Public Holidays in Bulgaria
Statutory public holidays in Bulgaria, with the dates that give people the day off, how the calendar is set, and what it means for travel, cities and culture.
Bulgaria at a glance
Bulgaria’s public holidays follow the Orthodox calendar for religious dates, with Liberation Day on 3 March and Unification Day on 6 September the principal national commemorations.
Orthodox Easter and Christmas fall on Julian-calendar dates, so they differ from Western Europe, and several holidays are observed with name-day celebrations.
Bulgaria public holidays 2026
Bulgaria has 18 public holidays in 2026 – the statutory days off. The table below lists those public holidays; observances and other non-statutory dates are not part of the total.
| Holiday | Date | Type |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Jan 1Thu | National |
| Non-working day | Jan 2Fri | National |
| Liberation Day | Mar 3Tue | National |
| Good Friday | Apr 10Fri | National |
| Holy Saturday | Apr 11Sat | National |
| Easter | Apr 12Sun | National |
| Easter | Apr 13Mon | National |
| Labor Day and International Workers' Solidarity Day | May 1Fri | National |
| Saint George's Day, Day of the Bulgarian Army | May 6Wed | National |
| Day of Slavonic Alphabet, Bulgarian Enlightenment and Culture | May 24Sun | National |
| Day of Slavonic Alphabet, Bulgarian Enlightenment and Culture (observed) | May 25Mon | Substitute |
| Unification Day | Sep 6Sun | National |
Showing 12 of 18 public holidays for 2026.
Major cities in Bulgaria
The urban centres that anchor most trips to Bulgaria.
Sofia
A capital of gold-domed churches, boulevards and a mountain rising behind it.
Plovdiv
A city layered over a Roman theatre, with a painted revival old town.
Varna
The main coastal city, with a seaside park, beaches and a Roman bathhouse.
Burgas
A port city with a long beach, lake reserves and a summer festival calendar.
Veliko Tarnovo
A medieval capital terraced above a river gorge with a fortress.
Top attractions in Bulgaria
The places that draw most visitors to Bulgaria.
Rila Monastery
A striped monastery of arcades and frescoes in a forested mountain valley.
Ancient City of Nessebar
A Black Sea peninsula town of Byzantine and wooden-house churches.
Pirin National Park
Granite peaks, glacial lakes and ancient forests in the southwest.
Boyana Church
A small medieval church on Sofia's edge holding remarkable 13th-century frescoes.
Plovdiv Roman Theatre
A well-preserved Roman theatre still used for performances today.
Belogradchik Rocks
Red sandstone rock towers crowned by a fortress in the northwest.
Festivals, food and getting around Bulgaria
What the calendar looks like on the ground, and how to move through the country around it.
Festivals behind the holidays
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New Year's Day
Falls on Jan 1
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Day of Remembrance and Respect to Victims of the Communist Regime
Falls on Feb 1
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Baba Marta
Falls on Mar 1
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Liberation Day
Falls on Mar 3
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Motherโs Day
Falls on Mar 8
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March Equinox
Falls on Mar 20
Food & drink
Getting around
Buses and trains link the main towns; the Black Sea coast and mountain parks are easiest with a hired car.
Travelling around Bulgaria’s holidays
What the dates mean once you are there.
Book around the peaks
Transport and hotels in Bulgaria tighten around major holidays; reserve early for the busiest weeks.
Check opening hours
Museums, banks and government offices usually close on statutory holidays, and often on the nearest Monday.
Carry local currency
Small vendors and rural businesses frequently take cash only, especially on holidays when banks are shut.
Expect crowded transport
Long weekends produce the year's heaviest road, rail and air traffic. Build in extra travel time.
Confirm the official list
Bulgaria's holiday dates are confirmed by government announcement; check the year page for the final arrangement.
Plan the long weekends
Pairing a holiday with adjacent weekends gives the longest breaks of the year โ and the busiest.
Bulgaria public holidays: common questions
How many public holidays does Bulgaria have?
Bulgaria has 18 public holidays in 2026, counting every date typed National, Substitute or Bank in our calendar. Observances, religious dates and regional holidays are listed separately and left out of the total, because they are not days off across the whole country.
Where can I find the full 2026 list?
The complete 2026 calendar for Bulgaria is on the year page, with every recorded date in order.
Are Bulgaria's public holidays paid?
Statutory national holidays are generally paid leave for employees. Observances and commemorative days are usually not.
Do holidays move if they fall on a weekend?
Where a holiday falls on a weekend, Bulgaria typically observes it on the nearest weekday. Check the year page for the confirmed arrangement.
Are there regional holidays in Bulgaria?
Some holidays are observed only in certain regions or by certain communities. The year page lists what applies nationally.
Which years are covered for Bulgaria?
Calendars are published for 2027, 2026, 2025.
School holidays in Bulgaria
School term dates in Bulgaria
School calendar data last updated 10 Sep 2026. Dates come from education ministries and local education authorities; always re-check with the school before booking travel.