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Poland is one of Europe’s fastest-growing city-break destinations, and with a large Polish community in Britain it is also a country many UK travellers visit to see family. Its public holidays are worth knowing before you book: Poland observes 14 nationwide days off in 2026 — one more than before, thanks to a brand-new Christmas Eve holiday — and, unlike UK bank holidays, none of them are moved to a Monday when they fall on a weekend. This guide lists every public holiday in Poland in 2026, shows where the long weekends fall, and explains what stays open for visitors.
Public Holidays in Poland 2026 — Full List
The table below lists all 14 nationwide public holidays (dni ustawowo wolne od pracy) in Poland for 2026. Every date applies across the whole country; there are no regional public holidays.
| Date | Holiday (Polish) | Holiday (English) | Type | Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January | Nowy Rok | New Year’s Day | National | Thursday |
| 6 January | Święto Trzech Króli | Epiphany | National | Tuesday |
| 5 April | Wielkanoc | Easter Sunday | National | Sunday |
| 6 April | Poniedziałek Wielkanocny | Easter Monday | National | Monday |
| 1 May | Święto Pracy | Labour Day | National | Friday |
| 3 May | Święto Konstytucji 3 Maja | Constitution Day | National | Sunday |
| 24 May | Zielone Świątki | Whit Sunday (Pentecost) | National | Sunday |
| 4 June | Boże Ciało | Corpus Christi | National | Thursday |
| 15 August | Wniebowzięcie NMP / Święto Wojska | Assumption / Armed Forces Day | National | Saturday |
| 1 November | Wszystkich Świętych | All Saints’ Day | National | Sunday |
| 11 November | Narodowe Święto Niepodległości | Independence Day | National | Wednesday |
| 24 December | Wigilia | Christmas Eve (new) | National | Thursday |
| 25 December | Boże Narodzenie | Christmas Day | National | Friday |
| 26 December | Drugi dzień Świąt | Second Day of Christmas | National | Saturday |
Poland does not grant a substitute Monday when a public holiday falls at the weekend. However, under the Labour Code, when a holiday falls on a Saturday (as Assumption and the Second Day of Christmas do in 2026) employers must give staff another day off in return.
Long Weekends in Poland 2026
Where the three- and four-day breaks fall in 2026:
Majówka (1–3 May): Labour Day (Friday 1 May) and Constitution Day (Sunday 3 May) bookend the first May weekend — the famous majówka. Many Poles take Saturday between them off too, and it is the single busiest domestic travel window of the year.
Corpus Christi (4–7 June): Corpus Christi falls on Thursday 4 June, so taking Friday 5 June as a bridge day gives a four-day weekend — one of the best short-break windows for visiting UK travellers.
Christmas (24–27 December): With the new Christmas Eve holiday on Thursday 24 December, followed by Christmas Day (Friday) and the Second Day of Christmas (Saturday), the festive period is effectively a long shut-down.
What’s Open and Closed on Public Holidays
On public holidays in Poland, banks, offices and most shops close. Poland already restricts Sunday trading, and public holidays are treated the same way: large supermarkets and shopping centres shut, though small convenience stores, petrol-station shops and pharmacies on a rota stay open. The new Christmas Eve holiday means shops now close for the whole of 24 December as well.
Restaurants, cafés and bars in tourist cities such as Kraków, Warsaw and Gdańsk generally stay open, especially over the May weekends and in summer, though Christmas Eve and Easter are quiet family days when many close. Museums and major attractions mostly open on public holidays but may run reduced hours; public transport runs to a Sunday/holiday timetable. All Saints’ Day (1 November) sees huge numbers travelling to cemeteries, so intercity trains and roads are exceptionally busy.
Travel tip: If you are visiting family around Christmas, remember that Christmas Eve (Wigilia) — not Christmas Day — is the main event in Poland, centred on the evening meal. With 24 December now a full public holiday, plan to arrive and do any shopping the day before, as almost everything closes.
How Poland’s Public Holidays Compare with UK Bank Holidays
Poland gives workers 14 public holidays in 2026, comfortably more than the eight England and Wales receive. The biggest practical difference for visitors is that Poland never shifts a holiday to the following Monday when it lands on a weekend — so a Saturday holiday is simply enjoyed on the Saturday (with staff owed a day off in lieu instead).
| Feature | United Kingdom | Poland |
|---|---|---|
| Number of holidays | 8 (England & Wales) | 14 nationwide |
| Weekend substitute day | Yes — moved to Monday | No Monday shift (day off in lieu for Saturday holidays) |
| Regional variation | Scotland/NI differ | None — all 14 are nationwide |
| Religious character | Mostly secular | Strongly Catholic calendar |
| Sunday trading | Allowed | Restricted by law |
For the full British picture, see our list of UK bank holidays. Poland’s Catholic-calendar holidays echo those of its neighbour Germany — our guide to public holidays in Germany covers a country with the same Corpus Christi and Whit Monday pattern, though Germany’s holidays vary by region while Poland’s do not.
Key Cultural Holidays Explained
Constitution Day (3 May) commemorates the 1791 Constitution — the first codified national constitution in Europe and only the second in the world after the United States. It is a proud patriotic day of parades and flag-flying, and together with Labour Day it anchors the majówka holiday season.
All Saints’ Day (1 November) is one of the most visually striking days in the Polish calendar. Families travel across the country to tend graves, and after dark cemeteries glow with hundreds of thousands of candles (znicze). It is a moving sight for visitors, but expect packed trains, motorways and florists in the days beforehand.
Did you know? From 2025 Poland made Christmas Eve (24 December) a full public holiday for the first time, taking the national total from 13 to 14. The same law also allowed three trading Sundays before Christmas instead of two — so 2026 is only the second year British visitors will find the whole country closed on Wigilia.
Planning Your Trip Around Public Holidays
For UK travellers, Poland’s cheapest and quietest windows are outside the two big domestic peaks: the early-May majówka and the Corpus Christi bridge in June. City breaks to Kraków, Warsaw, Wrocław and Gdańsk are excellent value year-round, but flights and hotels spike around these long weekends and over Christmas and Easter. All Saints’ Day at the start of November is another period to book ahead if you are travelling within the country.
To keep costs down, compare city-centre hotels and apartments early on Booking.com, and book headline experiences — Kraków’s Old Town, Auschwitz-Birkenau memorial tours or the Wieliczka Salt Mine — in advance through GetYourGuide, as the best slots sell out fast on long weekends. For more ideas on turning a few days off into a proper break, see our guide to long weekends in 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many public holidays does Poland have in 2026?
Poland has 14 nationwide public holidays in 2026, following the addition of Christmas Eve (24 December) as a permanent day off from 2025.
Is Christmas Eve a public holiday in Poland?
Yes. Since 2025, Christmas Eve on 24 December is a full statutory public holiday in Poland, and in 2026 it falls on a Thursday. Shops, offices and most businesses close.
Does Poland move public holidays to Monday if they fall on a weekend?
No. Poland does not shift holidays to the following Monday. However, when a public holiday falls on a Saturday — as Assumption (15 August) and the Second Day of Christmas (26 December) do in 2026 — employers must grant an extra day off in lieu.
When is Easter Monday in Poland in 2026?
Easter Monday is on 6 April 2026, following Easter Sunday on 5 April. Both are public holidays, and Poland follows the Western (Gregorian) Easter, the same date as the UK.
Are shops open on public holidays in Poland?
Large shops and supermarkets close on public holidays, in line with Poland’s Sunday trading restrictions. Small convenience stores, petrol-station shops and duty pharmacies generally stay open.
What is the biggest public holiday in Poland?
Christmas and All Saints’ Day are the most significant. Christmas Eve (Wigilia) is the emotional centre of the festive season, while All Saints’ Day sees millions travel to light candles at family graves.
Is 3 May a holiday everywhere in Poland?
Yes. Constitution Day on 3 May is a nationwide public holiday. Poland has no regional public holidays — all 14 dates apply across the entire country.
Sources & Last Verified
Government of Poland (Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy) — Free Christmas Eve from 2025
Nager.Date Public Holiday API — Poland 2026 — date.nager.at/PublicHolidays/2026/PL
Cross-checked against Office Holidays and timeanddate.com
Last verified: 27 July 2026
Author: Bank Holidays UK Editorial Team