European public holidays are easy to overlook when planning a trip, yet they're exactly when shops, banks and some museums close, and public transport shifts to a Sunday timetable. If you don't know what's open when, it's easy to end up without groceries or standing at a locked attraction. This guide shows which dates to watch and how to plan around them.
📅 The main holidays across Europe
- 1 January — New Year's Day: closed almost everywhere
- Good Friday and Easter Monday (moveable, in spring): shops and banks closed, especially in Germany, Austria and the UK
- 1 May — Labour Day: a day off across the continent
- 15 August — Assumption: much closes in Catholic countries (Italy, Spain, France)
- 1 November — All Saints' Day: a holiday in Catholic countries
- 25-26 December — Christmas: both days almost fully closed, in many places from the afternoon of 24 December too
🛍️ Sunday closing
In Germany, Austria and Switzerland, most shops don't open at all on Sundays — it's regulated by law ("Ladenschluss" in Germany). This often surprises Georgian travellers, since Sunday is a normal shopping day back home.
There are exceptions: shops at stations and airports, bakeries and petrol-station mini-marts stay open on Sundays. In Southern Europe (Italy, Spain), small shops also close during the midday "siesta" (around 13:00-16:00).
✅ What still works on a holiday
- Restaurants and cafés — often open, though booking is wise at Christmas and New Year
- Some museums — a few open on holidays, but many close on Mondays regardless
- Pharmacies — an on-duty pharmacy ("Notdienst" in Germany) is always available
- Public transport — runs, but on a reduced Sunday/holiday timetable
Monday museum closures are a separate rule — don't confuse them with holidays. Always check a specific attraction's schedule before you go.
🧭 How to plan
- Before your trip, look up the specific country's public-holiday calendar — dates differ by country
- Stock up on groceries the day before (especially Saturday) if a holiday or Sunday is coming
- Buy attraction tickets in advance — see the skip-the-line tickets guide
- Check the transport timetable — the logic is in the European public transport guide
🎄 The upside — festivals and markets
A holiday isn't only closed shops — it's often a city's liveliest time. Christmas markets (Vienna, Nuremberg, Prague) run from late November to late December, and summer national holidays fill the streets with concerts and fireworks.
In some cities a holiday coincides with free-entry museum days — details in the Europe free museum days guide. First-timers to Europe will find the first time in Europe article useful.
Knowing the holidays in advance turns your trip into simple planning — you'll neither run short of groceries nor hit a locked door. Plan your route and find a cheap ticket on the Travel365 price calendar.
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