Get extra holiday with these bridging days

A short holiday is the perfect break from everyday working life, is cheaper than a whole week's holiday and can still offer just as much variety. So it's no wonder that bridging days are particularly popular for a short holiday.

If you apply for a sensible holiday, you can really relax thanks to the 2024 bridging days. After last year's disappointments, this year's public holidays (apart from New Year) are absolutely perfect and allow you to take long holidays with just a few days off.

New Year - The disappointment at the beginning of the year

    When is New Year's Day 2024? Monday, 1 January 2024
    Where is New Year's Day a public holiday? All federal states

There are few options for a bridge day here, but read on, it gets better - promise.

Epiphany - 16 days of Christmas holidays

    When is Epiphany 2024? Saturday, 6 January 2024
    Where is Epiphany a public holiday? Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Saxony-Anhalt

With four days' holiday, eight days off are possible from 31 December 2023 to 8 January 2024.

However, you can also take a long Christmas holiday from 24 December 2023 to 8 January 2024. That's 15 days' holiday for which you only have to take seven days off.

International Women's Day - now also in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

International Women's Day has been a public holiday in Berlin since 2019, and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania has also joined in since 2022. With four days off, you can even take a whole nine days off from 4 to 11 March.

Easter - take 16 days off with eight days' holiday

    When is Easter 2024? Friday, 29 March to Monday, 1 April 2024
    Where is Easter a public holiday? All federal states

Easter brings three public holidays with it every year. With four days' holiday, you get ten days off from 22 March to 2 April in 2024. With eight days' holiday, you even get 16 days off from 22 March to 8 April 2024.

Labour Day - at least one long weekend

    When is Labour Day 2024? Wednesday, 1 May 2024
    Where is Labour Day a public holiday? All federal states

1 May falls on a Wednesday in 2024, which means a long weekend is possible in both directions. With four additional days off, you can take nine days off from 26 April to 6 May.

Ascension Day - Four-day short holiday in early summer

    When is Ascension Day 2024? Thursday, 9 May 2024
    Where is Ascension Day a public holiday? All federal states

Ascension Day is one of the most popular bridge days because the church holiday always falls on a Thursday. With just one day's holiday, you can enjoy a four-day long weekend from 8 to 13 May. With three more days' holiday, you can take nine days off in a row from 3 to 13 May. With a further four days' holiday, you can take a full 16 days off from 26 April to 13 May!

Whitsun - take up to 12 days holiday in a row

    When is Whitsun 2024? Sunday, 19 and Monday, 20 May 2024
    Where is Whitsun a public holiday? All federal states

Whitsun takes place every year exactly 49 days after Easter Sunday. This year, too, it's worth taking four days' holiday at Whitsun. With four days' holiday, you can enjoy a whole nine days off from 17 May to 27 May. In combination with Ascension Day (9 May 2024), you can even get twelve days off from 8 to 21 May. This only requires six days' holiday.

Corpus Christi - Extended weekend over four days

    When is Corpus Christi 2024? Thursday, 30 May 2024
    Where is Corpus Christi a public holiday? NRW, Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, parts of Saxony and Thuringia

Corpus Christi is a public holiday in some federal states. With just one day's holiday, you can take four days off from 29 May to 3 June. In these federal states, however, the Whitsun holiday can also be extended: With eight days' holiday, you have a whopping 15 days off from 18 May to 3 June.

Assumption Day - Four-day holiday in Bavaria and Saarland

    When is Assumption Day 2024? Thursday, 15 August 2024
    Where is Assumption Day a public holiday? Bavaria, Saarland

Assumption Day falls on a Thursday in 2024. With just one day's holiday, you can enjoy a four-day long weekend in Bavaria and Saarland from 14 to 19 August. Alternatively, you can treat yourself to nine days' holiday with four days' holiday from 9 to 19 August.

World Children's Day - so far only in Thuringia

    When is World Children's Day 2024? Friday, 20 September 2024
    Where is World Children's Day a public holiday? Thuringia

World Children's Day has existed since 1954, but it has only been a public holiday in Thuringia - and only since 2019.

German Unity Day - Nine days of autumn leave

    When is the Day of German Unity 2024? Thursday, 3 October 2024
    Where is German Unity Day a public holiday? All federal states

German Unity Day also falls on a Thursday, which means you can enjoy another long weekend with one day's holiday, this time from 2 October to 7 October. With three additional days off, you have eight days for a great autumn holiday from 27 September to 7 October.

Reformation Day - long weekend or short holiday

    When is Reformation Day 2024? Thursday, 31 October 2024
    Where is Reformation Day a public holiday? Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Lower Saxony, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, Thuringia

Reformation Day has been a public holiday for the five eastern German federal states since 1990 and has also been a public holiday for all northern German federal states since 2018. The public holiday falls on a Thursday and you can look forward to a long weekend from 30 October to 4 November with another day off. With four days' holiday, you can even enjoy nine days off from 25 October to 4 November.

All Saints' Day - Nine or five days holiday

    When is All Saints' Day 2024? Friday, 1 November 2024
    Where is All Saints' Day a public holiday? Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland

All Saints' Day falls on a Friday in 2024, giving you an extra day at the weekend.

Day of Prayer and Repentance - enjoy five to nine days off in a row

    When is the Day of Prayer and Repentance 2024? Wednesday, 20 November 2024
    Where is the Day of Prayer and Repentance a public holiday? Saxony

With four days off, nine days off are possible from 15 to 25 November. Alternatively, with two days' holiday, you could enjoy an extended weekend before or after the Day of Prayer and Repentance.

Christmas - Three days' holiday for ten days off

    When is Christmas 2024? Tuesday, 25 and Wednesday, 26 December 2024
    Where is Christmas a public holiday? All federal states

The Hanseatic city is especially worth a visit during Advent, as Hamburg really dresses up and sheds its Hanseatic reserve. This year, the public holidays are perfectly timed so that you can do all your shopping on 24 December and still have two days off after Christmas Eve. With just three days off, you can take a whole ten days off from 20 December 2024 to 1 January 2025.

New Year - celebrate New Year's Eve without remorse

    When is New Year's Day 2025? Wednesday, 1 January 2025
    Where is New Year's Day a public holiday? All federal states

New Year's Day gives you the tenth day off during your Christmas holiday - or an extended weekend for a New Year's Eve celebration that doesn't end with a hangover in the office on 1 January.