Bavaria School Holidays 2027: Dates, Public Holidays and Bridge Days

By Daniel Schulz, residir GmbH · Last updated: 13 October 2026

The Bavaria school holidays 2027 begin with the spring half-term from 8 to 12 February, followed by the Easter holidays from 22 March to 2 April, the Whitsun holidays from 18 to 28 May and the summer holidays from 2 August to 13 September. The autumn half-term runs from 2 to 5 November, and the Christmas holidays start on 24 December 2027. All dates come from the official holiday schedule of the Bavarian Ministry of Education.

We are currently preparing to open our building on Ländstraße in Lehel, and the first question many families ask is: when is Munich busy? So here you will find not only the holiday calendar and public holidays, but also our view on which weeks get expensive in the city and when a visit is more relaxed. The legal basis for all holiday dates is the notice in the Bavarian Ministerial Gazette (BayMBl. 2022 No. 747); the Ministry of Education’s page was last updated on 15 September 2026.

In this article:

• Bavaria school holidays 2027 at a glance
• Carnival, Easter and Whitsun holidays
• Summer and autumn holidays
• Bavarian public holidays 2027 with weekdays
• Bridge days 2027
• What the holidays mean for your Munich stay
• Oktoberfest, Spring Festival and trade fairs
• Holidays with children: space and a kitchen
• Holidays in other German states
• Looking ahead: Bavaria holidays 2028
• Conclusion
• Frequently asked questions

Bavaria school holidays 2027: all dates at a glance

The table shows all of Bavaria’s 2027 holidays as a calendar, sorted by date. Because a calendar year spans two school years, the 2026/2027 Christmas holidays appear at the start and the 2027/2028 Christmas holidays at the end. If you are looking for the Bavaria holidays 2026/2027, you will find the complete school year in the first six rows.

Holiday	First day	Last day	School year
Christmas holidays 2026/27	Thu, 24.12.2026	Fri, 08.01.2027	2026/27
Spring half-term (Fasching)	Mon, 08.02.2027	Fri, 12.02.2027	2026/27
Easter holidays	Mon, 22.03.2027	Fri, 02.04.2027	2026/27
Whitsun holidays	Tue, 18.05.2027	Fri, 28.05.2027	2026/27
Summer holidays	Mon, 02.08.2027	Mon, 13.09.2027	2026/27 and 2027/28
Autumn half-term (All Saints)	Tue, 02.11.2027	Fri, 05.11.2027	2027/28
Buß- und Bettag (Day of Repentance, no school)	Wed, 17.11.2027	Wed, 17.11.2027	2027/28
Christmas holidays 2027/28	Fri, 24.12.2027	Fri, 07.01.2028	2027/28

If you want to know when the Bavaria school holidays fall in 2027, there is a simple rule of thumb: in Bavaria the summer holidays traditionally come late, from early August to mid-September. Easter and Whitsun each get around two weeks, while Fasching (carnival) and All Saints get one week each. The Ministry of Education publishes any changes on its website under “Ferien und Feiertage” (holidays and public holidays).

Carnival, Easter and Whitsun holidays in Bavaria 2027

Carnival half-term in Bavaria 2027: 8 to 12 February

Officially they are called Frühjahrsferien (spring holidays), but almost everyone in Bavaria calls them Faschingsferien (carnival holidays). The carnival half-term in Bavaria 2027 runs from Monday 8 February to Friday 12 February. In 2027 Rosenmontag (Rose Monday) falls on 8 February and Shrove Tuesday on 9 February. So if you are planning a Bavarian break around Fasching 2027, you have a week that coincides exactly with the carnival days.

Many families head to the mountains that week, which is why terms such as “Bavaria winter holidays 2027” also refer to this week. Munich itself tends to be quiet in early February; on Shrove Tuesday the Viktualienmarkt celebrates with the dance of the market women. Afterwards, Starkbierfest Munich season begins in the beer cellars, lasting until shortly before Easter in 2027.

Easter holidays in Bavaria 2027: 22 March to 2 April

The Easter holidays in Bavaria 2027 start on Monday 22 March and end on Friday 2 April. Easter 2027 is early: Good Friday is 26 March and Easter Monday 29 March, so both fall within the holidays. If you are planning around Easter 2027, including the weekends you get 16 consecutive days off, from 20 March to 4 April.

For a city break, an early Easter often means cool weather. Beer gardens open when the sun shines, while museums and the Deutsches Museum are busy on rainy days during the Easter holidays.

Whitsun holidays in Bavaria 2027: 18 to 28 May

The Whitsun holidays in Bavaria 2027 run from Tuesday 18 May to Friday 28 May. Whit Sunday is 16 May and Whit Monday 17 May. Including the weekends, schoolchildren are off from 15 to 30 May, and Corpus Christi 2027 on Thursday 27 May falls right in the middle of the Whitsun holidays.

If you are factoring in the Bavarian Whitsun holidays 2027, bear in mind that this is the most popular spring travel period for many families. Lakes, attractions and trains to the mountains are packed, and in central Munich you will notice it mainly at weekends. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in the Alps for the Whitsun holidays, it is best to plan a few months ahead.

Bavaria summer holidays 2027 and autumn half-term

The summer holidays in Bavaria 2027 run from Monday 2 August to Monday 13 September. The first day of school is Tuesday 14 September 2027. At a good six weeks, the summer break is the longest of Bavaria’s 2027 holidays and, as every year, it comes later than in most other German states.

For summer in Munich this means the Isar, the beer gardens and the outdoor pools are full of locals in August, while the city itself gets a little emptier during the week as many residents go away. If you are coming with a dog, the Isar is a great place to be in summer; what to bear in mind is covered on our page on dog-friendly apartments in Munich.

Autumn half-term in Bavaria 2027 around All Saints

The autumn holidays in Bavaria 2027 are officially called school-free days around All Saints. They run from Tuesday 2 November to Friday 5 November 2027. All Saints’ Day on Monday 1 November is a public holiday, so pupils have nine days off from Saturday 30 October. Buß- und Bettag (Day of Repentance and Prayer) on 17 November 2027 is also a school-free day.

Christmas holidays in Bavaria 2027/28

The Christmas holidays in Bavaria 2027 begin on Friday 24 December 2027 and end on Friday 7 January 2028. At the start of 2027, the 2026/27 Christmas holidays are still running until Friday 8 January. If you are spending New Year in the city, you will find rules and tips in our guide to New Year’s Eve in Munich.

Bavarian public holidays 2027 with weekdays

The statutory public holidays in Bavaria in 2027 are set out in the Bavarian Public Holidays Act (Art. 1 FTG). No other German state has as many, although two of them only apply regionally. The list below shows Bavaria’s 2027 public holidays as a calendar, with the weekdays in the third column.

Public holiday	Date 2027	Weekday	Applies in
New Year’s Day	01.01.2027	Friday	all of Bavaria
Epiphany	06.01.2027	Wednesday	all of Bavaria
Good Friday	26.03.2027	Friday	all of Bavaria
Easter Monday	29.03.2027	Monday	all of Bavaria
Labour Day	01.05.2027	Saturday	all of Bavaria
Ascension Day	06.05.2027	Thursday	all of Bavaria
Whit Monday	17.05.2027	Monday	all of Bavaria
Corpus Christi	27.05.2027	Thursday	all of Bavaria
Augsburg Peace Festival	08.08.2027	Sunday	city of Augsburg only
Assumption Day	15.08.2027	Sunday	municipalities with a predominantly Catholic population, including Munich
German Unity Day	03.10.2027	Sunday	all of Bavaria
All Saints’ Day	01.11.2027	Monday	all of Bavaria
Christmas Day	25.12.2027	Saturday	all of Bavaria
Boxing Day	26.12.2027	Sunday	all of Bavaria

For employees, 2027 is not a good year for public holidays. Labour Day falls on a Saturday, Assumption Day 2027 and German Unity Day on a Sunday, and both Christmas holidays at the weekend. The Augsburg Peace Festival 2027 on 8 August is also a Sunday, so no extra day off for people in Augsburg.

The public holidays in May 2027 in Bavaria are better placed: Ascension Day on 6 May, Whit Monday on 17 May and Corpus Christi on 27 May. All Saints’ Day 2027 on a Monday extends the weekend before the autumn half-term. This overview is no substitute for legal advice on working hours or pay supplements.

Bridge days 2027 in Bavaria

Brückentage (bridge days, i.e. working days between a public holiday and the weekend) in Bavaria in 2027 are quickly counted, because many public holidays fall at the weekend. Even so, a few days of annual leave can still create some long weekends:

• Epiphany: Wednesday 6 January. Two days of leave (4 and 5 or 7 and 8 January) give you five days off.
• Easter: Good Friday to Easter Monday, 26 to 29 March, four days without taking leave.
• Ascension Day: Thursday 6 May. The bridge day is Friday 7 May.
• Whitsun: Saturday 15 to Whit Monday 17 May, three days off.
• Corpus Christi: Thursday 27 May. The bridge day is Friday 28 May, which is also the last day of the Whitsun holidays.
• All Saints: Monday 1 November, a long weekend from Saturday.

From our experience in letting, it is exactly these long weekends that sell out first for city breaks to Munich. Ascension Day is a public holiday throughout Germany, so many guests from other German states also travel that weekend.

What the Bavaria school holidays 2027 mean for your Munich stay

School holidays and public holidays have a noticeable effect on demand for accommodation in Munich. From a host’s point of view there are three kinds of week: holiday weeks with families, weeks with big festivals or trade fairs, and quiet weeks in between. The most expensive dates are usually those when two of these coincide.

When the city is busy and expensive

• Oktoberfest: 18 September to 3 October 2027, the most expensive weeks of the year.
• Major trade fairs: for example BAU in January, transport logistic in April and EXPO REAL in October.
• Long weekends: Easter, Ascension Day, Whitsun and Corpus Christi.
• Advent weekends: because of the Christmas markets, especially on Saturdays.

As a rule, the quieter periods are the weeks in January after BAU, March before the Easter holidays and November outside the trade fairs. In August many business travellers are missing, but holidaymakers come instead; prices are mixed then, but rarely as high as during the Wiesn.

It pays to book early

For holiday dates that coincide with a festival or trade fair, we recommend enquiring six to nine months in advance. If you are looking for a central apartment for Easter or Whitsun, January is a good time. For the Wiesn 2027, enquiring in spring makes sense; by summer the choice is much smaller.

Oktoberfest, Spring Festival and trade fairs 2027 alongside the holidays

Oktoberfest 2027 begins on Saturday 18 September and ends on Sunday 3 October, German Unity Day. By then the Bavarian summer holidays will have been over for five days, so Bavarian families with schoolchildren tend to come at weekends and on the family days. On top of that there are many visitors from other German states and from abroad.

The Munich Spring Festival on the Theresienwiese is provisionally scheduled for 16 April to 2 May 2027. It therefore begins two weeks after the end of the Bavarian Easter holidays. For families this means the festival weekends fall in term time, but afternoon visits are still very doable.

Several trade fair dates in 2027 coincide directly with holidays or public holidays. BAU from 11 to 15 January starts three days after the Christmas holidays, IAA MOBILITY from 7 to 12 September falls in the last week of the summer holidays, and productronica from 16 to 19 November includes Buß- und Bettag. If you need accommodation for Messe Munich during these weeks, enquire earlier than you would for normal holiday periods.

Festival and trade fair dates change occasionally. Check the dates on muenchen.de or the organisers’ websites before booking (as of October 2026).

Holidays in Munich with children: space and a kitchen

During the holidays, families rarely travel for just one night. For four or five nights, what matters is whether there is a second room where the children can sleep in the evening, and whether you can make breakfast and dinner yourself. An aparthotel in Munich with a kitchen saves money and nerves in this situation, especially with young children who need an early night.

Each of our apartments has its own kitchen, bed linen and towels are provided, and there are washing machines and dryers in the building. After a day by the Isar or at the zoo, that is more practical than a hotel room without a fridge. We do not offer breakfast or a reception desk; check-in is available around the clock via the key safe.

We have collected ideas for museums, playgrounds and rainy days in our guide to Munich with kids. From Lehel you can reach the Isar in two minutes and the Deutsches Museum in about twelve minutes on foot.

Holidays in other German states: a note on crowds

Summer holidays in the German states are staggered, with Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg traditionally coming last. In July, many families from the north and west are therefore already travelling around Bavaria while schools here are still in session. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Bavaria by a lake during the summer holidays, book early. The autumn holidays of other states also often fall in October, during Wiesn time.

For Munich this means it can be busy even outside the Bavarian holidays. It is worth checking your own region’s holiday calendar and the festival dates before every booking.

Looking ahead: Bavaria school holidays 2028

If you are planning further ahead, the Bavarian school holidays for 2028 are also in the official schedule. The spring half-term 2028 runs from 28 February to 3 March, the Easter holidays from 10 to 21 April and the Whitsun holidays from 6 to 16 June 2028. The summer holidays 2028 begin on 31 July and end on 11 September.

The public holidays in Bavaria in 2028 are better placed for employees: Labour Day, Assumption Day and German Unity Day fall on weekdays. We will add a separate overview for 2028 as soon as the festival dates are confirmed.

Conclusion: put the 2027 holidays and public holidays in your diary early

The school holidays and public holidays in Bavaria for 2027 are officially confirmed, and if you would like to spend Easter, Whitsun or the Wiesn in Munich, it is best to enquire about central accommodation in Munich several months in advance.

Frequently asked questions about the Bavaria school holidays 2027

When are the school holidays in Bavaria in 2027?

The school holidays in Bavaria in 2027 are the Christmas holidays until 8 January, the spring half-term from 8 to 12 February, the Easter holidays from 22 March to 2 April, the Whitsun holidays from 18 to 28 May, the summer holidays from 2 August to 13 September, the autumn half-term from 2 to 5 November and the Christmas holidays from 24 December 2027. The source is the official holiday schedule of the Bavarian Ministry of Education (as of October 2026).

When are the summer holidays in Bavaria in 2027?

The summer holidays in Bavaria in 2027 run from 2 August to 13 September 2027. The first day of the new school year is therefore Tuesday 14 September 2027.

When are the Whitsun holidays in Bavaria in 2027?

The Whitsun holidays in Bavaria in 2027 run from 18 to 28 May 2027. With Whit Sunday, Whit Monday and the following weekend, children are off from 15 to 30 May, and Corpus Christi on 27 May falls in the middle of the holidays.

Is there a carnival half-term in Bavaria in 2027?

Yes, officially they are called the spring holidays and run from 8 to 12 February 2027. They fall exactly in carnival week, with Rosenmontag on 8 February 2027.

Which public holidays are there in Bavaria in 2027?

In 2027 Bavaria has up to 14 statutory public holidays, more than any other German state. Assumption Day only applies in municipalities with a predominantly Catholic population, including Munich, and the Augsburg Peace Festival only in the city of Augsburg; both fall on a Sunday in 2027.

Which bridge days are there in Bavaria in 2027?

The most important bridge days in Bavaria in 2027 are Friday 7 May after Ascension Day and Friday 28 May after Corpus Christi. Taking 4 and 5 January or 7 and 8 January off also extends the Epiphany holiday on Wednesday.

Is Buß- und Bettag 2027 a public holiday in Bavaria?

Buß- und Bettag on 17 November 2027 is not a general statutory public holiday in Bavaria, but there are no lessons at schools. Employees usually have to work on this day.

When are the school holidays in Bavaria in 2028?

According to the official schedule, the spring half-term 2028 runs from 28 February to 3 March, the Easter holidays from 10 to 21 April, the Whitsun holidays from 6 to 16 June and the summer holidays from 31 July to 11 September 2028.