Public holidays and school breaks in Austria in 2025
Below is a list of national holidays in Austria. In addition to these, there are also regional holidays that mainly affect students and state employees.
Saturday is a day off for students, office staff, and state employees. Stores usually operate on a reduced schedule, closing before 17:00 or 18:00.
Sunday is a day off, but all tourist sites remain open, including museums, souvenir shops, cafes, and restaurants (although some may be closed). Additionally, some grocery stores are open in the center of Salzburg, including Billa on the embankment of the Salzach River in the old town (11:00 to 15:00), Spar at the Mozart House Museum (11:00 to 18:00), and Spar at the railway station (9:00 to 22:00). From December to April, grocery stores are open on Sundays in ski resorts from 9:00 to 13:00. From June to September, grocery stores are open on Sundays and holidays in summer resorts, such as the lake district of Salzkammergut.
Banks are closed on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays; currency exchange services are only available on weekdays.
Austria has six periods of school holidays and two-semester periods. The start and end dates vary depending on the region:
Salzburg, Tirol, Burgenland, Carinthia, Vorarlberg:
- 10.02 - 15.02 (semester holidays)
- 12.04 - 21.04 (Easter holidays)
- 07.06 - 09.06 (Pentecost)
- 05.07 - 07.09 (summer holidays)
- 25.10 - 02.11 (autumn holidays)
- 23.12 - 06.01 (Christmas and winter holidays)
Vienna, Lower Austria:
- 03.02 - 09.02 (semester holidays)
- 12.04 - 21.04 (Easter holidays)
- 07.06 - 09.06 (Pentecost)
- 28.06 - 31.09 (summer holidays)
- 25.10 - 02.11 (autumn holidays)
23.12 - 06.01 (Christmas and winter holidays)
Upper Austria, Styria:
- 17.02 - 23.02 (semester holidays)
- 12.04 - 21.04 (Easter holidays)
- 07.06 - 09.06 (Pentecost)
- 05.07 - 07.09 (summer holidays)
- 25.10 - 02.11 (autumn holidays)
- 23.12 - 06.01 (Christmas and winter holidays)
January 1 - New Year (Neujahr)
A day of rest and preparation for the working week ahead. In the center of Salzburg, there is a New Year's market offering delicious food and drinks. Various bands perform onstage at the Kapitelplatz folk, classical and jazz music. Read more: New Year's Eve in the Old Town of Salzburg.
Public holiday
January 6 - The Holy Three Kings (Drei Könige)
A Catholic holiday is celebrated in honor of the three Wise Men named Kaspar, Melchior and Balthazar, who brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the cradle of infant Jesus Christ. According to the tradition, children are divided into groups and perform carols on the Day of the Three Kings. Each group consists of three kings representing three continents, races, and ages, along with a child carrying a "Star of Bethlehem" fixed on a pole. The group of carolers, the Sternsänger, visit homes to sing Christmas carols and recite poetry. It is customary to give monetary donations for this, which are used for charity. On the doors of the house or apartment where the donation was made, the symbols C + M + B (Christus Mansionem Benedicat) are written in chalk illuminated in the church. This phrase means, "Christ, bless this house."
Public holiday
April 20 - Easter (Ostersonntag) Sunday
April 21 - Easter Monday (Ostermontag) Monday
Easter is the most important Christian holiday. On Easter Eve, churches light Easter lights to celebrate the rebirth and new beginning. Easter lamb-shaped cakes, cheeses, sausages and eggs are consecrated during the festive service. It is customary to share the blessed products with loved ones and have breakfast with the family. People also weave and consecrate Easter bushes (palm bushes) and then have magnificent "palm processions".
Read more: Austria Easter Customs
Public holiday
May 1
Labor Day celebrates workers' solidarity and justice. In Austria, 1 May is marked in rural areas by erecting a maypole, a symbol of fertility.
Read more: Maypole Raising
Public holiday
May 29 - Ascension (Christi Himmelfahrt)
The Ascension Day commemorates the return of Jesus Christ to his Father in the Kingdom of Heaven, 40 days after the Resurrection (Easter). It is customary for parishes to organize the rite of First Communion for children on this day.
Public holiday
Juni 8 - Trinity (Pfingstsonntag) Sunday
Juni 9 - Pentecost (Pfingstmontag) Monday
The celebration of the establishment of the Christian Church is marked by a festive procession where doves are released as a symbol of the Holy Spirit descending on the apostles. Typically, on this day, a confirmation ceremony is held in church parishes, one of the seven sacraments of chrismation in the Catholic Church.
Public holiday
Juni 19 - Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ (Fronleichnam)
The holiday has its roots in the 13th century and is based on a vision of Julianna of Liege, a nun from the Augustinian convent. According to legend, she saw the church as a disk of the moon with a black spot. She interpreted this as a lack of honor for the Eucharist, which refers to the transformation of Christ's blood into wine and flesh into bread. For the Frontline Holiday, churches are decorated with flowers and young birch trees. After the service, a solemn procession takes place outside, led by children and young people carrying Bibles and crucifixes. Honorary citizens hold a canopy, a symbol of heaven, under which a priest walks with a monstrance. The monstrance contains a special bread that represents the flesh of Christ. Musicians and local residents form the rear of the procession.
Public holiday
August 15 - Ascension of the Virgin (Mariä Himmelfahrt)
The Ascension of the Virgin Mary's body and soul to heaven is celebrated with the consecration of medicinal herbs, decoctions, and root-based healing ointments. It is also common to have processions resembling Christ's body and blood.
Public holiday
October 26 - Independence and Neutrality Day (Nationalfeiertag)
In Austria, October 26th is celebrated as the day when Allied and Soviet troops withdrew from the country's territory after World War II. This event marks the proclamation of the basic principles of the new Austrian state, including eternal neutrality and democracy. Military units demonstrate modern weaponry, officials' offices are open to the public. Themed excursions are also organized, when visitors can explore government buildings from the inside.
Public holiday
November 1 - All Saints' Day (Allerheiligen)
November 1 is a day of remembrance for all Christian saints and martyrs. This day dates back to the 7th century, when the Pantheon, a temple dedicated to the pagan gods, was transformed into a temple in honor of the Virgin Mary. Halloween is celebrated on the eve of All Saints' Day, especially by young people who go to nightclubs. Conversely, children go trick-or-treating at home and say the phrase "trick or treat" to get candy (Süsses order Saueres). November 2, known as All Souls' Day, is dedicated to all Christian martyrs who died for their faith. November 1 and 2 are also known as Parents' Day. People usually hold memorial ceremonies in cemeteries, lighting candles at memorials and decorating graves with traditional fall flowers, including yew, boxwood, and mistletoe.
Public holiday
On All Souls' Day, November 2, civil servants and students have the day off, while those in the commercial sector may work as usual.
December 8 - Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary (Maria Empfängnis)
Catholic holiday. The dogma of the birth of Mary, who did not inherit the original human sin of her parents Anna and Joachim. The Virgin Mary was predestined to become the mother of the son of God, Jesus Christ.
It is a public holiday, but shops are open
December 24 - Holy Evening (Heiliger Abend)
In church tradition, Holy Night (also known as Christmas Eve) has been celebrated since the 6th century to create a greater sense of anticipation for the upcoming birth of Christ. On this day, people make the final preparations for the big holiday, including placing gifts under the Christmas tree, setting up a small stable with the Christ child in a manger, and hanging images of angels called Christkindl throughout the house. Although Christmas Eve is a day of fasting, in modern times, people do not limit themselves to food. It is customary to serve dishes such as roast goose, turkey, fish, or boiled beef Tafelspitz and to drink hot wine and punch. Believers usually go to church by 11:00 p.m., and at midnight, they celebrate the arrival of the Messiah by ringing bells. It is also customary to give to charity on this day.
Public holiday. A reduced working day for shops and shopping centers, operating until 13:00
December 25 - Christmas (Weihnachten)
In the 4th century, Pope Gregory adopted December 25th as the birth date of Jesus Christ since the Bible does not give an exact date. Christmas is a holiday for families to spend time together. Some prefer a relaxed day of looking at photos, watching favorite movies, or going for a walk. Others may choose to be active by going skiing, sledding, or ice skating. Attending a church service is an essential part of the holiday, after which gifts are exchanged. If you happen to be in Salzburg, the Christmas Market in the city center is open until 3 p.m. on December 24, 25, and 26. Please note that shops and most restaurants are closed during the Christmas holidays. Read more: Christmas Traditions and Events in Salzburg, Austria
Public holiday
December 26 - St. Stephen's Day (Stefanitag)
The day of St. Stephen (Stepan), the first Christian martyr, is celebrated on December 26. For most Austrians, however, it's the second day off after Christmas. On this day, people usually visit distant relatives and friends. In addition, horse races (Stefaniritt) are organized in many villages and towns, and after the races, priests bless the riders and horses.
Public holiday
December 31 - Silvester
Until the seventeenth century, Europe used different dates for the beginning and end of the calendar year. It was not until 1691, when Pope Innocent XII established a standard, that December 31 became the end of the year and January 1 the beginning. Before the calendar reform in the Holy Roman Empire, the last day of the year was December 24, the first day was January 6, and the time in between was called the "interlude". In Catholic countries, December 31 is called Sylvester in commemoration of the death of Pope Sylvester (335). In Salzburg, the New Year is celebrated with a fireworks display organized by the city government, although in many Austrian cities, the pyrotechnics have been replaced by laser shows. Friends and relatives exchange symbolic gifts such as horseshoes with wishes written on them, toy chimney sweeps, and marzipan piglets. Read more: New Year's Eve in the Old Town of Salzburg.
A reduced working day for shops and shopping centers, operating until 13:00
Tags: Helpful tips for planning your trip to Austria and Salzburg
