Planning Your 2026 Calendar: A Guide to Holidays and School Vacations in Slovenia
For Slovenian expats, business professionals and corporate clients, staying ahead of the local calendar is key to balancing productivity with personal time. In 2026, several holidays are aligned to create long weekends, while others remain strictly commemorative working days.
At SIBIZ, we have prepared this comprehensive overview of 2026National Holidays, work-free days, and school vacations in Slovneia to help you plan your year with confidence.
Critical Shopping Alert: Sunday and Holiday Closures
One of the most important lifestyle adjustments for Slovenian expats is the regulation of shop opening hours. In accordance with the Slovenian Trade Act:
Sunday Closures: Virtually all stores are closed on Sundays.
Holiday Closures: All retail stores remain closed on work-free days.
Exceptions: Only very small shops (up to 200m²) located at gas stations, hospitals, airports, or transport hubs, as well as pharmacies and some small family-run markets where the owner works personally, may remain open.
We strongly recommend that you complete your grocery shopping by Saturday, as most retail options will not be available until Monday morning.
Official Work-Free Days in 2026
On these dates, all schools, most businesses, government offices, banks, and all major stores are closed.
January 1 (Thursday): New Year Holiday
January 2 (Friday): New Year Holiday
February 8 (Sunday): Prešeren Day (Slovenian Cultural Holiday)
April 5 (Sunday): Easter Sunday
April 6 (Monday): Easter Monday
April 27 (Monday): Day of Uprising Against the Occupation
May 1 (Friday): Labour Day
May 2 (Saturday): Labour Day
May 24 (Sunday): Whit Sunday (Whitsuntide Holiday)
June 25 (Thursday): Statehood Day
August 15 (Saturday): Feast of the Assumption
October 31 (Saturday): Reformation Day
November 1 (Sunday): Day of Remembrance for the Dead
December 25 (Friday): Christmas Day
December 26 (Saturday): Independence and Unity Day
National Holidays (Working Days)
These days are of national importance but are not work-free days. Stores and businesses operate as usual:
June 8 (Monday): Primož Trubar Day
August 17 (Monday): Unification of Prekmurje Slovenes with the Mother Nation
September 15 (Tuesday): Integration of Primorska into the Homeland
September 23 (Wednesday): Slovenian Sports Day
October 25 (Sunday): Sovereignty Day
November 10 (Tuesday): Science Day
November 23 (Monday): Rudolf Maister Day
Slovenian School Vacations for 2026
For families with children, these are the dates to mark for family travel and childcare planning.
Winter Vacation:
February 16 – February 20: For pupils from Gorenjska, Goriška, Notranjsko-Kras, Obalno-Kras, Osrednjeslovenska, and Zasavska regions, and certain south-eastern municipalities (Ribnica, Sodražica, Loški Potok, Kočevje, Osilnica, and Kostel).
February 23 – February 27: For pupils from the rest of Southeastern Slovenia and the Koroška, Podravska, Pomurska, Savinjska, and Posavska regions.
Summer School Vacation:
June 26 – August 31, 2026: The long summer break before the new school year begins in September.
About Us
SIBIZ is a leading consultancy in Slovenia dedicated to helping expats, foreign investors, digital nomads, and business professionals and corporate clients on regulatory compliance, immigration, tax, legal and business setup in Slovenia. We provide expert guidance on tax residency, company formation, and administrative compliance to ensure your transition to Slovenia is seamless and profitable.
Navigating the tax landscape as a foreign resident or tax resident in Slovenia can be complex. One of the most effective ways to optimize your annual tax liability is by correctly claiming the Special tax relief for dependent family members (“Posebna olajšava za vzdrževane družinske člane”). What is the Special Tax Relief for Dependent Family […]
From the start of the new year, Slovenia will begin applying the new Hospitality Act, which directly affects short-term apartment rentals marketed through platforms such as Airbnb and Booking.com. While time limits on short-term rentals in municipalities with a high risk of negative impacts will not apply until January 1, 2027, the new framework already […]
Slovenia activated the short-time work scheme under ZUDPNP. The measure supports employers who face temporary disruptions and need to reduce working hours. The goal is simple: to protect jobs and stabilize operations during unexpected circumstances. The government adopted the decision on December 4, 2025. The measure came into effect on December 5, 2025. Employers can […]
