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February 20, 2023
2
min read

Swiss Public Holidays in 2024

Eli McGarvie

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. If you are living in Switzerland, you can expect to enjoy 9 public holidays a year.

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, Labour Day, and the Swiss National Exhibition, or "Schwingfest," which is a popular festival featuring traditional Swiss wrestling competitions. 

RELATED: Public Holidays in Zurich

List of holidays in Switzerland 2024

Date Holiday Local Name Day
January 1 New Year's Day Neujahr Monday
January 2 Berchtold Day Berchtoldstag Tuesday
January 6 Three Kings Day Heilige Drei Könige Sunday
March 29 Good Friday Karfreitag Friday
April 1 Easter Monday Ostermontag Monday
May 1 Labour Day Staatsfeiertag Wednesday
May 9 Ascension Day Christi Himmelfahrt Thursday
May 20 Whitmonday Pfingstmontag Monday
May 30 Corpus Christi Fronleichnam Thursday
August 1 National Day Nationalfeiertag Thursday
August 15 Assumption Day Mariä Himmelfahrt Thursday
November 1 All Saints’ Day Allerheiligen Friday
November 11 Saint Martin's Day Martin Monday
December 25 Christmas Day Christtag Wednesday
December 26 St. Stephen's Day Stefanitag Thursday
December 31 New Year's Eve Silvester Tuesday

List of holidays in Switzerland 2025

Date Holiday Local Name Day
January 1 New Year's Day Neujahr Wednesday
January 2 Berchtold Day Berchtoldstag Thursday
January 6 Three Kings Day Heilige Drei Könige Monday
April 18 Good Friday Karfreitag Friday
April 21 Easter Monday Ostermontag Monday
May 1 Labour Day Staatsfeiertag Thursday
May 29 Ascension Day Christi Himmelfahrt Thursday
June 9 Whitmonday Pfingstmontag Monday
June 19 Corpus Christi Fronleichnam Thursday
August 1 National Day Nationalfeiertag Friday
August 15 Assumption Day Mariä Himmelfahrt Friday
November 1 All Saints’ Day Allerheiligen Saturday
November 11 Saint Martin's Day Martin Tuesday
December 25 Christmas Day Christtag Thursday
December 26 St. Stephen's Day Stefanitag Friday
December 31 New Year's Eve Silvester Wednesday

Regional Swiss holidays 2024

Date Holiday Local Name Day
March 1 Republic Day Republic Day Friday
April 4 Battle of Näfels Näfelser Fahrt Thursday
April 15 Six Rings Sechseläuten Monday
June 23 Juran Independence Day Juran Independence Day Monday
June 29 Saint Peter & Paul’s day Saint Peter & Paul’s day Sunday
September 9 Knabenschiessen Knabenschiessen Monday
September 22 St Mauritius' Day Martin Monday
October 2 St. Leodegar Schutzengelfest Wednesday
December 12 L'Escalade L'Escalade Thursday

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 Switzerland's 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 18th - April 20th 2025. 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.

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.  

Public holidays by country

Country Public holidays
🇩🇪 Germany 9
🇦🇹 Austria 13
🇳🇱 Netherlands 7
🇬🇧 UK 12
🇨🇭 Switzerland 9
🇮🇪 Ireland 11
🏴 Scotland 9
🇫🇮 Finland 10
🇫🇷 France 11
🇪🇸 Spain 11
🇵🇹 Portugal 13
🇸🇪 Sweden 11
🇳🇴 Norway 12
🇮🇹 Italy 11

Swiss Public Holidays in 2024

February 20, 2023
2
min read

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