The calendar for 2026 for the residents of Latvia is contrasting: some months will delight with long weekends, while others will require maximum concentration at work. The distribution of workload throughout the year will be uneven, as evidenced by the number of working days and hours.
Year in Numbers: The Busiest Month is July
The most work will be in July - 23 working days and 184 working hours. March, September, and October look slightly less busy, with 22 working days and 176 hours each.
The "easiest" months will be May, November, and December. They are planned to have between 19 and 20 working days and 152–159 working hours, making these periods the most comfortable in terms of work-life balance.
Spring and Easter: The First Break in the Work Rhythm
April will start with the traditional Easter block of holidays:
April 2 (Thursday) - pre-holiday day, working hours reduced to seven hours; April 3 - Good Friday, a day off; April 5 - the first day of Easter; April 6 - the second day of Easter.
This period will be the first noticeable "stop" of the year after a relatively calm start to spring.
May: Long Weekends and Important National Dates
May, as usual, will be generous with holidays. In 2026, the key dates align particularly well:
May 1 (Friday) - Labor Day and the day of the convening of the Constitutional Assembly of Latvia; May 4 (Monday) - Day of the Proclamation of the Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Latvia.
Due to this arrangement of dates, Latvians can expect four consecutive non-working days - from Friday to Monday. The day before, April 30, will have a shortened working day of seven hours.
Additionally, Mother's Day (May 10) and Trinity (May 24) are celebrated in May. Both holidays fall on a Sunday and do not add extra days off, but remain important calendar markers.
Ligo and Jāņi Day: The Summer Peak of Relaxation
The summer season is traditionally associated with the holidays of Ligo and Jāņi Day, and 2026 once again creates almost mini-holidays around them:
June 22 (Monday) - pre-holiday day with seven working hours; for state and municipal institutions, it is moved to the working Saturday, June 27; June 23 (Tuesday) - Ligo; June 24 (Wednesday) - Jāņi Day. This arrangement makes the end of June one of the most pleasant periods of summer.
Autumn: A Stable Work Schedule and November 18
The autumn months will proceed with a more even work rhythm. September and October are planned to have 22 working days each, without additional transfers and long breaks.
The main holiday of this period is November 18, the Day of the Proclamation of the Republic of Latvia. In 2026, it falls on a Wednesday, and November 17 is declared a pre-holiday day with shortened working hours - seven hours.
End of the Year: Christmas Holidays and a Soft Finish
The most vacation-rich period traditionally falls at the end of December. In 2026, the schedule looks as follows:
December 23 (Wednesday) - pre-holiday shortened day; December 24 - Christmas Eve; December 25 - the first day of Christmas; December 26 - the second day of Christmas; December 30 - another shortened working day; December 31 (Wednesday) - New Year's Eve.
As a result, the last decade of December turns into a series of short working days and holidays. This format allows for a leisurely completion of work tasks, planning trips, and spending more time with loved ones.
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