what days are holidays in Poland?

Poland has an official holiday calendar that designates non-working days. These include both religious and national holidays, and they are observed as days off regardless of employees' religions or beliefs. Here is a list of non-working days in Poland.

what is a holiday calendar?

The Holiday Calendar is a list of days recognized as national and religious holidays. It includes both Catholic holidays and national celebrations. The most important holidays in Poland include Christmas, Easter, International Workers' Day, Constitution Day on May 3, Independence Day, and other religious observances such as the Feast of the Resurrection, the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Holy Trinity Day.

The Holiday Calendar in Poland is established by the Government of the Republic of Poland and serves as the basis for determining non-working days and organizing related festivities and events. Public holidays apply to all employees, whether full-time or part-time, and cover those employed under both employment contracts and civil law contracts.

Read: Sunday and Saturday Work – What You Should Know

what are the public holidays in Poland? List of public holidays 

Poland has a list of statutory public holidays that includes both national and religious holidays. Some of them have fixed dates and fall on the same day every year, while others are movable—their dates change each year because they depend on the date of Easter. In practice, this also means that the dates of long weekends and additional days off vary.

Fixed holidays:

• New Year's Day (January 1st)

• Epiphany (Three Kings’ Day, January 6th)

• Labour Day (May 1st)

• Constitution Day (May 3rd)

• Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (August 15th)

• All Saints’ Day (November 1st)

• Independence Day (November 11th)

• Christmas Eve* (December 24th)

• Christmas Day (December 25th)

• Boxing Day (December 26th)

* Christmas Eve has been established as a public holiday starting in 2025.

Moveable holidays:

• Easter Sunday

• Easter Monday

• Pentecost (Whit Sunday)

• Corpus Christi

are stores open on holidays in Poland?

On most public holidays in Poland, there is a ban on retail sales. This means that large stores, supermarkets, shopping malls, and most service establishments remain closed. For many people—especially tourists and foreigners—this may come as a surprise, so it’s a good idea to plan your shopping in advance and check the opening hours of specific locations.

However, there are exceptions to the ban on trade. The following are often open on holidays:

• small owner-operated stores,
• gas stations,
• on-call pharmacies,
• stores at airports and train stations,
• some bakeries and pastry shops,
• restaurants, cafes, and food service establishments.

Keep in mind that even if shopping malls are closed, some of the restaurants, movie theaters, or entertainment venues may operate during limited hours. In larger cities, it is easiest to find open restaurants and shops in tourist centers and along major transportation routes during holidays.

how do government offices and public transportation operate on holidays?

On public holidays, most government offices, public institutions, banks, and administrative offices in Poland are closed. This includes, among others, city halls, post offices, courts, and many medical facilities operating on a standard schedule. If you plan to handle paperwork, you should check the holiday calendar and the operating hours of specific institutions in advance.

Public transportation usually operates on a modified schedule during holidays. In many cities, buses, trams, and the metro run less frequently—most often according to Sunday or holiday schedules. Restrictions may also apply to regional and long-distance connections, especially in smaller towns.

who can work on public holidays in Poland?

Only employees in industries that are exempt from this restriction can work on public holidays. These include workers in:

• Medical services
• Law enforcement
• Hotels
• Restaurants
• Transportation services
• Security services

Employers must obtain the employee's consent to work on a public holiday, and the employee is entitled to additional pay or time off in exchange for working on these days. For those on an employment contract, the pay for such days must be equivalent to a regular working day. This means that the employee will receive their regular pay plus additional pay or compensatory time off.

The situation differs for individuals employed under civil law contracts. They are not automatically entitled to additional compensation for working on public holidays, though the employer may choose to offer additional pay at their discretion.

Good to Know: Public Transport in Poland – How to Get Around the Country

for which holidays is there an additional day off?

According to the Labor Code, an additional day off is granted if a holiday falls on a Saturday. This day off can be taken at another time, as decided by the employer. The extra day off for a holiday on a Saturday is only given to employees for whom Saturday is already a designated day off.

Employees who work fewer than five days a week are not entitled to an extra day off if the holiday falls on a Saturday. Additionally, you are not entitled to a day off if the holiday falls on a Sunday, as it is already an official day off. If you are on sick leave during a holiday, you are entitled to an additional day off for that period.

are foreign nationals working in Poland entitled to days off?

Polish regulations regarding statutory holidays apply to all employees legally employed in Poland—regardless of citizenship, country of origin, or religion. This means that both Polish citizens and foreign nationals working in Poland are entitled to the days off provided for in the Polish Labor Code.

However, the form of employment is of the utmost importance. Individuals working under an employment contract enjoy full protection under labor law. This includes, among other things, the right to days off, an additional day off for a holiday falling on a Saturday, and rules regarding compensation for working on holidays.

The situation is different for civil law contracts, such as a contract of mandate or a contract for specific work. In such cases, the rules regarding work on public holidays, pay, or days off depend primarily on the terms of the contract. Individuals employed under civil law contracts do not always have an automatic right to an additional day off or a bonus for working on a public holiday.

It is also worth noting that in many international companies operating in Poland, employees may additionally be entitled to days off related to major religious or national holidays observed in their country of origin. However, such arrangements depend on the company’s internal policies and individual agreements with the employer.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

how many public holidays are there in Poland in 2026?

In 2026, there are 14 public holidays in Poland. These include both national and religious holidays. Many companies, schools, government offices, and public institutions are closed on these days or operate on a limited basis.

List of public holidays in Poland in 2026:

• New Year’s Day — January 1 (Thursday)
• Epiphany — January 6 (Tuesday)
• Easter — April 5 (Sunday)
• Easter Monday — April 6 (Monday)
• Labor Day — May 1 (Friday)
• Constitution Day — May 3 (Sunday)
• Pentecost — May 24 (Sunday)
• Corpus Christi — June 4 (Thursday)
• Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary — August 15 (Saturday)
• All Saints' Day — November 1 (Sunday)
• National Independence Day — November 11 (Wednesday)
• Christmas Eve — December 24 (Thursday)
• Christmas Day — December 25 (Friday)
• Boxing Day — December 26 (Saturday)

It is worth remembering that if a holiday falls on a Saturday, employees hired under an employment contract are entitled to an additional day off to be taken at a later date. In 2026, this applies, among others, to August 15 and December 26.

what is the most important holiday in Poland?

The most important holiday in Poland is Christmas (Boże Narodzenie), celebrated on December 25 and 26. This holiday holds deep cultural and religious significance, as Poland has a strong Catholic heritage. Christmas Eve (Wigilia) on December 24 is particularly special, often seen as the most meaningful day of the season, marked by a festive dinner, family gatherings, and traditional customs like sharing the Christmas wafer (opłatek) and leaving an empty seat for an unexpected guest.

what happens on May 3rd in Poland?

May 3rd in Poland is Constitution Day (Święto Konstytucji Trzeciego Maja), a national holiday commemorating the adoption of the Polish Constitution on May 3, 1791. This constitution was the first in Europe and the second in the world (after the United States), representing a progressive and democratic attempt to reform the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

is December 24 a public holiday?

Yes. Starting in 2025, Christmas Eve, or December 24, is a public holiday in Poland. This means that most employees with an employment contract have the day off.