A Brückentag is a workday between a public holiday and the weekend. Book it off and the holiday and the weekend join into one longer break. 2027 is a lean year for German holidays, because Labour Day, German Unity Day and both Christmas days fall on a weekend. That makes the bridges that are left, mostly in spring, worth planning early.
The best Brückentage in 2027
Fri 1 Jan – Mon 4 Jan 2027
New Year's Day
Book 1 day off: Mon 4 Jan 2027.
You get 4 days off in a row, from Fri 1 Jan 2027 to Mon 4 Jan 2027.
4× your leave
Thu 25 Mar – Mon 29 Mar 2027
Good Friday & Easter Monday
Book 1 day off: Thu 25 Mar 2027.
You get 5 days off in a row, from Thu 25 Mar 2027 to Mon 29 Mar 2027.
5× your leave
Thu 6 May – Sun 9 May 2027
Ascension Day
Book 1 day off: Fri 7 May 2027.
You get 4 days off in a row, from Thu 6 May 2027 to Sun 9 May 2027.
4× your leave
Fri 14 May – Mon 17 May 2027
Whit Monday
Book 1 day off: Fri 14 May 2027.
You get 4 days off in a row, from Fri 14 May 2027 to Mon 17 May 2027.
4× your leave
Germany, 2027: the best-value day or days for each holiday. Hover or tap a day for the details.
These are the holidays that apply nationwide. Labour Day (Saturday), German Unity Day (Sunday) and Christmas Day (Saturday) add nothing in 2027, because they are already on a weekend.
May 2027: the month to plan
Ascension Day and Whit Monday are eleven days apart. Joining them with leave gives the longest spring break of the year:
Book off: Fri 7, Mon 10, Tue 11, Wed 12, Thu 13 and Fri 14 May 2027.
Bank holidayBook offWeekend
In Bavaria, as in the other states with Corpus Christi, a second Thursday bridge follows ten days after Whit Monday:
Book off: Mon 24, Tue 25, Wed 26 and Fri 28 May 2027.
Bank holidayBook offWeekend
Every state compared
How far 10 days of leave go, and how many long weekends you get without taking any leave, in each state in 2027:
| State | 10 days of leave | Long weekends, no leave |
|---|---|---|
| Baden-Württemberg | 37 days off | 4 |
| Bavaria | 37 days off | 4 |
| Berlin | 36 days off | 4 |
| Brandenburg | 35 days off | 3 |
| Bremen | 35 days off | 3 |
| Hamburg | 35 days off | 3 |
| Hesse | 36 days off | 3 |
| Mecklenburg-Vorpommern | 36 days off | 4 |
| Lower Saxony | 35 days off | 3 |
| North Rhine-Westphalia | 37 days off | 4 |
| Rhineland-Palatinate | 37 days off | 4 |
| Saarland | 37 days off | 4 |
| Saxony | 35 days off | 3 |
| Saxony-Anhalt | 35 days off | 3 |
| Schleswig-Holstein | 35 days off | 3 |
| Thuringia | 36 days off | 4 |
2027, breaks that start after Sat 3 Oct 2026.
States in the south and west come out ahead because they keep more holidays: Corpus Christi, All Saints' Day (Monday 1 November 2027) and, in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria and Saxony-Anhalt, Epiphany (Wednesday 6 January 2027). Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern have International Women's Day (Monday 8 March 2027), Saxony has Repentance Day (Wednesday 17 November 2027) and Thuringia has World Children's Day (Monday 20 September 2027).
German leave rules that affect your bridges
- Minimum leave. The Bundesurlaubsgesetz sets at least 24 Werktage a year, counting Monday to Saturday (§ 3 BUrlG). On a Monday to Friday week that is 20 days. Many contracts and collective agreements give more.
- Your wishes count, but not always. Your employer must take your wishes into account, unless urgent business needs or the wishes of colleagues with stronger social reasons come first (§ 7 BUrlG). Popular bridge days are often given first come, first served, or by rota.
- Use it in the calendar year. Leave must be taken in the current year. It only carries over for urgent business or personal reasons, and then it must be taken by the end of March of the next year.
- Public holidays are not leave days. A holiday that falls during your leave does not use up a leave day.
Some employers close on popular Brückentage and ask staff to use leave for them (Betriebsurlaub). If yours does, those days are already planned for you.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Brückentag in 2027?
The Friday after Ascension Day (Thursday 6 May 2027) is one of the best single days in every state: one day of leave gives four days off. In states with Corpus Christi, the Friday after it is just as good.
Which state has the most holidays in 2027?
Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg have the most, which is why they come out on top in the table. Some holidays, such as Assumption Day in parts of Bavaria, only apply in certain municipalities, so check your local dates.
Do I get a day off if a holiday falls on a Saturday?
No. German law does not move a holiday that falls on a weekend to a weekday, which is why 2027 has fewer usable holidays than most years.
Plan your own Brückentage
Open your state's planner for the exact days: Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Berlin, Hesse or any other state.
Open the Germany plannerBridge days 2027 (Brückentage): best days to take off (Germany)
How we work it out. Every date and number here comes from our holiday data, checked against official government sources (see About). Always confirm days off with your employer.