Local governmentExplainer

Public holidays in Bavaria 2026 and 2027, silent days and school holidays

Bavaria's public holidays with their dates for 2026 and 2027, including Epiphany, Corpus Christi, All Saints' Day and Assumption Day in Munich, plus shop closing rules, the Bavarian silent days and the official school holiday dates.

Checked 8 Oct 2026

Applies to: Everyone who lives or works in Bavaria, including Munich. Public holidays are set by each federal state, so Bavaria's list differs from Berlin's and other states'. One holiday, Assumption Day, applies only in Bavarian municipalities with a predominantly Catholic population, which includes Munich.
Effort: Low effort
Time needed: About 5 minutes to read; add the dates to your calendar

On this page

Bavaria has more public holidays (gesetzliche Feiertage) than any other German state: twelve that apply throughout the state, plus Assumption Day (15 August) in the roughly 1,700 municipalities with a predominantly Catholic population, including Munich. The city of Augsburg has one more, its Peace Festival on 8 August.

On these days, as on Sundays, most shops are closed, most people do not work and public offices are shut. The lists below give the dates for 2026 and 2027, followed by the rules for shops, the Bavarian "silent days", your pay as an employee and the school holidays.

Public holidays in 2026

Thursday 1 January: New Year's Day (Neujahr)
Tuesday 6 January: Epiphany (Heilige Drei Könige)
Friday 3 April: Good Friday (Karfreitag)
Monday 6 April: Easter Monday (Ostermontag)
Friday 1 May: Labour Day (Tag der Arbeit)
Thursday 14 May: Ascension Day (Christi Himmelfahrt)
Monday 25 May: Whit Monday (Pfingstmontag)
Thursday 4 June: Corpus Christi (Fronleichnam)
Saturday 15 August: Assumption Day (Mariä Himmelfahrt), in Munich and other predominantly Catholic municipalities
Saturday 3 October: Day of German Unity (Tag der Deutschen Einheit)
Sunday 1 November: All Saints' Day (Allerheiligen)
Friday 25 December: Christmas Day (1. Weihnachtsfeiertag)
Saturday 26 December: Second Day of Christmas (2. Weihnachtsfeiertag)

Public holidays in 2027

Friday 1 January: New Year's Day
Wednesday 6 January: Epiphany
Friday 26 March: Good Friday
Monday 29 March: Easter Monday
Saturday 1 May: Labour Day
Thursday 6 May: Ascension Day
Monday 17 May: Whit Monday
Thursday 27 May: Corpus Christi
Sunday 15 August: Assumption Day (in Munich and other predominantly Catholic municipalities)
Sunday 3 October: Day of German Unity
Monday 1 November: All Saints' Day
Saturday 25 December: Christmas Day
Sunday 26 December: Second Day of Christmas

Easter Sunday and Whit Sunday are Sundays and therefore not listed separately. Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve are not public holidays.

Assumption Day depends on where you live

Under the Bavarian Public Holidays Act, Assumption Day is a public holiday only in municipalities where, according to the latest census, more residents are Catholic than Protestant. The Bavarian State Office for Statistics publishes the list; since 15 August 2025 it is based on the 2022 census, and the holiday applies in 1,708 of Bavaria's 2,056 municipalities. Munich is one of them. If you work in another town, for example in parts of Franconia, check the official list.

The Augsburg Peace Festival (Hohes Friedensfest, 8 August) is a public holiday only within the city of Augsburg.

Days that are not public holidays

Buß- und Bettag (Day of Repentance and Prayer, 18 November 2026 and 17 November 2027) is not a public holiday in Bavaria, but there are no lessons at schools that day. Most employees work as usual.
Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve are not public holidays; there is no statutory day off.

Shops on Sundays and public holidays

Under the Bavarian shop opening law, in force in its new form since 1 August 2025, shops may open on working days from 6:00 to 20:00. On Sundays and public holidays they are generally closed. Exceptions include:

petrol stations, which may open at any time but sell only a limited range of goods outside normal hours;
bakeries, which may sell for three hours between 8:00 and 17:00;
flower sales from 10:00 to 12:00 (longer on some remembrance days);
small unstaffed self-service shops of up to 150 m².

Plan your shopping for Saturday, especially before long weekends such as Easter and Whitsun. See shopping and Sundays.

Silent days (stille Tage)

Bavaria protects nine silent days: Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, All Saints' Day, the national day of mourning (Volkstrauertag), Buß- und Bettag, the Sunday of the Dead (Totensonntag) and Christmas Eve. On these days public entertainment that does not suit their serious character is restricted, generally from 2:00 to midnight (on Christmas Eve from 14:00; Good Friday and Holy Saturday all day). Dancing events are banned on all silent days, and on Good Friday there is no music in venues serving alcohol. Only All Saints' Day and Good Friday are also public holidays.

Work and pay on public holidays

If your working day falls on a public holiday and you do not work, your employer must still pay you as if you had worked (section 2 of the Continued Remuneration Act). If you work on a public holiday, for example in hospitals, hospitality or transport, your contract or collective agreement sets any compensation; see employment rights.

School holidays

School holidays in Bavaria are set by the state. In the school year 2026/2027 they are:

Autumn (around All Saints' Day): 2 to 6 November 2026
Christmas: 24 December 2026 to 8 January 2027
Winter / carnival: 8 to 12 February 2027
Easter: 22 March to 2 April 2027
Whitsun: 18 to 28 May 2027
Summer: 2 August to 13 September 2027

Check the Bavarian Ministry of Education for later years.

Watch out

Assumption Day is not a holiday in every Bavarian town. If you live in Munich but work elsewhere, check your workplace's municipality.

Shops are closed on public holidays. Ascension Day and Corpus Christi always fall on a Thursday, so plan your shopping before the long weekend.

Common mistakes

Assuming Berlin's list applies; Bavaria has Epiphany, Corpus Christi, All Saints' Day and (in most places) Assumption Day, but not International Women's Day.
Planning a party or club night on a silent day such as Good Friday.

Tips

Add the 2026 and 2027 dates to your calendar now, including the school holidays if you have children.
If you have children, book trips for the Whitsun and summer school holidays early.

Frequently asked questions

Editorial answers written by our team, based on the sources below.

Is 15 August a holiday in Munich?

Yes. Assumption Day is a public holiday in Munich because, according to the census used by the State Office for Statistics, it has a predominantly Catholic population.

Is Buß- und Bettag a day off?

Not for most employees. It is not a public holiday in Bavaria, but schools have no lessons that day.

Are shops open on 24 December?

Christmas Eve is not a public holiday, so the normal shop opening rules apply; individual shops set their own hours. It is a silent day from 14:00.

Official links

In your plan

Learn the house rules, waste sorting and Sunday rules

Sources

Written and checked by HomiStart editorial against the official sources below. Next scheduled check: 8 Oct 2027.

Bayerische Staatskanzlei – BAYERN.RECHTOfficial source
Feiertagsgesetz (FTG) Art. 1 Gesetzliche Feiertage (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
Accessed 8 Oct 2026
Bayerisches Landesamt für StatistikOfficial source
Mariä Himmelfahrt – Gemeinden mit überwiegend katholischer Bevölkerung (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
Accessed 8 Oct 2026
Based on the 2022 census from 15 August 2025.
muenchen.de – offizielles Stadtportal (Portal München Betriebs-GmbH)
Feiertage in Bayern 2026 und 2027 (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
Accessed 8 Oct 2026
Dates for 2026/2027, Assumption Day in Munich, 1,708 of 2,056 municipalities, 13 holidays, Buß- und Bettag school-free.
Landeshauptstadt München – KreisverwaltungsreferatOfficial source
Ladenschluss und Feiertage (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
Accessed 8 Oct 2026
Bavarian shop opening law since 1 August 2025, exceptions, silent days and their restrictions.
Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Unterricht und KultusOfficial source
Ferientermine (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
Accessed 8 Oct 2026
School holidays 2026/2027; no lessons on Buß- und Bettag.
Bundesministerium der Justiz – Gesetze im InternetOfficial source
§ 2 EFZG – Entgeltzahlung an Feiertagen (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
Accessed 8 Oct 2026