Local
February 20, 2023
2
min read

Swiss Public Holidays in 2023 

Eli McGarvie
Content
Looking for a job?
Create a free profile and automatically get matched with companies that meet your requirements.
Get job offers

Switzerland celebrates a number of public holidays throughout the year, each with its own unique traditions and cultural significance. The most important Swiss holiday is National Day, celebrated on August 1st, which commemorates the country's founding in 1291. 

Other notable holidays include Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost, which are celebrated with traditional foods, decorations, and religious services. In addition to these Christian holidays, Switzerland also celebrates several secular public holidays, such as New Year's Day, Labor Day, and the Swiss National Exhibition, or "Schwingfest," which is a popular festival featuring traditional Swiss wrestling competitions. 

RELATED: Public Holidays in Zurich

Types of Swiss holidays

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

Switzerland public holidays

In general, Switzerland has around 9 to 10 national public holidays, including New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Ascension Day, Whit Monday, Swiss National Day, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day. However, some cantons may also have additional regional public holidays, which can vary based on local traditions and customs

Switzerland religious holidays

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

Easter in Switzerland

Easter (Ostern) is one of the most popular holidays celebrated in Switzerland, second only to the Christmas season. Easter in Switzerland is from April 7 - April 10, 2023. Good Friday (Karfreitag) and Easter Monday (Ostermontag) are public holidays. Easter Monday is also a public holiday in many parts of Switzerland and is a day for relaxation and spending time with loved ones. Many people take the opportunity to travel or engage in leisure activities, such as hiking or skiing in the Swiss Alps.

Cultural holidays

Each canton in Switzerland also has its own regional holidays, such as the Geneva Festival in August and the Chalandamarz festival in the canton of Graubünden, which celebrates the arrival of spring. Overall, public holidays in Switzerland are an important time for people to come together and celebrate their country's rich history and cultural heritage.

Significance of Holidays

Holidays in Switzerland hold great importance because they reflect the country's rich cultural and historical traditions. They are an opportunity for people to celebrate their heritage and national identity, and to come together with family and friends.

List of holidays in Switzerland

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 1 National Day Nationalfeiertag Tuesday
August 15 Assumption Day Mariä Himmelfahrt Tuesday
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

Regional Austrian holidays

Date Holiday Local name Day
March 1 Republic Day Republic Day Wednesday
April 6 Battle of Näfels Näfelser Fahrt Thursday
April 17 Six Rings Sechseläuten Monday
June 23 Juran Independence Day Friday
June 29 Saint Peter & Paul’s day Thursday
September 11 Knabenschiessen Knabenschiessen Monday
September 22 St Mauritius' Day Martin Friday
October 2 St. Leodegar Schutzengelfest Monday
December 12 L'Escalade Tuesday

How public holidays work in Switzerland

In Switzerland, 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 Swiss canton has different public holidays; for example, Genfer Bettag is a public holiday in Geneva, but not in Zurich.  

RELATED: German Public Holidays
RELATED:
Austrian Public Holidays

RELATED: Netherlands Public Holidays

Swiss Public Holidays in 2023 

February 20, 2023
2
min read

Subscribe to DevDigest

Get a weekly, curated and easy to digest email with everything that matters in the developer world.

Learn more

From developers. For developers.