Germany has a complex public holiday system — national holidays plus additional state-specific holidays that vary by Bundesland. Understanding the calendar prevents the experience of arriving at a shop that is unexpectedly closed.
National Public Holidays (All States)
New Year’s Day (January 1), Good Friday (Karfreitag), Easter Monday (Ostermontag), Labour Day (May 1), Ascension Day (Christi Himmelfahrt, 39 days after Easter), Whit Monday (Pfingstmontag, 50 days after Easter), German Unity Day (October 3), Christmas Day (December 25–26). Note: unlike some countries, Germany closes most shops, supermarkets, and services on public holidays — Sonntag (Sunday) rules apply. Plan food shopping the day before.
State-Specific Holidays
Bavaria has additional holidays that North Germany does not: Epiphany (January 6, Bavaria + 2 others), Corpus Christi (June, Bavaria + BW + NRW + Hesse + RP + Saarland), Assumption of Mary (August 15, Bavaria only + Saarland), All Saints’ Day (November 1, Bavaria + BW + NRW + RP + Saarland). If you live in Bavaria, you have significantly more public holidays than if you live in Hamburg or Berlin — check the list for your state.
The Hidden Holiday Complications
Bridges (Brückentage): when a public holiday falls on a Thursday, many Germans take the Friday off as well (Brücke = bridge, bridging to the weekend). Travel bookings spike, trains and roads are full, and accommodation prices jump. Plan around these periods if you are travelling. Long weekends around major holidays (Christmas, Easter, Ascension) should be booked significantly in advance for popular German destinations.
School Holidays
School holiday periods (Schulferien) vary by state and are staggered to reduce travel congestion. Bavaria’s summer holidays are often later than North Germany’s — deliberately offset so not the entire country travels simultaneously. The ADAC (German automobile club) publishes annual traffic forecasts for holiday periods — useful for planning long-distance drives.
