4 days off for 1 day of leave
Long weekends 2026 in Sweden
Sweden has 16 public holidays in 2026, and 10 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: 11 days, 24 December 2026 to 3 January 2027, for 3 days of leave.
- Bank holidays 2026
- 16
- on weekdays
- 10
- bridge days
- 4
- off for 3 days of annual leave
- 11 days
Sweden in 2026 at a glance
Sweden has 16 public holidays in 2026, taken from the official government list. 6 fall on a weekend.
Leave rules differ by employer and contract in Sweden, so the planner shows every budget from one to ten days. Among the 16 countries we cover outside our main markets, Sweden ranks number 3 for full days off this year.
Every public holiday in Sweden 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
StockholmiPhoto: Øyvind Holmstad · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons- Thursday, 1 January: Nyårsdagen. 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.
- Tuesday, 6 January: Trettondedag jul. Epiphany on 6 January closes the Christmas season. In Italy La Befana brings sweets to children; in Sweden the day off ends the holidays. Take Monday, 5 January off and you have 4 days in a row, 3 to 6 January.
- Friday, 3 April: Långfredagen. 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. You get 4 free days in a row, 3 to 6 April, with no leave needed.
- Sunday, 5 April: Påskdagen. 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 Sweden's list has no weekday in lieu for it in 2026.
- Monday, 6 April: Annandag påsk. Easter Monday closes the long Easter weekend with family outings and, in Italy, Pasquetta picnics in the countryside. You get 4 free days in a row, 3 to 6 April, with no leave needed.
- Friday, 1 May: Första maj. Labour Day on 1 May honours workers with marches and gatherings, and it is often a first spring long weekend for short trips. You get 3 free days in a row, 1 to 3 May, with no leave needed.
- Thursday, 14 May: Kristi himmelsfärdsdag. 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, 24 May: Pingstdagen. 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 Sweden's list has no weekday in lieu for it in 2026.
- Saturday, 6 June: Sveriges nationaldag. The National Day of Sweden on 6 June marks the election of Gustav Vasa as king in 1523, with ceremonies at Skansen in Stockholm. It falls on a Saturday, and Sweden's list has no weekday in lieu for it in 2026.
- Friday, 19 June: Midsommarafton. Midsummer Eve is Sweden's favourite holiday: dancing around the maypole, herring, strawberries and long light nights. Most Swedes head to the countryside. You get 3 free days in a row, 19 to 21 June, with no leave needed.
- Saturday, 20 June: Midsommardagen. Midsummer Day is a quiet Saturday after the Midsummer Eve celebrations, often spent recovering in the countryside and enjoying the light. It falls on a Saturday, and Sweden's list has no weekday in lieu for it in 2026.
- Saturday, 31 October: Alla helgons dag. All Saints' Day is a day to remember the dead, with candles and flowers on family graves. It often creates an autumn long weekend. It falls on a Saturday, and Sweden's list has no weekday in lieu for it in 2026.
- Thursday, 24 December: Julafton. Christmas Eve is the main Christmas celebration in Sweden, with the julbord buffet and Donald Duck on TV at three in the afternoon. That makes 4 days off in a row without using any leave, 24 to 27 December.
- Friday, 25 December: Juldagen. 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. You get 4 free days in a row, 24 to 27 December, with no leave needed.
- Saturday, 26 December: Annandag jul. 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 Sweden's list has no weekday in lieu for it in 2026.
- Thursday, 31 December: Nyårsafton. New Year's Eve is a day off for most Swedes, with dinner parties and fireworks at midnight. It sits in the middle of the week, so it works best as a single day off.
ItalyStockholmiPhoto: Øyvind Holmstad · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsWhere 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.
1 to 4 January: 1 day of leave (2 January) around Nyårsdagen gives 4 days off, 4,0 days for every day used.
3 to 6 January: 1 day of leave (5 January) around Trettondedag jul gives 4 days off, 4,0 days for every day used.
28 March to 6 April: 4 days of leave (30 March to 2 April) around Långfredagen, Påskdagen and Annandag påsk give 10 days off, 2,5 days for every day used.
Around Första maj, 4 days of leave on Mon 27 April, Tue 28 April, Wed 29 April and Thu 30 April unlock 9 days away, 25 April to 3 May.
14 to 17 May: 1 day of leave (15 May) around Kristi himmelsfärdsdag gives 4 days off, 4,0 days for every day used.
Around Julafton, Juldagen, Annandag jul, Nyårsafton and Nyårsdagen, 3 days of leave on Mon 28 December, Tue 29 December and Wed 30 December unlock 11 days away, 24 December 2026 to 3 January 2027.
The best breaks 2026 in Sweden
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 | Nyårsdagen | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, Jan 3 to Tue, Jan 6 | 4 days offfor 1 day of annual leave, 4 days off per day of leave | Mon, Jan 5 | Trettondedag jul | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, Mar 28 to Mon, Apr 6 | 10 days offfor 4 days of annual leave, 2.5 days off per day of leave | Mon, Mar 30 · Tue, Mar 31 · Wed, Apr 1 · Thu, Apr 2 | Långfredagen, Påskdagen, Annandag påsk | 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 | Första maj | 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 himmelsfärdsdag | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, May 16 to Sun, May 24 | 9 days offfor 5 days of annual leave, 1.8 days off per day of leave | Mon, May 18 · Tue, May 19 · Wed, May 20 · Thu, May 21 · Fri, May 22 | Pingstdagen | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, May 30 to Sun, Jun 7 | 9 days offfor 5 days of annual leave, 1.8 days off per day of leave | Mon, Jun 1 · Tue, Jun 2 · Wed, Jun 3 · Thu, Jun 4 · Fri, Jun 5 | Sveriges nationaldag | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, Jun 13 to Sun, Jun 21 | 9 days offfor 4 days of annual leave, 2.25 days off per day of leave | Mon, Jun 15 · Tue, Jun 16 · Wed, Jun 17 · Thu, Jun 18 | Midsommarafton, Midsommardagen | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, Oct 24 to Sun, Nov 1 | 9 days offfor 5 days of annual leave, 1.8 days off per day of leave | Mon, Oct 26 · Tue, Oct 27 · Wed, Oct 28 · Thu, Oct 29 · Fri, Oct 30 | Alla helgons dag | none | Plan a trip |
| Thu, Dec 24 to Sun, Jan 3 | 11 days offfor 3 days of annual leave, 3.67 days off per day of leave | Mon, Dec 28 · Tue, Dec 29 · Wed, Dec 30 | Julafton, Juldagen, Annandag jul, Nyårsafton, Nyårsdagen | 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
Nyårsdagen
2 days of annual leave
7 days
December 31 to January 6
Nyårsafton, Nyårsdagen, Trettondedag jul
3 days of annual leave
11 days
December 24 to January 3
Julafton, Juldagen, Annandag jul, Nyårsafton, Nyårsdagen
5 days of annual leave
14 days
December 24 to January 6
Julafton, Juldagen, Annandag jul, Nyårsafton, Nyårsdagen, Trettondedag jul
8 days of annual leave
19 days
December 19 to January 6
Julafton, Juldagen, Annandag jul, Nyårsafton, Nyårsdagen, Trettondedag jul
10 days of annual leave
23 days
December 19 to January 10
Julafton, Juldagen, Annandag jul, Nyårsafton, Nyårsdagen, Trettondedag jul
2026 calendar for Sweden
- 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 11 days off (24 December 2026 to 3 January 2027). Five days, a typical week, become 14 days off around Julafton, Juldagen, Annandag jul, Nyårsafton, Nyårsdagen and Trettondedag jul, 24 December 2026 to 6 January 2027.
Ten days, the most this planner books in one go, give 23 days in a row, 19 December 2026 to 10 January 2027. For nine days or more away you need 3 days of leave.
2026 through the seasons
Winter: Nyårsdagen on 1 January, Trettondedag jul on 6 January, Julafton on 24 December, Juldagen on 25 December, Annandag jul on 26 December and Nyårsafton on 31 December. The pick of the season is 1 to 4 January with 1 day of leave for 4 days off.
Spring: Långfredagen on 3 April, Påskdagen on 5 April, Annandag påsk on 6 April, Första maj on 1 May, Kristi himmelsfärdsdag on 14 May and Pingstdagen on 24 May. The pick of the season is 14 to 17 May with 1 day of leave for 4 days off.
Summer: Sveriges nationaldag on 6 June, Midsommarafton on 19 June and Midsommardagen on 20 June. The pick of the season is 13 to 21 June with 4 days of leave for 9 days off.
Autumn: Alla helgons dag on 31 October. The pick of the season is 24 October to 1 November with 5 days of leave for 9 days off.
Sweden compared with other countries
South Korea has the most with 18 public holidays in 2026, Mexico the fewest with 7. Sweden sits in between with 16.
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 Sweden as a PDF
Every stretch, holiday and school break in SE on one printable page. Plus The Sunday Getaway every week and a note whenever a long weekend is worth it.
Public holidays 2026 in Sweden
| Date | Weekday | Bank holiday | Applies |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1 | Thursday | Nyårsdagen | nationwide |
| January 6 | Tuesday | Trettondedag jul | nationwide |
| April 3 | Friday | Långfredagen | nationwide |
| April 5 | Sunday | Påskdagen | nationwide |
| April 6 | Monday | Annandag påsk | nationwide |
| May 1 | Friday | Första maj | nationwide |
| May 14 | Thursday | Kristi himmelsfärdsdag | nationwide |
| May 24 | Sunday | Pingstdagen | nationwide |
| June 6 | Saturday | Sveriges nationaldag | nationwide |
| June 19 | Friday | Midsommarafton | nationwide |
| June 20 | Saturday | Midsommardagen | nationwide |
| October 31 | Saturday | Alla helgons dag | nationwide |
| December 24 | Thursday | Julafton | nationwide |
| December 25 | Friday | Juldagen | nationwide |
| December 26 | Saturday | Annandag jul | nationwide |
| December 31 | Thursday | Nyårsafton | nationwide |
Where to go on a long weekend from Sweden
Swedes spend long weekends in the archipelago around Stockholm in summer, on Gotland and the west coast near Gothenburg, and in Åre for winter skiing. Lapland offers the northern lights in winter.
GothenburgiPhoto: Arild Vågen · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
GotlandiPhoto: ArildV · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsYour strongest breaks this year fall in January, March and April, so pick the trip that suits that season, and book early: everyone else in Sweden has the same days off.
GothenburgiPhoto: Arild Vågen · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsGotlandiPhoto: ArildV · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsSweden 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 Sweden: Semesterlag 3 a §: midsommarafton, julafton och nyårsafton jämställs med söndag, 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 Sweden or as observances are shown but never counted. Last checked on 1 October 2026.
Long Weekend Planner 2026 in SE: frequently asked questions
How many public holidays does Sweden have in 2026?
16 public holidays: Nyårsdagen on 1 January, Trettondedag jul on 6 January, Långfredagen on 3 April, Påskdagen on 5 April, Annandag påsk on 6 April, Första maj on 1 May, Kristi himmelsfärdsdag on 14 May, Pingstdagen on 24 May, Sveriges nationaldag on 6 June, Midsommarafton on 19 June, Midsommardagen on 20 June, Alla helgons dag on 31 October, Julafton on 24 December, Juldagen on 25 December, Annandag jul on 26 December and Nyårsafton on 31 December. 10 fall on a weekday.
What is the best long weekend in Sweden in 2026?
1 to 4 January: 1 day of leave gives 4 days off around Nyårsdagen.
How many days of leave do I need for nine days off in 2026?
3 days of leave: take 28 to 30 December off and you are off 24 December 2026 to 3 January 2027.
Is Good Friday a public holiday in Sweden in 2026?
Yes. Långfredagen is a full day off on Friday, 3 April.
Is Christmas Eve a public holiday in Sweden in 2026?
Yes. Julafton is a full day off on Thursday, 24 December.
2026 in the other countries
How the Long Weekend Planner works
Holidays: the public holidays from the official list in SE, 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.
