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February 20, 2023
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Austrian Public Holidays in 2023/2024

Eli McGarvie

Austria is a country that takes pride in its rich history and cultural heritage. Austrian holidays are a great way to experience this culture, as they celebrate important historical events, religious occasions, and traditions that are still significant today. If you are living in Austria, you will enjoy 13 public holidays per year.

RELATED: Public Holidays in Vienna

Types of Austrian holidays

There are a few different types of holidays in Austria that are worth mentioning:

Austria public holidays

In Austria, there are 13 public holidays that are celebrated nationwide. These include New Year's Day, Easter Monday, Labour Day, Ascension Day, Whit Monday, Christmas Day, and St. Stephen's Day. In addition, there are regional holidays, which are only celebrated in certain regions or states.

Austria religious holidays

Austria is predominantly a Christian country, so many of its holidays are based on religious observances. Some of the most significant religious holidays in Austrian include Easter, Pentecost, and Christmas. During these holidays, many Austria's attend church services and spend time with their families.

Easter in Austria

Easter (Ostern) is one of the most popular holidays celebrated in Austria, second only to the Christmas season. Easter in Austria is from March 29 - April 1, 2023. Good Friday (Karfreitag) and Easter Monday (Ostermontag) are public holidays. Many towns and villages throughout Austria hold elaborate Easter markets, where visitors can purchase traditional Easter eggs and other seasonal goods. One of the most unique Easter traditions in Austria is the practice of burning a straw effigy of Judas Iscariot, which symbolises the betrayal of Jesus. 

Cultural holidays

Austria is home to a rich variety of cultural holidays, each with its unique traditions and significance. One such holiday is the famous Vienna Opera Ball, which takes place every year in February and is a celebration of Austria's rich musical history. Another cultural holiday is the Salzburg Festival, which is one of the world's most renowned classical music festivals, attracting top musicians and music lovers from all over the world. Additionally, Austria celebrates the famous Vienna Ball Season, a series of glamorous and formal balls that take place from November to February.

Significance of Holidays

Many Austrian holidays are deeply rooted in the country's history and culture, providing a sense of national pride and identity. For example, the famous Vienna Philharmonic New Year's Concert is a beloved tradition that has been broadcast worldwide for more than 60 years, showcasing Austria's rich musical heritage.

List of holidays in Austria 2023

Date Holiday Local name Day
January 1 New Years’ Day Neujahr Sunday
January 6 Three Kings Day Heilige Drei Könige Friday
April 7 Good Friday Karfreitag Friday
April 10 Easter Monday Ostermontag Monday
May 1 Labour Day Staatsfeiertag Monday
May 18 Ascension Day Christi Himmelfahrt Thursday
May 29 Whitmonday Pfingstmontag Monday
June 8 Corpus Christi Fronleichnam Thursday
August 15 Assumption Day Mariä Himmelfahrt Tuesday
26 October National Day Nationalfeiertag Thursday
November 1 All Saints’ Day Allerheiligen Wednesday
November 11 Saint Martin's Day Martin Saturday
December 25 Christmas Day Christtag Monday
December 26 St. Stephen's Day Stefanitag Tuesday
December 31 New Year's Eve Silvester Sunday


List of holidays in Austria 2024

Date Holiday Local name Day
January 1 New Year's Day Neujahr Monday
January 6 Three Kings Day Heilige Drei Könige Saturday
March 8 Women's Day Frauentag Thursday
March 29 Good Friday Karfreitag Friday
March 31 Easter Sunday Ostersonntag Sunday
April 1 Easter Monday Ostermontag Monday
May 1 Labour Day Tag der Arbeit Tuesday
May 9 Ascension Day Christi Himmelfahrt Thursday
May 19 Whitsunday Pfingstsonntag Sunday
May 20 Whitmonday Pfingstmontag Monday
May 30 Corpus Christi Fronleichnam Thursday
August 15 Assumption Day Mariä Himmelfahrt Thursday
September 20 World Children's Day Weltkindertag Friday
October 3 German Unification Day Tag der Deutschen Einheit Thursday
October 31 Reformation Day Reformationstag Thursday
November 1 All Saints’ Day Allerheiligen Friday
November 20 Day of Repentance & Prayer Buß- und Bettag Wednesday
December 25 Christmas Day Erster Weihnachtstag Wednesday
December 26 Boxing Day Zweiter Weihnachtstag Thursday

Regional Austrian holidays

Date Holiday Local name Day
March 19 Saint Joseph's Day Josefstag Tuesday
March 29 Good Friday Karfreitag Friday
May 4 Saint Florian's Day Florian Saturday
September 24 Saint Rupert's Day Rupert Tuesday
October 10 Plebiscite Day Volksabstimmung Thursday
November 15 Saint Leopold's Day Leopold Friday
December 8 Immaculate Conception Mariä Empfängnis Friday

How public holidays work in Austria

In Austria, public holidays mean most businesses are closed, just like Sundays. Employees get the day off and are still paid. The holidays celebrated depend on the state where you work, not where you live. Each Austria state has different public holidays; for example, Saint Rupert's Day is a public holiday in Salzburg, but not in Vienna.  

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Austrian Public Holidays in 2023/2024

February 20, 2023
2
min read

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