Switzerland 2026 Public Holidays, Long Weekends and School Holidays

List of Public Holidays, Long Weekends and School Holidays 2026 in Switzerland

National Public Holidays

Thursday, January 1st: New Year’s Day.

Friday, January 2: Saint-Berchtold (in several cantons).

Friday, April 3: Good Friday (except for cantonal exceptions).

Monday, April 6: Easter Monday (observed in the majority of cantons).

Thursday, May 14: Ascension Thursday.

Monday, May 25: Whit Monday.

Saturday, August 1st: Swiss National Day.

Friday, December 25th: Christmas.

Important Cantonal Public Holidays (selection)

Sunday, March 1st: Establishment of the Republic (canton of Neuchâtel).

Friday, May 1st: Labour Day (in several cantons such as Basel, Geneva, Jura).

Thursday, June 4: Corpus Christi (in Catholic cantons).

Saturday, August 15: Assumption (in several cantons including Valais and Jura).

Thursday, September 10: Geneva fast (canton of Geneva).

Monday, September 21: Federal Fast Monday (particularly in the canton of Vaud).

Sunday, November 1st: All Saints’ Day (in Catholic cantons).

Tuesday, December 8: Immaculate Conception (in several Catholic cantons).

Thursday, December 31: Restoration of the Republic (Canton of Geneva).

Main School Holiday Periods (depending on the canton)

Winter holidays / Christmas: From Saturday, December 20, 2025 to Sunday, January 4, 2026 (varies depending on the canton).

February break / Carnival: Between February 14 and 27, 2026.

Easter holidays: Between April 3 and 26, 2026.

Summer holidays: Start between June 27 and July 11, 2026; end between August 16 and 26, 2026.

Autumn break: Between October 10 and 26, 2026.

Planning your year in Switzerland can sometimes feel like a game of chess. Between public holidays that vary from canton to canton and staggered school breaks, it’s easy to get lost. For 2026, forget the confusion: this guide gives you the keys to mastering the Swiss calendar, identifying the best long weekends, and anticipating crowds. Whether you’re a cross-border commuter, a resident, or a traveler, you’ll finally have a clear picture.

🎯 The Swiss Challenge: 26 Cantons, 26 Calendars

Unlike many of its neighbors, Switzerland only imposes four public holidays across its entire territory New Year’s Day (January 1st), Ascension Thursday (May 14th), National Day (August 1st), and Christmas (December 25th). For everything else, cantonal sovereignty prevails, shaped by history and religious traditions (Catholic/Protestant). The result? A veritable patchwork. For example, the Geneva fast (September 10) is exclusive to Geneva, while the Federal Fast Monday (September 21) is mainly observed in French-speaking Switzerland, particularly in the canton of Vaud.

Here is an overview of the differences for some cantons in 2026:

📚 School Holidays 2026: The Great Time Lag

This is the other major distinguishing feature: to avoid massive traffic jams at ski resorts or lakes, Swiss regions stagger their holiday periods. In 2026, this “rotation” still follows this principle.

• February break / Carnival They take place from the end of February to the beginning of March. For example, Vaud will be on holiday from February 14 to 22, while Geneva will be on holiday from February 21 to March 1.
• Easter holidays The period is more concentrated, around the two weeks following Easter weekend (April 3-19, 2026).
• The Holy Grail: Summer vacation This is where the discrepancy is most pronounced. The 2026 trend shows two main waves Cantons like Geneva, Vaud, or the French-speaking part of Valais often start at the end of June. Others, like Fribourg, Bern, or the cantons beyond the Sarine River, only release schoolchildren around mid-July.

Direct consequence If you are planning a stay in the mountains or by a lake in July, check the calendar for the canton you are visiting. Accommodation in Valais in early July will be quieter if the Vaud schools are already on holiday, but the local schools are not yet.

🔍 The Art of Detecting “Bridges” in 2026

In Switzerland, a “bridge” often occurs when a public holiday falls on a Thursday or Tuesday. The year 2026 is rather generous in this respect.

• The Ascension Day Bridge : Thursday, May 14 is a public holiday everywhere. In the cantons where the Friday, May 15 It’s also a public holiday (as in Basel), making it a 4-day weekend. Elsewhere, it’s common to take Friday off to extend the holiday.
• The Pentecost Bridge : Monday, May 25 is largely a public holiday. Combine it with a day off on Tuesday the 26th, and you’ve got a very pleasant spring break.
• The end-of-year long weekend(s) : Christmas falls on Friday, December 25th. THE Monday, December 28 This could easily be arranged for a long end-of-year weekend. In Geneva, with the public holiday of the Restoration of the Republic on Thursday, December 31stA long weekend is even possible.

💡 Your Smart Planning Kit

1. Consult official sources The websites of the public education departments of each canton (ending with .ch) are the most reliable. Some, like the one in Vaud, even offer files .ics to import into your digital calendar.
2. Target your destinations Before planning a trip, identify not only the canton, but also the religious dominant (Catholic/Protestant) of the municipality. This affects the actual public holidays.
3. Anticipate the crowds (or not) Use the staggered school holidays to your advantage. For a ski trip in February, choose a week when the larger neighboring cantons are not yet on holiday. For summer festivals, be aware that peak dates follow the start of local school holidays.

In short, navigating the Swiss 2026 calendar requires a little initial mental agility, but it pays off. Once you understand the federal system and identify the key dates for your canton of interest, you can optimize your holidays, avoid crowds, and fully enjoy all that Switzerland has to offer, at the right time.