Long Weekends & Bridge Days in Bulgaria 2026
Plan your leave: see which public holidays make a long weekend in 2026, and which bridge days give you the most time off for the fewest leave days.
Long weekends (no leave needed)
Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Orthodox Easter, Easter Monday
International Workers' Day
Day of Bulgarian Education and Culture and Slavonic Literature
Unification Day
Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Second Day of Christmas
Bridge days — take leave, gain a break
Ranked by efficiency (days off per leave day). Violet = leave, accent = holiday, grey = weekend.
Take 1 day off → 4 days off in a row
Jan 1 – Jan 4 · New Year's Day
Leave: Fri, Jan 2
Take 1 day off → 4 days off in a row
Feb 28 – Mar 3 · Liberation Day
Leave: Mon, Mar 2
Take 1 day off → 4 days off in a row
Sep 19 – Sep 22 · Independence Day
Leave: Mon, Sep 21
Take 3 days off → 10 days off in a row
Dec 19 – Dec 28 · Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Second Day of Christmas
Leave: Mon, Dec 21 · Tue, Dec 22 · Wed, Dec 23
Take 2 days off → 6 days off in a row
May 1 – May 6 · International Workers' Day, St. George's Day / Bulgarian Army Day
Leave: Mon, May 4 · Tue, May 5
Take 2 days off → 5 days off in a row
May 6 – May 10 · St. George's Day / Bulgarian Army Day
Leave: Thu, May 7 · Fri, May 8
Take 4 days off → 10 days off in a row
May 1 – May 10 · International Workers' Day, St. George's Day / Bulgarian Army Day
Leave: Mon, May 4 · Tue, May 5 · Thu, May 7 · Fri, May 8
Take 4 days off → 9 days off in a row
Feb 28 – Mar 8 · Liberation Day
Leave: Mon, Mar 2 · Wed, Mar 4 · Thu, Mar 5 · Fri, Mar 6
Take 4 days off → 9 days off in a row
Sep 19 – Sep 27 · Independence Day
Leave: Mon, Sep 21 · Wed, Sep 23 · Thu, Sep 24 · Fri, Sep 25
Take 3 days off → 6 days off in a row
Mar 3 – Mar 8 · Liberation Day
Leave: Wed, Mar 4 · Thu, Mar 5 · Fri, Mar 6
Public holidays 2026
| Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | Thursday | New Year's Day |
| Mar 3 | Tuesday | Liberation Day |
| Apr 10 | Friday | Good Friday |
| Apr 11 | Saturday | Holy Saturday |
| Apr 12 | Sunday | Orthodox Easter |
| Apr 13 | Monday | Easter Monday |
| May 1 | Friday | International Workers' Day |
| May 6 | Wednesday | St. George's Day / Bulgarian Army Day |
| May 24 | Sunday | Day of Bulgarian Education and Culture and Slavonic Literature |
| May 25 | Monday | Day of Bulgarian Education and Culture and Slavonic Literature(substitute) |
| Sep 6 | Sunday | Unification Day |
| Sep 7 | Monday | Unification Day(substitute) |
| Sep 22 | Tuesday | Independence Day |
| Dec 24 | Thursday | Christmas Eve |
| Dec 25 | Friday | Christmas Day |
| Dec 26 | Saturday | Second Day of Christmas |
| Dec 28 | Monday | Second Day of Christmas(substitute) |