Annual vacation in EU countries: how long does it last and how to extend it due to public holidays

EU countries are required to provide at least 20 days of paid annual leave. In some countries, this number is higher, while others have a calendar of public holidays that you can use to maximize your annual leave.

According to the European Employment Service (EURES), taking time off not only boosts your mental and physical health, but also helps to increase productivity and efficiency when you return to work. The minimum statutory annual paid vacation varies from country to country in the EU and ranges from 20 days a year in most member states to 25 days in some countries, Euronews writes.

Which EU countries have the longest vacation?

According to data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) for 2020, eighteen countries offer the minimum vacation time required by EU law – 20 days. These countries include Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain.

Outside of the EU, Switzerland also offers 20 days, and the UK offers 28 days, including bank holidays. Austria, France, Luxembourg, Sweden, and Denmark offer at least 25 days of paid annual leave per year.

Which EU country has the most public holidays?

Sick leave, weekly rest, maternity leave, long service leave, parental leave, and – in most countries – public holidays are calculated separately from paid annual leave.

In 2020, statutory annual public holidays in the EU ranged from six days in Greece to 15 days in Latvia, Lithuania, and Slovakia. In most member states, it was more than 10 days. The EU average was 11.7 days.

Combining minimum paid vacation and public holidays in the EU, Greece has the lowest rate of 26 days, while Austria and Malta offer the highest rate of 38 days. The EU average is 33 days.

In the UK, public holidays count towards the 28-day minimum holiday entitlement, so if employees work on these days, they are entitled to another day off.

How to maximize your annual leave in 2024

By planning your vacation around public holidays, you can increase the number of consecutive vacation days you have, which will allow you to get more rest.

United Kingdom

Easter is a great time to make the most of your annual leave. Good Friday (March 29) and Easter Monday (April 1) are public holidays in the UK. You can take a 10-day break using only four days of your annual leave. Take your vacation on March 25-28 or April 2-5. You can also take two weeks off for Easter, using only eight days of vacation.

This year, the early May bank holiday falls on May 6. You can take the weekend of May 7-10 to get nine days off for the price of four. This also works for the spring bank holiday on May 27 and the summer bank holiday on August 26.

France

In France, Easter is also a good time to take a long break. Friday, March 29 and Monday, April 1 are public holidays, so book the weekend of April 2-5 to get a nine-day vacation using only four days of your annual leave.

May, however, offers the best prospects for a long break: May 1, 8, and 9 are public holidays, so you can take the weekend of Saturday, April 27 to Sunday, May 12 (16 days), using only seven days of vacation. Alternatively, you can take a nine-day break (May 18-26), using four days of vacation for Pentecost, as May 20 is a public holiday.

In the fall, you can again take four days of vacation for nine days of vacation (either October 26-November 3 or November 9-17), as November 1 and 11 are public holidays.

Germany

Take four days off for Easter (March 25-28 or April 2-5) in Germany and get a nine-day break thanks to the public holidays on March 29 and 31 and April 1.

Since Labor Day (May 1) falls on a Wednesday this year, you can get five consecutive days off if you take two days off (April 29-30 or May 2-3).

Take four days off (May 21-24) for a nine-day vacation for Pentecost, as May 20 is a public holiday.

Three out of 10 in the EU cannot afford a week's annual vacation

Despite the availability of holidays, travel can be a challenge. In 2022, almost three in 10 (29%) EU residents could not afford a week's annual vacation away from home.

Among the EU member states, the highest proportion of people in this situation was recorded in Romania, where the vast majority (63%) could not afford a week-long trip. In four countries, this share exceeded 40%: Greece (49%), Bulgaria (44%), Croatia (42%) and Hungary (41%).

Only 10% of people in Sweden could not afford a week's vacation, followed by Finland (12%), the Netherlands and Denmark (both 13%).

In Germany, the figure was 22%, in the UK – 24%, and in France – 25%.

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