Bulgaria 2026 Public Holidays

New Year's Day

1 January. In many countries the day off moves to the following Monday when it falls on a weekend.

The first day of the Gregorian calendar year, and the most widely observed public holiday in the world — a day off in almost every country that uses the Gregorian calendar, regardless of religion. Several countries extend the break to 2 January, and some in East Asia keep both the Gregorian and a separate lunar new year.

New Year Holiday

The days immediately after 1 January, where the break runs longer than one day.

An additional day off attached to New Year's Day. Countries that treat the turn of the year as a multi-day break — much of Eastern Europe, Japan, and parts of Asia — grant these beyond 1 January.

Liberation Day

The anniversary of liberation from occupation — varies by country.

Marks the end of a foreign occupation, most often the end of Axis occupation in 1944–45. Observed in Italy, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway and a number of African and Asian states.

Good Friday

The Friday before Easter Sunday.

Commemorates the crucifixion, and is the most widely observed Christian public holiday after Christmas. Together with Easter Monday it produces a four-day weekend in much of Europe, the Commonwealth and Latin America. In several countries it also carries trading or entertainment restrictions beyond the day off itself.

Holy Saturday

The Saturday before Easter Sunday.

The day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Falling on a Saturday, it is a formal public holiday in only a handful of countries and an observance in most.

Easter Sunday

The first Sunday after the first full moon on or after 21 March, so the date moves between 22 March and 25 April.

The central feast of the Christian year, commemorating the resurrection. Because it always falls on a Sunday, the day off it generates is usually Good Friday or Easter Monday rather than the day itself. Its movable date sets the timing of Carnival, Ascension and Pentecost.

Easter Monday

The Monday after Easter Sunday.

A public holiday across most of Europe, the Commonwealth and Latin America, extending the Easter weekend to four days. Notably not a holiday in the United States, Portugal or Spain outside Catalonia and the Balearics.

Labor Day

1 May in most countries; the first Monday of September in the United States and Canada.

The workers' holiday. Almost everywhere it falls on 1 May; in the United States and Canada it was deliberately placed in September to avoid the associations of May Day.

Independence Day

The anniversary of the country's independence — a different date in every country.

The national day of a country that gained independence from another state, and typically its most important secular holiday. Over a hundred countries observe one, on dates ranging across the whole calendar.

Christmas Eve

24 December.

The evening of 24 December is the main celebration in the Nordics, Germany, Poland and much of Central Europe, where gifts are exchanged that night rather than on Christmas morning. Often a half day or a de facto day off rather than a statutory holiday.

Christmas Day

25 December. The day off moves to the following weekday when it falls on a weekend.

The most widely observed public holiday after New Year's Day, a day off in the great majority of countries including many with no Christian majority, where it functions as a secular end-of-year holiday. Orthodox churches following the Julian calendar keep it on 7 January instead.

Second day of Christmas

26 December.

26 December as observed in the Nordics, the Netherlands and Central Europe — the same date as Boxing Day, under a name that treats Christmas as a two-day feast.