4 days off for 1 day of leave
Long weekends 2026 in Norway
Norway has 12 public holidays in 2026, and 8 of them land on a weekday. The smartest move: take 1 day of leave and get 4 days off, 1 to 4 January. The longest break with up to 10 days of leave: 10 days, 28 March to 6 April, for 3 days of leave.
- Bank holidays 2026
- 12
- on weekdays
- 8
- bridge days
- 2
- off for 3 days of annual leave
- 10 days
The 2026 calendar in Norway
Norway has 12 public holidays in 2026, taken from the official government list. 4 fall on a weekend.
Leave rules differ by employer and contract in Norway, so the planner shows every budget from one to ten days. Among the 16 countries we cover outside our main markets, Norway ranks number 8 for full days off this year.
Every public holiday in Norway in 2026
Here is each day off in date order, what it marks, and the quickest way to turn it into a longer break.
Italy
Denmark- Thursday, 1 January: Første nyttårsdag. New Year's Day follows the fireworks at midnight and is a quiet day of rest across the country. Take Friday, 2 January off and you have 4 days in a row, 1 to 4 January.
- Thursday, 2 April: Skjærtorsdag. Maundy Thursday is a day off in Denmark and Norway, so Easter brings five days off in a row, a classic time for the mountains or a city break. You get 5 free days in a row, 2 to 6 April, with no leave needed.
- Friday, 3 April: Langfredag. Good Friday is a quiet day of church services. With Easter Monday it creates a long Easter weekend, a popular time for a spring trip. That makes 5 days off in a row without using any leave, 2 to 6 April.
- Sunday, 5 April: Første påskedag. Easter Sunday celebrates the resurrection with church services, family meals and, in many places, egg hunts. Most shops close for the day. It falls on a Sunday, and Norway's list has no weekday in lieu for it in 2026.
- Monday, 6 April: Andre påskedag. Easter Monday closes the long Easter weekend with family outings and, in Italy, Pasquetta picnics in the countryside. That makes 5 days off in a row without using any leave, 2 to 6 April.
- Friday, 1 May: Første mai. Labour Day on 1 May honours workers with marches and gatherings, and it is often a first spring long weekend for short trips. That makes 3 days off in a row without using any leave, 1 to 3 May.
- Thursday, 14 May: Kristi himmelfartsdag. Ascension Day always falls on a Thursday, forty days after Easter. Many people take the Friday off for a classic bridge and a four day weekend. Take Friday, 15 May off and you have 4 days in a row, 14 to 17 May.
- Sunday, 17 May: Syttende mai. Constitution Day on 17 May is Norway's national day, with children's parades, bunads and ice cream in every town. It falls on a Sunday, and Norway's list has no weekday in lieu for it in 2026.
- Sunday, 24 May: Første pinsedag. Pentecost Sunday marks the coming of the Holy Spirit, fifty days after Easter. It opens a spring long weekend with church services and outings. It falls on a Sunday, and Norway's list has no weekday in lieu for it in 2026.
- Monday, 25 May: Andre pinsedag. Whit Monday follows Pentecost Sunday and gives a spring long weekend, popular for short trips and outdoor events. That makes 3 days off in a row without using any leave, 23 to 25 May.
- Friday, 25 December: Første juledag. Christmas Day is a day for family meals and church, with nearly everything closed. Leave in the week after it gives a long winter break. That makes 3 days off in a row without using any leave, 25 to 27 December.
- Saturday, 26 December: Andre juledag. The second day of Christmas, St Stephen's Day, is another day off for family visits, winter walks and leftovers, before the quiet week until New Year. It falls on a Saturday, and Norway's list has no weekday in lieu for it in 2026.
ItalyDenmarkWhere your days of leave go furthest in 2026
Each break below starts and ends on a free day, contains at least one public holiday, and needs no more than 10 days of leave. They are ranked by how many days off each day of leave brings.
Around Første nyttårsdag, 1 day of leave on Fri 2 January unlocks 4 days away, 1 to 4 January.
Around Skjærtorsdag, Langfredag, Første påskedag and Andre påskedag, 3 days of leave on Mon 30 March, Tue 31 March and Wed 1 April unlock 10 days away, 28 March to 6 April.
25 April to 3 May: 4 days of leave (27 to 30 April) around Første mai give 9 days off, 2,3 days for every day used.
Around Kristi himmelfartsdag and Syttende mai, 1 day of leave on Fri 15 May unlocks 4 days away, 14 to 17 May.
23 to 31 May: 4 days of leave (26 to 29 May) around Første pinsedag and Andre pinsedag give 9 days off, 2,3 days for every day used.
Around Første juledag, Andre juledag and Første nyttårsdag, 4 days of leave on Mon 28 December, Tue 29 December, Wed 30 December and Thu 31 December unlock 10 days away, 25 December 2026 to 3 January 2027.
The best breaks 2026 in Norway
Every row is a run of weekends, public holidays and days of leave. The highlighted row brings the most days off per day of leave.
| Dates | Result | Leave on | Bank holidays | School holidays | Plan a trip |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, Jan 1 to Sun, Jan 4 | 4 days offfor 1 day of annual leave, 4 days off per day of leave | Fri, Jan 2 | Første nyttårsdag | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, Mar 28 to Mon, Apr 6 | 10 days offfor 3 days of annual leave, 3.33 days off per day of leave | Mon, Mar 30 · Tue, Mar 31 · Wed, Apr 1 | Skjærtorsdag, Langfredag, Første påskedag, Andre påskedag | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, Apr 25 to Sun, May 3 | 9 days offfor 4 days of annual leave, 2.25 days off per day of leave | Mon, Apr 27 · Tue, Apr 28 · Wed, Apr 29 · Thu, Apr 30 | Første mai | none | Plan a trip |
| Thu, May 14 to Sun, May 17 | 4 days offfor 1 day of annual leave, 4 days off per day of leave | Fri, May 15 | Kristi himmelfartsdag, Syttende mai | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, May 23 to Sun, May 31 | 9 days offfor 4 days of annual leave, 2.25 days off per day of leave | Tue, May 26 · Wed, May 27 · Thu, May 28 · Fri, May 29 | Første pinsedag, Andre pinsedag | none | Plan a trip |
| Fri, Dec 25 to Sun, Jan 3 | 10 days offfor 4 days of annual leave, 2.5 days off per day of leave | Mon, Dec 28 · Tue, Dec 29 · Wed, Dec 30 · Thu, Dec 31 | Første juledag, Andre juledag, Første nyttårsdag | none | Plan a trip |
What 1 to 10 days of leave bring
For each budget, the longest run of days off in 2026.
1 day of annual leave
4 days
January 1 to January 4
Første nyttårsdag
3 days of annual leave
10 days
March 28 to April 6
Skjærtorsdag, Langfredag, Første påskedag, Andre påskedag
4 days of annual leave
11 days
April 2 to April 12
Skjærtorsdag, Langfredag, Første påskedag, Andre påskedag
8 days of annual leave
17 days
March 21 to April 6
Skjærtorsdag, Langfredag, Første påskedag, Andre påskedag
9 days of annual leave
18 days
April 2 to April 19
Skjærtorsdag, Langfredag, Første påskedag, Andre påskedag
2026 calendar for Norway
- Bank holiday
- Annual leave in a break
- Weekend
- School holidays
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
How far each day of leave goes in 2026
With 1 day of leave the longest run you can build is 4 days, 1 to 4 January. Three days stretch to 10 days off (28 March to 6 April). Five days, a typical week, become 11 days off around Skjærtorsdag, Langfredag, Første påskedag and Andre påskedag, 2 to 12 April.
Ten days, the most this planner books in one go, give 18 days in a row, 2 to 19 April. For nine days or more away you need 3 days of leave.
2026 through the seasons
Winter: Første nyttårsdag on 1 January, Første juledag on 25 December and Andre juledag on 26 December. The pick of the season is 1 to 4 January with 1 day of leave for 4 days off.
Spring: Skjærtorsdag on 2 April, Langfredag on 3 April, Første påskedag on 5 April, Andre påskedag on 6 April, Første mai on 1 May, Kristi himmelfartsdag on 14 May, Syttende mai on 17 May, Første pinsedag on 24 May and Andre pinsedag on 25 May. The pick of the season is 14 to 17 May with 1 day of leave for 4 days off.
Summer and autumn have no public holiday in Norway this year, which makes them the time to use a full week of leave for a longer trip.
Norway compared with other countries
South Korea has the most with 18 public holidays in 2026, Mexico the fewest with 7. Norway sits in between with 12.
Mexico
South KoreaiPhoto: Basile Morin · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsIts best break, 1 to 4 January, returns 4,0 days off per day of leave. 3 countries get a better ratio this year, mostly thanks to an extra public holiday next to a weekend.
MexicoSouth KoreaiPhoto: Basile Morin · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Long Weekend Planner 2026 for Norway as a PDF
Every stretch, holiday and school break in NO on one printable page. Plus The Sunday Getaway every week and a note whenever a long weekend is worth it.
Public holidays 2026 in Norway
| Date | Weekday | Bank holiday | Applies |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1 | Thursday | Første nyttårsdag | nationwide |
| April 2 | Thursday | Skjærtorsdag | nationwide |
| April 3 | Friday | Langfredag | nationwide |
| April 5 | Sunday | Første påskedag | nationwide |
| April 6 | Monday | Andre påskedag | nationwide |
| May 1 | Friday | Første mai | nationwide |
| May 14 | Thursday | Kristi himmelfartsdag | nationwide |
| May 17 | Sunday | Syttende mai | nationwide |
| May 24 | Sunday | Første pinsedag | nationwide |
| May 25 | Monday | Andre pinsedag | nationwide |
| December 25 | Friday | Første juledag | nationwide |
| December 26 | Saturday | Andre juledag | nationwide |
Where to go on a long weekend from Norway
Norwegians head to the fjords and Lofoten in summer, mountain cabins and ski resorts like Trysil and Hemsedal in winter, and the southern coast around Kristiansand for summer sailing. Easter is the classic cabin break.
Your strongest breaks this year fall in January, March and April, so pick the trip that suits that season, and book early: everyone else in Norway has the same days off.
Norway in other years
2027 and 2028 are planned as well, each with its own dates and breaks.
Holiday dates move every year: fixed-date days change their weekday, and Easter moves between late March and late April, which is why the best breaks are never the same twice.
Where these dates come from
Every date on this page comes from the official source for Norway, read directly and compared day by day with an independent second source. A year appears once its official list is published, and we never fill a gap with another country's dates.
The planner treats weekends and full public holidays as free days and works out where your days of leave turn into the longest time off. Days kept in part of Norway or as observances are shown but never counted. Last checked on 1 October 2026.
Long Weekend Planner 2026 in NO: frequently asked questions
How many public holidays does Norway have in 2026?
12 public holidays: Første nyttårsdag on 1 January, Skjærtorsdag on 2 April, Langfredag on 3 April, Første påskedag on 5 April, Andre påskedag on 6 April, Første mai on 1 May, Kristi himmelfartsdag on 14 May, Syttende mai on 17 May, Første pinsedag on 24 May, Andre pinsedag on 25 May, Første juledag on 25 December and Andre juledag on 26 December. 8 fall on a weekday.
What is the best long weekend in Norway in 2026?
1 to 4 January: 1 day of leave gives 4 days off around Første nyttårsdag.
How many days of leave do I need for nine days off in 2026?
3 days of leave: take 30 March to 1 April off and you are off 28 March to 6 April.
Is Good Friday a public holiday in Norway in 2026?
Yes. Langfredag is a full day off on Friday, 3 April.
Is Christmas Eve a public holiday in Norway in 2026?
No. Christmas Eve is not on Norway's official list for 2026, so it is a regular workday unless your employer gives it.
2026 in the other countries
How the Long Weekend Planner works
Holidays: the public holidays from the official list in NO, checked date by date. The planner counts only days off for the whole region.
Stretches: start and end on a day off, include at least one holiday and at most 10 days of annual leave. Ranked by days off per day of leave; Saturday and Sunday count as free.
School holidays: officially published dates only, checked every month. Trip ideas: the month's climate and flights from the region's main airport.
