If you are planning a trip to Bulgaria in 2026, a simple calendar view is one of the best tools. In Bulgaria, the most significant travel surges are usually driven by a combination of public holidays, school breaks, and summer vacation travel to the Black Sea and the mountains. This guide brings those together and adds practical, traveler-first advice for flights, roads, and timing.
For broader trip planning, use your central hub: Your Visit in Bulgaria – A to Z Guide.
Use the calendar as your quick reference for public holidays, school breaks, and peak travel periods – Download the Bulgaria 2026 Travel Calendar (PDF).
How to use this 2026 calendar guide
Think in “waves,” not single days:
- Holiday wave: the day before a holiday and the last day of the break are often busier than the holiday itself.
- Weekend effect: Fridays (outbound) and Sundays (return) amplify congestion.
- Summer effect: July and August are peak season nationwide, with the strongest pressure on the Black Sea corridors and coastal airports.
Official public holidays in Bulgaria in 2026
Below are the major official public holidays, including the commonly observed “make-up” day when a holiday falls on a weekend.
| Date (2026) | Day | Holiday | What it means for travel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | Thu | New Year’s Day | High movement before/after |
| Jan 2 | Fri | New Year Holiday (additional day off) | Extends the New Year wave |
| Mar 3 | Tue | Liberation Day (National Day) | Domestic trips, short-break traffic |
| Apr 10 to Apr 13 | Fri to Mon | Orthodox Easter holidays | Strong outbound Thu/Fri, return Mon |
| May 1 | Fri | Labour Day | Long-weekend travel spike |
| May 6 | Wed | St George’s Day / Armed Forces Day | Mid-week travel pockets |
| May 24 | Sun | Culture and Literacy Day | Often shifted day off |
| May 25 | Mon | Day off (because May 24 is Sunday) | Classic long-weekend road peak |
| Sep 6 | Sun | Unification Day | Often shifted day off |
| Sep 7 | Mon | Day off (because Sep 6 is Sunday) | Early September travel surge |
| Sep 22 | Tue | Independence Day | Shoulder-season long break |
| Dec 24 | Thu | Christmas Eve | Major outbound day |
| Dec 25 | Fri | Christmas Day | Peak period |
| Dec 26 | Sat | Second Day of Christmas | Weekend overlap |
| Dec 28 | Mon | Day off (because May 24 is a Sunday) | Additional day off (because holidays hit the weekend) |
Tip: Public holidays can create long weekends even when the holiday itself is mid-week, because many people take one extra day of leave to “bridge” the gap.
School breaks that affect travel in 2026
School breaks create prominent travel peaks, especially for family travel and domestic road trips. For the 2025/2026 school year (which covers Jan to June 2026), Bulgaria’s Ministry-approved schedule includes:
- Christmas break: Dec 24, 2025, to Jan 4, 2026
- Mid-term break: Jan 31 to Feb 2, 2026
- Non-school day: Mar 2, 2026 (creates a 4-day break with Mar 3)
- Spring break (Years 1 to 11): Apr 4 to Apr 13, 2026
- Spring break (Year 12): starts later (from Apr 8)
Summer break timing varies by student year
In Bulgaria, the school year ends on different dates by year group, so summer travel pressure builds gradually from mid-May through early July. One published schedule example lists end-of-term dates as: Year 12 ending in mid-May, younger years ending in late May, and older years ending in late June.
This is why July and August are the actual “all-family” peak.
Also note: exam prep and exam sessions may require travel that does not appear on a general calendar, especially during graduation periods.
The busiest road travel times in Bulgaria in 2026
These are the periods most likely to feel congested on major routes (Sofia to the Black Sea, Sofia to Greece, Sofia to Plovdiv, and mountain corridors).
Highest congestion windows
- Mar 2 to Mar 3: short-break traffic (family trips, city exits, returns).
- Apr 9 to Apr 13: Easter wave, especially Thu to Mon.
- May 1 long weekend: Fri outbound and Sun return are typically heavy.
- May 24 to May 25: long weekend with a day off on May 25.
- Late June to early July: the “summer start” build-up (varies by student year).
- Mid-July through mid-August: core summer peak (weekends are the worst).
- Late August to early September: returns, plus Unification Day shift effect.
- Dec 20 to Dec 28: the strongest holiday road period of the year.
Road planning essentials (quick and practical)
If you will drive or rent a car, bookmark these before you land:
- Renting a Car in Bulgaria (pricing, deposits, hidden fees, insurance pitfalls).
- Visiting by Car (rules, preparation, road trip basics).
- Travel FAQs Hub (fast answers when plans change).
The busiest airport arrival periods in 2026
Sofia, Burgas, Varna
Airport peaks in Bulgaria are highly seasonal:
- Sofia (SOF): year-round airport with firm peaks in summer and late December.
- Burgas (BOJ) and Varna (VAR): summer-driven coastal airports, with their strongest peaks in July and August.
Sofia Airport statistics and public reporting consistently show summer as the key peak period, with July typically among the highest months.
Expected busiest arrival windows by airport (calendar-driven)
| Period (2026) | Sofia arrivals | Burgas arrivals | Varna arrivals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Late June to early July | High | Rising fast | Rising fast |
| Mid-July to mid-August | High | Very high | Very high |
| Late August | High | High (late-season waves) | High (late-season waves) |
| Early September | Medium to high (returns) | Medium | Medium |
| Dec 27 to Dec 30 | Very high (holiday arrivals) | Low | Low |
For flight planning, transfers, airport expectations, and baggage and entry tips, use:
- Visiting by Plane (airports, transfers, planning).
Month-by-month travel highlights for 2026
January
- The New Year wave continues into January 2, and the school Christmas break runs to January 4.
Best for: ski trips, city breaks, quieter roads after the first week.
February
- Mid-term break Jan 31 to Feb 2 can create a short family travel spike.
March
- Mar 2 is a non-school day, and Mar 3 is a holiday, creating a 4-day break for many families.
Expect: short-break traffic in and out of major cities.
April
- Spring break overlaps the Orthodox Easter holiday period.
Expect: one of the busiest spring travel periods.
May
- Several high-impact dates (May 1, May 6, May 24, and the shifted May 25).
Expect: frequent long-weekend traffic.
June
- Summer travel ramps up as school ends in stages by student year.
July and August
- Peak season nationwide. Book flights, rental cars, and seaside accommodation early.
September
- The Unification Day shift makes Sep 7 a day off in 2026, adding to early-autumn travel.
December
- Christmas week is the busiest annual travel period, and December 28 is also a public holiday in 2026.
Practical planning checklist (built for real travel)
- If you want fewer crowds, late April (after Easter), early June, late September, and much of October are often calmer than peak summer.
- If you must travel during peak weeks, aim for midweek travel days, avoid Friday afternoon departures, and avoid Sunday returns.
- For road trips, plan buffer time for fuel stops, mountain passes, and border-crossing surges in July and August.
- For coastal airports: expect queues and fuller flights on weekend changeover days in July and August.
For more practical “what to do next” planning steps, start here:
