Czech Public Holidays 2026 and 2027: Complete Calendar

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The Czech Republic has 13 public holidays per year — 7 “state holidays” commemorating historic dates and 6 “other holidays” of religious origin. All are legally-observed non-working days when most shops, government offices, and services close (but restaurants, museums, and public transport keep running). This is the complete 2026 and 2027 calendar plus what to expect on each holiday.

Czech public holidays at a glance

Total: 13 public holidays per year.
Most shops closed on holidays (since 2016 law banning large-store holiday opening).
Restaurants + cafés open on virtually all holidays.
Museums often open and sometimes with free admission.
Public transport: runs on Sunday schedule most holidays.

Complete 2026 calendar

Date	Day	Holiday (Czech)	English	Type
Jan 1	Thursday	Nový rok / Den obnovy samostatného českého státu	New Year / Restoration Day of Czech Independence	State
Apr 3	Friday	Velký pátek	Good Friday	Religious
Apr 6	Monday	Velikonoční pondělí	Easter Monday	Religious
May 1	Friday	Svátek práce	Labor Day	State
May 8	Friday	Den vítězství	Victory Day (end of WWII)	State
Jul 5	Sunday	Den slovanských věrozvěstů Cyrila a Metoděje	Saints Cyril and Methodius Day	State
Jul 6	Monday	Den upálení mistra Jana Husa	Jan Hus Day	State
Sep 28	Monday	Den české státnosti	Czech Statehood Day (St. Wenceslas Day)	State
Oct 28	Wednesday	Den vzniku samostatného československého státu	Independent Czechoslovak State Day	State
Nov 17	Tuesday	Den boje za svobodu a demokracii	Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day	State
Dec 24	Thursday	Štědrý den	Christmas Eve	Religious
Dec 25	Friday	1. svátek vánoční	Christmas Day	Religious
Dec 26	Saturday	2. svátek vánoční / Sv. Štěpán	St. Stephen’s Day	Religious

Complete 2027 calendar

Date	Day	Holiday
Jan 1	Friday	New Year
Mar 26	Friday	Good Friday
Mar 29	Monday	Easter Monday
May 1	Saturday	Labor Day
May 8	Saturday	Victory Day
Jul 5	Monday	Cyril and Methodius Day
Jul 6	Tuesday	Jan Hus Day
Sep 28	Tuesday	Czech Statehood Day
Oct 28	Thursday	Independent Czechoslovak State Day
Nov 17	Wednesday	Struggle for Freedom Day
Dec 24	Friday	Christmas Eve
Dec 25	Saturday	Christmas Day
Dec 26	Sunday	St. Stephen’s Day

What each holiday commemorates

New Year / Restoration Day (Jan 1)

Doubles as the anniversary of the 1993 restoration of the Czech independent state after the peaceful “Velvet Divorce” from Slovakia.

Good Friday + Easter Monday

Traditional Christian holidays. See our Prague Easter guide for local traditions (pomlázka, kraslice).

Labor Day (May 1)

Traditional workers’ day; also traditionally a day for lovers to kiss under a blooming cherry tree.

Victory Day (May 8)

End of WWII in Europe. Wreath-laying ceremonies at Prague memorials.

Cyril and Methodius Day (Jul 5)

The Byzantine missionaries who brought Christianity and the Cyrillic alphabet to the Czech lands in 863 CE.

Jan Hus Day (Jul 6)

Anniversary of the burning of the Czech religious reformer Jan Hus at the Council of Constance in 1415. Precursor to the Hussite Wars and Czech Protestant identity.

Czech Statehood / St. Wenceslas Day (Sep 28)

Anniversary of the murder of Duke Wenceslas (“Good King Wenceslas”) in 935 CE — considered the founding sacrifice of Czech national identity. The statue on Wenceslas Square commemorates him.

Independent Czechoslovak State Day (Oct 28)

Founding of Czechoslovakia on 28 October 1918 after the collapse of Austria-Hungary.

Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day (Nov 17)

The single most important modern Czech holiday. Marks both the 1939 Nazi crackdown on Czech students AND the 1989 police attack on students at Národní třída that triggered the Velvet Revolution. See our full November 17 anchor guide.

Christmas Eve / Christmas Day / St. Stephen’s Day (Dec 24-26)

Traditional Christian Christmas. Christmas Eve dinner (carp + potato salad) is the main family meal. See our Prague Christmas Markets guide and Czech Christmas Cookies guide.

What’s open on Czech public holidays

Open

Restaurants, cafés, most bars
Museums (often with reduced hours; sometimes free entry)
Tourist attractions (Prague Castle, Astronomical Clock, etc.)
Cultural venues (concerts, theaters)
Public transport (Sunday schedule most holidays)
Small groceries under 200m² (allowed to open all holidays)
Petrol stations
Airports and train stations

Closed

Large supermarkets over 200m² (Albert, Billa, Kaufland, Tesco) — by law since 2016 on 7 holidays: Jan 1, Easter Monday, May 8, Sep 28, Oct 28, Dec 25, Dec 26
Banks
Government offices and post offices
Schools
Most shopping malls

Partially open

Christmas Eve (Dec 24) — most shops close at 12:00-14:00
Good Friday — some restaurants close, larger shops open shorter hours

Impact on tourism

Visiting during a Czech public holiday is rarely a big problem:

Tourist infrastructure (hotels, restaurants, museums) all stay open.
Public transport slightly reduced; still perfectly functional.
Grocery-shopping challenges — stock up the day before Christmas + Easter.
Some quieter atmosphere on state holidays; some events on the day itself (candles at Národní třída on Nov 17; wreath-laying on Oct 28).

Best times to visit around Czech holidays

Christmas markets: late November through Jan 6. See our Christmas markets guide.
Easter markets: 2 weeks before Easter Sunday. See our Easter guide.
Nov 17 candlelight vigils: Národní třída memorial from 17:00.
Oct 28 celebrations: Wenceslas Square and Vyšehrad ceremonies.

What to bring

Rick Steves Prague guidebook — includes calendar of local events + holiday-day recommendations.
Osprey Daylite Plus daypack — for holiday-day walking.