A few days of leave between a holiday and a weekend make a long break.
1–4 January
4 days off in a row
1 day of leave: 2 January
Thu1
Fri2
Sat3
Sun4
28 February – 3 March
4 days off in a row
1 day of leave: 2 March
Sat28
Sun1
Mon2
Tue3
1–6 May
6 days off in a row
2 days of leave: 4 May, 5 May
Fri1
Sat2
Sun3
Mon4
Tue5
Wed6
6–10 May
5 days off in a row
2 days of leave: 7 May, 8 May
Wed6
Thu7
Fri8
Sat9
Sun10
19–22 September
4 days off in a row
1 day of leave: 21 September
Sat19
Sun20
Mon21
Tue22
Calendar 2026
Public holiday
Day off for a holiday on a weekend
Saturday and Sunday
Day off in schools only
January
Mo
Tu
We
Th
Fr
Sa
Su
1 — New Year’s Day
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
February
Mo
Tu
We
Th
Fr
Sa
Su
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
March
Mo
Tu
We
Th
Fr
Sa
Su
1
2
3 — Liberation Day — the national day
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
April
Mo
Tu
We
Th
Fr
Sa
Su
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 — Good Friday
11 — Holy Saturday
12 — Easter Sunday
13 — Easter Monday
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
May
Mo
Tu
We
Th
Fr
Sa
Su
1 — Labour Day
2
3
4
5
6 — St George’s Day, Day of Bravery and the Bulgarian Army
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24 — Day of Saints Cyril and Methodius, the Bulgarian alphabet, education and culture
25 — for Cyril and Methodius Day
26
27
28
29
30
31
June
Mo
Tu
We
Th
Fr
Sa
Su
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
July
Mo
Tu
We
Th
Fr
Sa
Su
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
August
Mo
Tu
We
Th
Fr
Sa
Su
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
September
Mo
Tu
We
Th
Fr
Sa
Su
1
2
3
4
5
6 — Unification Day
7 — for Unification Day
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22 — Independence Day
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
October
Mo
Tu
We
Th
Fr
Sa
Su
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
November
Mo
Tu
We
Th
Fr
Sa
Su
1 — Day of the National Awakeners
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
December
Mo
Tu
We
Th
Fr
Sa
Su
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24 — Christmas Eve
25 — Christmas Day
26 — Christmas — second day
27
28 — for Christmas
29
30
31
Public holidays in 2026
Date
Day
Holiday
Day off
1 January
Thursday
New Year’s Day
the same day
3 March
Tuesday
Liberation Day — the national day
the same day
10 April
Friday
Good Friday
the same day
11 April
Saturday
Holy Saturday
—
12 April
Sunday
Easter Sunday
—
13 April
Monday
Easter Monday
the same day
1 May
Friday
Labour Day
the same day
6 May
Wednesday
St George’s Day, Day of Bravery and the Bulgarian Army
the same day
24 May
Sunday
Day of Saints Cyril and Methodius, the Bulgarian alphabet, education and culture
25 May, Monday
6 September
Sunday
Unification Day
7 September, Monday
22 September
Tuesday
Independence Day
the same day
1 November
Sunday
Day of the National Awakeners
schools and universities only
24 December
Thursday
Christmas Eve
the same day
25 December
Friday
Christmas Day
the same day
26 December
Saturday
Christmas — second day
28 December, Monday
Working days by month
For a five-day week and an 8-hour working day.
21Jan
20Feb
21Mar
20Apr
18May
22Jun
23Jul
21Aug
20Sept
22Oct
21Nov
20Dec
Month
Working days
Hours
Days off
January
21
168
10
February
20
160
8
March
21
168
10
April
20
160
10
May
18
144
13
June
22
176
8
July
23
184
8
August
21
168
10
September
20
160
10
October
22
176
9
November
21
168
9
December
20
160
11
Total
249
1992
116
How the days off are set
The public holidays are listed in Article 154 of the Labour Code: New Year, 3 March, Easter (Good Friday to Easter Monday), 1 and 6 May, 24 May, 6 and 22 September, 1 November, Christmas Eve and Christmas. Easter follows the calendar of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.
When a holiday other than Easter falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the first working day after it is a day off; with several such holidays, the first few working days are. That makes the calendar predictable years ahead.
Since 2017 the government no longer moves days off, so there are no working Saturdays. The Council of Ministers can only declare a one-off extra day off for a major event.
Leave around the holidays
Paid annual leave is at least 20 working days. Public holidays that fall during your leave do not count as leave days, so a day or two around a holiday gives a long break. See “How to get more time off” above.
For employers and accountants
In 2026 there are 249 working days and 1992 working hours at 8 hours a day. The monthly table above gives the norm for each month, for example for averaged working time. Work on a public holiday is paid at least double.
Schools and 1 November
The Day of the National Awakeners is a public holiday but a day off only in schools and universities. School holidays are set separately by order of the Minister of Education.
If you live abroad
If you plan to visit a Bulgarian embassy or consulate around the holidays, check the mission’s hours on the country page in the Embassies section. You can add the days off to your phone calendar with the “Add to calendar” button at the top.
Rules
What happens when a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday?
The first working day after it is a day off, or the first working days when there are several holidays (Labour Code, Art. 154(2)). The rule does not apply to Easter.
Are there working Saturdays?
No. Since 1 January 2017 the government can no longer move days off, so there are no working Saturdays. The Council of Ministers can only declare a one-off extra day off.
Is 1 November a day off?
The Day of the National Awakeners is a public holiday, but a day off only in schools and universities. For everyone else it is a working day.
When is Easter in 2026?
Orthodox Easter falls on 12 April. The days off run from Good Friday to Easter Monday.
How is work on a public holiday paid?
Work on a public holiday is paid at least double (Labour Code, Art. 264).
Worked out from Article 154 of the Labour Code. Checked on 28 October 2026: the Council of Ministers has declared no extra days off for 2026. lex.bg