4 days off for 1 day of annual leave
Bank holidays 2027 in Scotland
Scotland has 9 bank holidays in 2027, every one of them on a weekday. Book 1 day of annual leave for 27 to 30 November and you are off for 4 days straight. The longest break with up to 10 days of annual leave: 11 days, 25 December 2026 to 4 January 2027, for 3 days of annual leave.
- Bank holidays 2027
- 9
- on weekdays
- 9
- bridge days
- 1
- off for 3 days of annual leave
- 11 days
The 2027 calendar in Scotland
Scotland has 9 bank holidays in 2027, as published by GOV.UK. Most employers give them as paid days off on top of, or as part of, the 5.6 weeks of statutory annual leave, so placing your leave around them is how a short break becomes a proper holiday.
Scotland
EnglandEvery bank holiday falls on a weekday this year. Across the UK the lists differ: Northern Ireland 10 days, Scotland 9 days and England and Wales 8 days.
ScotlandEnglandBank holidays 2027 in Scotland and what each one gives you
Here is each day off in date order, what it marks, and the quickest way to turn it into a longer break.
- Friday 1 January: New Year's Day. New Year's Day is a bank holiday across the UK, a quiet day after the midnight celebrations. When it falls on a weekend, the day off moves to the following weekday. That makes 4 days off in a row without using any leave, 1 to 4 January.
- Monday 4 January: 2nd January. Scotland adds 2 January to New Year's Day, a tradition from Hogmanay. Two days off in a row make the Scottish New Year one of the longest winter breaks in the UK. The date itself, Saturday 2 January, falls on a weekend, so the day off is Monday 4 January. That makes 4 days off in a row without using any leave, 1 to 4 January.
- Friday 26 March: Good Friday. Good Friday is a bank holiday across the UK. It opens the Easter weekend, which often overlaps with school Easter holidays, so book trips early. That makes 3 days off in a row without using any leave, 26 to 28 March.
- Monday 3 May: Early May bank holiday. The Early May bank holiday falls on the first Monday of May, often with May Day fairs and morris dancing. It opens the spring season of long weekends in the UK. That makes 3 days off in a row without using any leave, 1 to 3 May.
- Monday 31 May: Spring bank holiday. The Spring bank holiday on the last Monday of May lines up with half term in many schools, making it one of the busiest weeks for UK breaks at home and abroad. That makes 3 days off in a row without using any leave, 29 to 31 May.
- Monday 2 August: Summer bank holiday. The Summer bank holiday closes the school summer. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland it falls on the last Monday of August, in Scotland on the first; beaches, festivals and roads get busy. That makes 3 days off in a row without using any leave, 31 July to 2 August.
- Tuesday 30 November: St Andrew's Day. St Andrew's Day honours Scotland's patron saint on 30 November. When it falls on a weekend, the bank holiday moves to the Monday, and ceilidhs and Scottish food fill the calendar. Take Monday 29 November off and you have 4 days in a row, 27 to 30 November.
- Monday 27 December: Christmas Day. Christmas Day is a bank holiday across the UK, when almost all shops and public transport close. Booking leave in the days between Christmas and New Year gives a long break for few days of leave. The date itself, Saturday 25 December, falls on a weekend, so the day off is Monday 27 December. That makes 4 days off in a row without using any leave, 25 to 28 December.
- Tuesday 28 December: Boxing Day. Boxing Day, 26 December, brings football fixtures, winter walks and the big sales. With Christmas Day it gives two bank holidays in a row, the start of the longest break of the year. The date itself, Sunday 26 December, falls on a weekend, so the day off is Tuesday 28 December. You get 4 free days in a row, 25 to 28 December, with no leave needed.
2027's top breaks for Scotland
Each break below starts and ends on a free day, contains at least one bank holiday, and needs no more than 10 days of annual leave. They are ranked by how many days off each day of leave brings.
25 December 2026 to 4 January 2027: 3 days of annual leave (29 to 31 December) around Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day and 2nd January give 11 days off, 3.7 days for every day used.
20 to 28 March: 4 days of annual leave (22 to 25 March) around Good Friday give 9 days off, 2.3 days for every day used.
1 to 9 May: 4 days of annual leave (4 to 7 May) around Early May bank holiday give 9 days off, 2.3 days for every day used.
29 May to 6 June: 4 days of annual leave (1 to 4 June) around Spring bank holiday give 9 days off, 2.3 days for every day used.
Around St Andrew's Day, 1 day of annual leave on Mon 29 November unlocks 4 days away, 27 to 30 November.
25 December 2027 to 4 January 2028: 3 days of annual leave (29 to 31 December) around Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day and 2nd January give 11 days off, 3.7 days for every day used.
The best breaks 2027 in Scotland
Every row is a run of weekends, bank holidays and days of annual leave. The highlighted row brings the most days off per day of leave.
| Dates | Result | Leave on | Bank holidays | School holidays | Plan a trip |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 25 Dec to Mon 4 Jan | 11 days offfor 3 days of annual leave, 3.67 days off per day of leave | Tue 29 Dec · Wed 30 Dec · Thu 31 Dec | Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day, 2nd January | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat 20 Mar to Sun 28 Mar | 9 days offfor 4 days of annual leave, 2.25 days off per day of leave | Mon 22 Mar · Tue 23 Mar · Wed 24 Mar · Thu 25 Mar | Good Friday | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat 1 May to Sun 9 May | 9 days offfor 4 days of annual leave, 2.25 days off per day of leave | Tue 4 May · Wed 5 May · Thu 6 May · Fri 7 May | Early May bank holiday | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat 29 May to Sun 6 Jun | 9 days offfor 4 days of annual leave, 2.25 days off per day of leave | Tue 1 Jun · Wed 2 Jun · Thu 3 Jun · Fri 4 Jun | Spring bank holiday | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat 31 Jul to Sun 8 Aug | 9 days offfor 4 days of annual leave, 2.25 days off per day of leave | Tue 3 Aug · Wed 4 Aug · Thu 5 Aug · Fri 6 Aug | Summer bank holiday | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat 27 Nov to Tue 30 Nov | 4 days offfor 1 day of annual leave, 4 days off per day of leave | Mon 29 Nov | St Andrew's Day | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat 25 Dec to Tue 4 Jan | 11 days offfor 3 days of annual leave, 3.67 days off per day of leave | Wed 29 Dec · Thu 30 Dec · Fri 31 Dec | Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day, 2nd January | none | Plan a trip |
What 1 to 10 days of annual leave bring
For each budget, the longest run of days off in 2027.
1 day of annual leave
4 days
27 November to 30 November
St Andrew's Day
3 days of annual leave
11 days
25 December to 4 January
Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day, 2nd January
8 days of annual leave
18 days
18 December to 4 January
Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day, 2nd January
2027 calendar for Scotland
- 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 annual leave goes in 2027
With 1 day of annual leave the longest run you can build is 4 days, 27 to 30 November. Three days stretch to 11 days off (25 December 2027 to 4 January 2028). Five days, a typical week, become 11 days off around Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day and 2nd January, 25 December 2027 to 4 January 2028.
Ten days, the most this planner books in one go, give 18 days in a row, 18 December 2027 to 4 January 2028. For nine days or more away you need 3 days of annual leave.
Full-time workers in the UK are entitled to 28 days including bank holidays, so a few days around Easter and Christmas usually leave plenty for a summer fortnight.
When the bank holidays fall in 2027
Winter: New Year's Day on 1 January, 2nd January on 4 January, Christmas Day on 27 December and Boxing Day on 28 December. The pick of the season is 25 December 2026 to 4 January 2027 with 3 days of annual leave for 11 days off.
Spring: Good Friday on 26 March, Early May bank holiday on 3 May and Spring bank holiday on 31 May. The pick of the season is 20 to 28 March with 4 days of annual leave for 9 days off.
Summer: Summer bank holiday on 2 August. The pick of the season is 31 July to 8 August with 4 days of annual leave for 9 days off.
Autumn: St Andrew's Day on 30 November. The pick of the season is 27 to 30 November with 1 day of annual leave for 4 days off.
How Scotland stacks up
Northern Ireland has the most with 10 bank holidays in 2027, England and Wales the fewest with 8. Scotland sits in between with 9.
Its best break, 27 to 30 November, returns 4.0 days off per day of leave. No other nation in our data does better this year.
Bank Holiday Planner 2027 for Scotland as a PDF
Every stretch, holiday and school break in Scotland on one printable page. Plus The Sunday Getaway every week and a note whenever a long weekend is worth it.
Where to on the long weekends?
For the six strongest stretches: places with the right climate that month, flights from EDI, GLA, ABZ.
27 November to 30 November: 1 day of leave, 4 days off
Short flight in November, flights from EDI
Barcelona17 °C by day · Sea 17 °C · Flight about 2 h 28, directPlan a trip for these daysSee Barcelona
iPhoto: Steffen Heilfort · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsArles16 °C by day · Flight about 2 h 21, directPlan a trip for these daysSee Arles
Lake Garda12 °C by day · Flight about 2 h 17, directPlan a trip for these daysSee Lake Garda
25 December to 4 January: 3 days of leave, 11 days off
Warm, up to 4 hours away in December, flights from EDI
iPhoto: Marco Riss · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsAgadir22 °C by day · Sea 18 °C · Flight about 3 h 54Plan a trip for these daysSee Agadir
25 December to 4 January: 3 days of leave, 11 days off
Warm, up to 4 hours away in December, flights from EDI
- iPhoto: Marco Riss · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsAgadir22 °C by day · Sea 18 °C · Flight about 3 h 54Plan a trip for these daysSee Agadir
20 March to 28 March: 4 days of leave, 9 days off
Warm, up to 4 hours away in March, flights from EDI
iPhoto: This Photo was taken by Timothy A. Gonsalves . Feel free to use my photos, but please mention me as the author. I would · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsMarrakech22 °C by day · Flight about 3 h 44Plan a trip for these daysSee Marrakech
1 May to 9 May: 4 days of leave, 9 days off
Warm, up to 4 hours away in May, flights from EDI
- iPhoto: This Photo was taken by Timothy A. Gonsalves . Feel free to use my photos, but please mention me as the author. I would · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsMarrakech29 °C by day · Flight about 3 h 44Plan a trip for these daysSee Marrakech
iPhoto: Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsCosta Blanca25 °C by day · Sea 18 °C · Flight about 2 h 52, directPlan a trip for these daysSee Costa Blanca
iPhoto: Thomas Wolf , www.foto-tw.de · CC BY-SA 3.0 de · Wikimedia CommonsAthens25 °C by day · Sea 18 °C · Flight about 3 h 52, directPlan a trip for these daysSee Athens
29 May to 6 June: 4 days of leave, 9 days off
Beach in June, flights from EDI
Dubai33 °C by day · Sea 31 °C · Flight about 7 h 11Plan a trip for these daysSee Dubai
Cyprus33 °C by day · Sea 24 °C · Flight about 4 h 43, directPlan a trip for these daysSee Cyprus
iPhoto: Tanya Dedyukhina · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsSharm el-Sheikh37 °C by day · Sea 26 °C · Flight about 5 h 31Plan a trip for these daysSee Sharm el-Sheikh
Bank holidays 2027 in Scotland
| Date | Weekday | Bank holiday | Applies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January | Friday | New Year's Day | nationwide |
| 4 January | Monday | 2nd January | across the nation |
| 26 March | Friday | Good Friday | nationwide |
| 3 May | Monday | Early May bank holiday | nationwide |
| 31 May | Monday | Spring bank holiday | nationwide |
| 2 August | Monday | Summer bank holiday | across the nation |
| 30 November | Tuesday | St Andrew's Day | across the nation |
| 27 December | Monday | Christmas Day | nationwide |
| 28 December | Tuesday | Boxing Day | nationwide |
Where to go on a long weekend from Scotland
From Scotland, the Highlands and the Isle of Skye suit late spring and summer, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs are close for a quick break, and Edinburgh's festival season fills August. Winter weekends lead to Aviemore and the Cairngorms.
Your strongest breaks this year fall in December, March and May, so pick the trip that suits that season, and book early: everyone else in Scotland has the same days off.
Scotland in other years
2026 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 Scotland: GOV.UK bank holidays, 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 nation's dates.
The planner treats weekends and full bank holidays as free days and works out where your days of annual leave turn into the longest time off. Days kept in part of Scotland or as observances are shown but never counted. Last checked on 1 October 2026.
Bank Holiday Planner 2027 in Scotland: frequently asked questions
How many bank holidays does Scotland have in 2027?
9 bank holidays: New Year's Day on 1 January, 2nd January on 4 January, Good Friday on 26 March, Early May bank holiday on 3 May, Spring bank holiday on 31 May, Summer bank holiday on 2 August, St Andrew's Day on 30 November, Christmas Day on 27 December and Boxing Day on 28 December.
What is the best long weekend in Scotland in 2027?
27 to 30 November: 1 day of annual leave gives 4 days off around St Andrew's Day.
How many days of annual leave do I need for nine days off in 2027?
3 days of annual leave: take 29 to 31 December off and you are off 25 December 2027 to 4 January 2028.
Is Easter Monday a bank holiday in Scotland in 2027?
No. Easter Monday is not on Scotland's official list for 2027, so it is a regular workday unless your employer gives it.
Is St Andrew's Day a bank holiday in Scotland in 2027?
Yes. St Andrew's Day is a full day off on Tuesday 30 November.
2027 in the other nations
How the Bank Holiday Planner works
Holidays: the public holidays from the official list in Scotland, 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.
