It’s already November. Tomorrow is almost here and we realise that New Year’s is about to be celebrated. In addition to the joy of spending time with loved ones, the onset of the new year brings good news for those in the workforce. The year 2026 will offer numerous excellent occasions for rest and mini-vacations: beyond the weekends, employees in Hungary will have several legal public holidays which, with a little planning, can be leveraged for relaxation or get-aways. In this article we will see which legal public holidays there are in 2026 for Hungary, how they are distributed (how many fall during the week and how many on weekends), and we’ll offer some practical advice on how you can optimise them for successful mini-vacations.

Public Holidays in 2026

Here is the complete list of legal public holidays in Hungary for 2026, according to the official calendar. These include both fixed-date national and religious holidays, and mobile ones such as Easter, calculated according to the Eastern tradition.

• 1 January (Thursday): New Year's Day – a strong start to the year.

• 2 January (Friday): Day off (Bridge day – to be worked on January 10).

• 15 March (Sunday): National Holiday (1848 Revolution and War of Independence).

• 3 April (Friday): Good Friday.

• 6 April (Monday): Easter Monday.

• 1 May (Friday): Labour Day.

• 25 May (Monday): Whit Monday (Pentecost Monday).

• 20 August (Thursday): St. Stephen's Day (Foundation of the State).

• 21 August (Friday): Day off (Bridge day – to be worked on August 8).

• 23 October (Friday): National Holiday (1956 Revolution).

• 1 November (Sunday): All Saints’ Day.

• 24 December (Thursday): Christmas Eve (Bridge day – to be worked on December 12).

• 25 December (Friday): Christmas Day.

• 26 December (Saturday): Second Day of Christmas.

Keep in mind that these days are non-working for most employees, except in essential sectors (such as healthcare or public food services), where compensation is provided.

Attention! If you work on one of these days, you are entitled to double pay or to compensatory days off.

Legal holidays, weekend overlaps and mini-vacations

One thing is clear! 2026 is a generous year: we have 14 non-working and rest days in total.
Some of these fall on weekends (15 March, 1 November, 26 December), while others fall on weekdays or are bridge days, creating extended breaks for employees.

“Bridge days” and mini-vacations

• New Year's Day: 1 January (Thursday) + 2 January (Friday – bridge day) + weekend = 4 consecutive days.

• National Holiday: 15 March (Sunday).

• Easter: 3–6 April (Friday–Monday) = a 4-day long weekend.

• Labour Day: 1 May (Friday) + weekend = 3 days in a row.

• Whit Monday: 25 May (Monday) + weekend = 3 days.

• St. Stephen’s Day: 20–21 August (Thursday–Friday) + weekend = a 4-day long weekend.

• National Holiday: 23 October (Friday) = 3 days with the weekend.

• Christmas: 24–26 December (Thursday–Saturday) + weekend = an extended holiday period.

Overall, the 2026 calendar is highly favourable for employees. With a few well-chosen bridge days, it is possible to secure more than 20 days of actual rest throughout the year.

How to optimise your public holidays for mini-vacations

1. Plan ahead

Identify holidays that fall on Thursday, Friday or Monday and book your transport and accommodation ahead of time. For example: 1 January (Thursday) → weekend + holiday = 4 consecutive days.

2. Create “bridge days”

If a holiday falls on Tuesday or Wednesday, you can take Monday or Friday off to create a longer vacation with only one extra leave day.
For example: Easter 2026 falls on Monday, 6 April – by taking Friday off, you can enjoy a longer break.

3. Combine legal holidays with annual leave

If you have paid leave days, try to add them before or after the legal holidays to extend your rest period without using many leave days.

4. Be mindful of peak periods

During popular periods (Easter, 1 May, 20 August) demand for accommodation/transport rises – book early to get better prices.

5. Plan with variety

Mini city-break: For legal holidays that fall on Thursday/Friday or Monday, you can go to a Hungarian city or make a short flight abroad. · Extended stay: If you can take 2-3 additional leave days, you can turn a holiday into a week-long vacation.

6. Check your employer’s rules

If you work in 24/7 operations or shifts, make sure you know how legal holidays are compensated (double pay, compensatory day off etc.).

7. Also consider school holidays

If you have children, plan mini-vacations around school breaks, which in 2026 coincide with holidays such as Easter, Whit Monday and Christmas. This way, you can spend more time together without using too many leave days. The spring or winter break can easily be extended with public holidays—perfect for a mountain escape or a family city break.

Conclusion

2026 promises a better balance between work and relaxation. With a favourable mix of legal public holidays and bridge days, many of them falling during the week, you have every chance to turn weekends into mini-vacations.

Whether you plan a spontaneous city break, a mountain getaway or simply a few relaxing days at home with family, the key is early planning. Get your calendar ready from January and make 2026 the year in which you work smart and genuinely rest.