If you are living in Berlin, Germany, it's important to be aware of the public holidays celebrated in the city. Public holidays in Berlin are a mix of religious, cultural, and national celebrations. In this article, we'll cover all the public holidays in Berlin.

Types of Berlin holidays

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

Berlin public holidays

There are 10 public holidays that are celebrated in Berlin. These include New Year's Day, Easter Monday, Labor Day, Ascension Day, Whit Monday, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day. In addition to the nationwide holidays, Berlin celebrates International Women’s Day (Frauentag). 

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Berlin religious holidays

While many of Berlin’s holidays are based on religious observances, such as Easter, Pentecost, and Christmas, the city itself is very secular. During these holidays, you’ll find Berliners clubbing at night and relaxing in the local park during the day. 

Easter in Berlin

Easter (Ostern) is one of the most popular holidays celebrated in Berlin, second only to the Christmas season. Easter in Berlin is from April 7 - April 10, 2023. Good Friday (Karfreitag) and Easter Monday (Ostermontag) are public holidays — so you can expect to get paid leave on those two days as you enjoy a long weekend. 

Cultural holidays

Berlin has a rich cultural history, and its holidays reflect this. For example, the Carnival of Cultures is a four-day event that celebrates the diversity of cultures in Berlin (May 26-29). 

List of holidays in Berlin

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Informal holidays

Karneval • Feb 16 – Feb 22, 2023
BFF • Feb 16 –  26, 2023
Maifest (Mayfest) • May 1st, 2023
Carnival of Cultures • May 26-29, 2023
Muttertag (Mother’s Day) • May 14, 2023
Vatertag (same as Ascension Day) • May 18, 2023
Oktoberfest • Sep 16 – Oct 3, 2023
Martinstag (St. Martin's Day) • Nov 11, 2023

How public holidays work in Berlin

In Berlin, public holidays mean most businesses are closed, just like Sundays. Full-time employees get the day off and are still paid. The holidays celebrated depend on the state where you work, not where you live. Each Berlin state has different public holidays; for example, Women's Day is a public holiday in Berlin, but not Epiphany or Corpus Christi. Bavaria has 13 public holidays, while Berlin only has 10.