Design Your vacation planning 2026 strategic and get the most out of your available vacation days! By cleverly combining holidays with long weekends, you can significantly extend your recovery period. The year 2026 offers particularly attractive opportunities around Easter and the turn of the year, where you can enjoy 16 consecutive days off with just eight vacation days. Discover how you can optimally manage your time off and generate up to 62 days off from 30 vacation days.
Overview of public holidays 2026
Those who start planning their vacation and leisure activities early on benefit the most: An overview of public holidays 2026 helps you to make clever use of bridging days, coordinate projects better and plan valuable relaxation breaks. The following is an overview of the most important national holidays of the year:
New Year: January 1, 2026 (Thursday)
Good Friday: April 3, 2026 (Friday)
Easter Monday: April 6, 2026 (Monday)
Labor Day: May 1, 2026 (Friday)
Ascension Day: May 14, 2026 (Thursday)
Whit Monday: May 25, 2026 (Monday)
Day of German Unity: October 3, 2026 (Saturday)
Christmas Day: December 25, 2026 (Friday)
2nd Christmas Day: December 26, 2026 (Saturday)
Bridge days in 2026
Optimize your 2026 vacation planning by making strategic use of bridging days! Foresighted planning allows you to create maximum recovery phases with minimal use of vacation days:
More free time: Vacation planning example for 30 days vacation entitlement
With a standard vacation entitlement of 30 days, you can more than double your free time by making wise use of public holidays and bridging days in 2026. Assuming that you work in a classic Monday-to-Friday structure.
Your ideal vacation plan for 60 days off could look like this:
With this strategy, you use 29 vacation days and get a total of 60 days off. This leaves you with 1 vacation day for spontaneous planning.
Vacation planning 2026: You should consider these regional differences
Depending on where you work, additional regional holidays can significantly optimize your vacation planning. Take advantage of these local features to distribute your vacation days even more efficiently and create additional relaxation phases:
Regional bridge days 2026
*valid only in the city of Augsburg.
These long weekends are worth it in 2026!
In addition to large vacation blocks, attractive long weekends are also available for a varied vacation in 2026. These are ideal for short trips, wellness stays or spontaneous city trips:
Tools for perfect vacation planning
Well-thought-out vacation planning today requires more than handwritten notes and complicated Excel spreadsheets. With the right software support, laborious planning becomes an efficient process. The ZEP module absences & overtime Gives you the perfect overview of optimal vacation periods and helps you with strategic planning.
The most important features for planning your vacation in 2026:
- Automatic integration of holidays into the company calendar
- Transparent presentation of remaining vacation from the previous year
- Digital Application for Vacation Days at the Click of a Mouse
- Immediate Forwarding to the Responsible Approval Authorities
- Overview of Vacation Distribution in the Team
Traditional paperwork is now a thing of the past and you can get your well-deserved vacation faster and easier!
Digital Support for Planning Your Vacation in 2026
Professional software such as ZEP proves to be an indispensable assistant in order to perfect your vacation planning in 2026 and not miss out on any of the opportunities mentioned above. The system allows you to store all relevant public holidays in your federal state in the basic settings so that you can always keep an eye on the optimal vacation periods.
Other benefits of digital vacation planning:
- Individual configuration by company location and department
- Automatic display of remaining vacation from the previous year
- Simplified application for all types of absences
- Optimized workflows across vacation management
This technical support not only makes your vacation planning more efficient, but also much less stressful.
Conclusion
Strategically thought-out vacation planning for 2026 allows you to From 30 vacation days up to 62 days off to design and thus maximize your recovery time. The holidays around Easter, Ascension/Pentecost and the turn of the year offer particularly attractive opportunities for extended vacation phases.
When planning, be sure to take into account the specific public holidays of your federal state so that you can take even more targeted action. You should also take advantage of the numerous options for long weekends for relaxing short breaks.
Make the entire planning process easier by using digital tools such as ZEP, which help you not to miss out on valuable days off and to manage your vacation requests smoothly. In this way, you can ensure that you get the most out of your valuable free time in 2026.
FAQs
How can I get many days off in 2026 with a few vacation days?
With strategic use of bridging days, you can double your vacation days in 2026. The best opportunities are around Easter (16 days off for 8 vacation days), in early summer from Ascension Day to Pentecost (17 days off for 9 vacation days) and between Christmas and New Year (16 days off for 8 vacation days). With 30 vacation days available, you can get up to 60 consecutive days off.
Which bridging days are most worthwhile in 2026?
The most lucrative bridging days in 2026 are:
- New Year + Three Kings: 6 days off with just 2 vacation days (January 1-6)
- Easter time: 16 days off with 8 vacation days (March 28-April 12)
- early summer: 17 days off with 9 vacation days (May 9-25)
- End of year: 16 days off with 8 vacation days (December 19, 2026-January 3, 2027)
Early summer in particular offers excellent opportunities due to the combination of Ascension Day, Pentecost and Corpus Christi.
Do bridging days 2026 differ depending on the Federal State?
Yes, regional holidays significantly influence your bridge day options. Bavaria has the most options with 13-14 public holidays, followed by Baden-Württemberg, Brandenburg and Saarland with 12 public holidays each. The following are particularly advantageous:
- Baden-Wuerttemberg/Bavaria: Three Kings, Corpus Christi, All Saints Day
- Saxony: Day of Repentance and Prayer allows 9 days off with 4 vacation days
- Berlin: International Women's Day as an additional holiday
When should I apply for my 2026 vacation?
Apply for your vacation for the popular bridging days as early as possible, ideally as early as the end of 2025 or the beginning of January 2026. The periods around Easter, Pentecost and Christmas are particularly popular. Secure your longest annual vacation first and then plan the smaller bridging days. Early planning prevents conflicts with colleagues and enables your employer to better plan resources.
Can my employer reject vacation requests on bridging days?
Yes, your employer can reject vacation requests on bridging days for operational reasons. This is particularly common when:
- Too many colleagues have already applied for vacation for the same period
- Corporate weddings or important projects are pending
- Continuation of business operations would be at risk
However, the employer must provide fair and comprehensible reasons. Tip: Apply for alternative periods of time or negotiate a prorated approval.
How can vacation planning software like ZEP help with planning 2026?
Digital vacation planning software such as ZEP offers several advantages for your 2026 vacation planning:
- Automatic holiday integration: All state-specific holidays are automatically taken into account
- Remaining vacation notice: Transferred vacation from 2025 is displayed so that no days expire
- Digital application: Easy application with one click without paperwork
- Clear planning: Visualization of the best bridging day opportunities
- Team Coordination: Avoiding Overlaps with Colleagues
- Mobile availability: Vacation planning is possible from anywhere
This way, you won't miss out on optimal vacation periods and can make maximum use of your free time in 2026.
