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 2026 National 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:

  1. 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).
  2. February 23 – February 27: For pupils from the rest of Southeastern Slovenia and the Koroška, Podravska, Pomurska, Savinjska, and Posavska regions.

Summer School Vacation:

  1. 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.

For more information: www.sibiz.eu