Do you have 20 or 26 days of vacation per year and want to use them wisely? The year 2026 doesn't offer many natural "bridges" as several holidays fall on Sundays, but... don't worry. With strategic planning, you can turn 19-22 days of vacation into up to 55 days off. How to do it?
Statutory holidays in 2026
In 2026, there are 14 statutory non-working days, including:
9 fall on weekdays (Mon-Fri)
3 on Sundays (non-replaceable)
2 on Saturdays → for which your employer must grant you an additional day off (usually by the end of the month)
"Saturday" holidays in 2026:
These two days are a hidden potential – you can use them to build longer breaks without using your vacation days.
Best "bridges" in 2026 - detailed
Below is a list of the 7 best opportunities for long breaks in 2026, along with the exact calculation of days off (W) and needed vacation days (U).
JANUARY
January 1-6
W = 6, U = 2
EASTER
April 4-7 (Saturday-Tuesday)
W = 9, U = 4 (extended version)
MAY HOLIDAYS
April 25 - May 3
W = 9, U = 4
CORPUS CHRISTI
June 4-7
W = 4, U = 1
AUGUST
August 8-17
Holiday: August 15 (Saturday) - day off to reclaim
Take vacation: August 10-14 (Mon-Fri), reclaim August 17 (Mon)
W = 10, U = 5 + 1 reclaimed day
NOVEMBER
November 7-15
W = 9, U = 4
DECEMBER / JANUARY
December 24, 2026 - January 3, 2027
Holidays: December 25 (Friday), December 26 (Saturday) - reclaimed day
Take vacation: December 28-30 + December 31 (day off for 26.12)
W = 11, U = 3 + 1 reclaimed day
TOTAL: how many days off can you have?
Do you have 26 vacation days? You still have 3 days left in reserve!
Do you have 20 vacation days? Choose the 3-4 most advantageous extended weekends and you will still gain about 40 days off!
Check our offers: winter holidays by the sea 2026
Planning tips
Plan in advance!
Report reclaiming days off for holidays on Saturdays - your employer should assign you a specific day.
Be strategic - more days off don’t always mean more vacation days. Sometimes it’s worth "adding" one day to gain a whole week of freedom.
2026 is a good year for those who can plan smartly. Several days off from the calendar + 2 days for holidays on Saturdays + several vacation days equals up to 2 months of rest within the year! Start planning today - the best dates disappear quickly from leave schedules.
