  8. 6 May: Saint George's DayГергьовден, ден на храбростта и Българската армияSt George's Day, also kept as the Day of Valour and of the Bulgarian Army.Wednesday
  9. 24 May: Saints Cyril and Methodius DayДен на Българската просвета и култура и на славянската писменостThe day of the brothers Cyril and Methodius, of the Bulgarian alphabet and of Slavic literature. Cyrillic was developed from their Glagolitic script at the Preslav Literary School. In 2026, 24 May was a Sunday, so the day off moved to Monday 25 May.Sunday
  10. 25 May: Day off for Culture and Literacy DayДен на Българската просвета и култура и на славянската писменостThe day of the brothers Cyril and Methodius, of the Bulgarian alphabet and of Slavic literature. Cyrillic was developed from their Glagolitic script at the Preslav Literary School. In 2026, 24 May was a Sunday, so the day off moved to Monday 25 May.MondayDate moves
  11. 6 September: Unification DayДен на съединениетоUnification Day, for the bloodless coup in Plovdiv in September 1885 that joined Eastern Rumelia to the Bulgarian principality. In 2026 it fell on a Sunday and the day off was Monday 7 September.Sunday
  12. 7 September: Day off for Unification DayДен на съединениетоUnification Day, for the bloodless coup in Plovdiv in September 1885 that joined Eastern Rumelia to the Bulgarian principality. In 2026 it fell on a Sunday and the day off was Monday 7 September.MondayDate moves
  13. 22 September: Independence DayДен на независимостта на БългарияThe declaration of full independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1908, when the principality became a kingdom.Tuesday
  14. 24 December: Christmas EveБъдни вечерChristmas Eve, a day off in its own right ahead of the two Christmas days.Thursday
  15. 25 December: Christmas DayРождество ХристовоThe Nativity, kept on 25 and 26 December. The law counts both days as holidays. When they fall on a weekend the days off move: to Monday 28 December in 2026, and to Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 December in 2027.Friday
  16. 26 December: Second day of ChristmasРождество ХристовоThe Nativity, kept on 25 and 26 December. The law counts both days as holidays. When they fall on a weekend the days off move: to Monday 28 December in 2026, and to Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 December in 2027.Saturday
  17. 28 December: Christmas holidayРождество ХристовоThe Nativity, kept on 25 and 26 December. The law counts both days as holidays. When they fall on a weekend the days off move: to Monday 28 December in 2026, and to Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 December in 2027.MondayDate moves

Long weekends

Long weekends in Bulgaria in 2026

Runs of three days or more off, with weekends counted, and the working days that join a holiday to a weekend when taken as leave.

  • 4daysThu 1 Jan to Sun 4 JanNew Year's Day, Currency change day
  • 4daysSat 28 Feb to Tue 3 MarWith Mon 2 Mar taken as leave · Liberation Day
  • 4daysFri 10 Apr to Mon 13 AprGood Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Monday
  • 3daysFri 1 May to Sun 3 MayInternational Workers' Day
  • 3daysSat 23 May to Mon 25 MaySaints Cyril and Methodius Day, Day off for Culture and Literacy Day
  • 3daysSat 5 Sept to Mon 7 SeptUnification Day, Day off for Unification Day
  • 4daysSat 19 Sept to Tue 22 SeptWith Mon 21 Sept taken as leave · Independence Day
  • 5daysThu 24 Dec to Mon 28 DecChristmas Eve, Christmas Day, Second day of Christmas, Christmas holiday

2027

Public holidays in Bulgaria in 2027

  1. 1 January: New Year's DayНова годинаFriday
  2. 3 March: Liberation DayДен на Освобождението на България от османско игоWednesday
  3. 30 April: Good FridayРазпети петъкFridayDate moves
  4. 1 May: International Workers' DayДен на труда и на международната работническа солидарностSaturday
  5. 3 May: Easter MondayВелики понеделникMondayDate moves
  6. 4 May: Day off for Labour DayДен на труда и на международната работническа солидарностTuesdayDate moves
  7. 6 May: Saint George's DayГергьовден, ден на храбростта и Българската армияThursday
  8. 24 May: Saints Cyril and Methodius DayДен на Българската просвета и култура и на славянската писменостMonday
  9. 6 September: Unification DayДен на съединениетоMonday
  10. 22 September: Independence DayДен на независимостта на БългарияWednesday
  11. 24 December: Christmas EveБъдни вечерFriday
  12. 25 December: Christmas DayРождество ХристовоSaturday
  13. 26 December: Second day of ChristmasРождество ХристовоSunday
  14. 27 December: Christmas holidayРождество ХристовоMondayDate moves
  15. 28 December: Christmas holidayРождество ХристовоTuesdayDate moves

Observances

Days marked in Bulgaria that are not days off

  1. 1 November: National Awakeners DayДен на народните будителиNational Awakeners Day, 1 November. It is on the government's list of official holidays, but as a day off for educational establishments only.Sunday

The weekend rule is written into the official list: if a holiday falls on a Saturday or a Sunday, the first working day after it, or the first two, become days off. In 2026 that moved Cyril and Methodius Day to Monday 25 May, Unification Day to Monday 7 September and the second day of Christmas to Monday 28 December. In 2027 Labour Day on a Saturday gives Tuesday 4 May, as Monday 3 May is already Easter Monday, and Christmas Day and the second day of Christmas on the weekend give Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 December.

1 November, National Awakeners Day, appears on the government's list of official holidays but is a day off only for schools and universities. Everyone else works.

Several dates are marked without a day off: Baba Marta on 1 March, Mother's Day on 8 March, Father's Day on 26 December and, on 1 February, the day of remembrance for the victims of the communist regime. Until 1989 the People's Republic kept 9 September, the date of the 1944 coup, and 7 November, the anniversary of the October Revolution, as national holidays.

Common questions

Questions about public holidays in Bulgaria

How many public holidays does Bulgaria have in 2026?

Fifteen. The standing law provides 14: New Year, 3 March, 1 May, 6 May, 24 May, 6 September, 22 September, three Christmas days and four Easter days. In 2026 the government added Friday 2 January for the euro changeover. Three holidays landed on a weekend and gave a Monday off in their place: 24 May and 6 September, both Sundays, gave 25 May and 7 September, and 26 December, a Saturday, gave 28 December.

Why was 2 January 2026 a day off in Bulgaria?

Bulgaria adopted the euro on 1 January 2026, and the Council of Ministers declared 31 December 2025 and 2 January 2026 non-working days, once only, to give banks and other firms time to change their systems. The decision was taken in November 2025. It joined New Year's Day to the weekend and made four days off in a row, from Thursday 1 to Sunday 4 January.

When is Orthodox Easter in Bulgaria in 2027?

Easter Sunday is 2 May 2027. The holidays start on Good Friday, 30 April, and end on Easter Monday, 3 May. Holy Saturday is the same day as Labour Day, 1 May, so the day off for Labour Day moves to Tuesday 4 May and the break runs five days. In 2026 Easter came three weeks earlier, from 10 to 13 April.

What happens when a public holiday falls on a weekend in Bulgaria?

The first working day after it, or the first two, become days off. The rule is stated on the government's list of official holidays. In 2026 it moved 24 May and 6 September, both Sundays, to Monday 25 May and Monday 7 September, and Saturday 26 December to Monday 28 December. In 2027 Labour Day on Saturday 1 May gives Tuesday 4 May, since the Monday is Easter Monday, and the Christmas weekend gives Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 December.

What is Bulgaria's national day?

3 March, Liberation Day. It marks the Treaty of San Stefano, signed by Russia and the Ottoman Empire on 3 March 1878 after the Russo-Turkish War, which created an autonomous Bulgarian principality. The government's list calls it the Bulgarian Day of Liberation from the Ottoman Domination. It fell on a Tuesday in 2026 and falls on a Wednesday in 2027.

Is 1 November a public holiday in Bulgaria?

Only for schools and universities. National Awakeners Day, 1 November, is on the government's list of official holidays, but the list gives the day off to educational establishments alone. Offices, shops and factories keep normal hours. In 2026 it fell on a Sunday; in 2027 it falls on a Monday.

What are the long weekends in Bulgaria in 2027?

New Year's Day on Friday 1 January gives three days. Easter and Labour Day together give five, from Friday 30 April to Tuesday 4 May. Cyril and Methodius Day on Monday 24 May and Unification Day on Monday 6 September each close a three-day weekend. Christmas gives five days, from Friday 24 to Tuesday 28 December. St George's Day falls on Thursday 6 May, so a day of leave on Wednesday 5 May joins it to the Easter break.

Dates from Nager.Date, read 2026-09-26. The page counts from Monday, 28 September 2026, the day it was built.