When are public holidays and school holidays in Norway?

How do public holidays differ from school holidays?

Helligdag means a public holiday, while ferie in a school calendar means a break from lessons. These categories affect a trip differently. A school holiday does not confirm that a shop is closed, and a public holiday date alone does not tell you a museum's or swimming pool's opening hours. Info Norden: public holidays in Norway; Oslo municipality: school calendar (3 November 2026).

Commemorative and cultural days form a separate group. A date appearing in a list of celebrations does not mean a general day off. Similarly, an official flag day is not always a day off work; see the flag day calendar.

What should you check for Christmas and New Year?

For a Christmas trip, check school, accommodation, food and transport separately. The 25th and 26th of December are public holidays; do not treat 24 December as identical under every rule. Info Norden: public holidays in Norway (3 November 2026).

During a long school break, individual services may have different hours. A relaxed holiday day is discussed in the Christmas Day guide, while evening plans are covered in the New Year guide. An event programme and a calendar of days off answer different questions.

Which school holiday dates have already been published?

Below are reference dates for two cities, not a calendar for the whole of Norway. Ranges include both stated end dates. Bergen's municipal list remains indicative for individual schools: check planning days with the school.

When is høstferie, and why do dates vary?

Høstferie is the autumn school break. The Swedish term höstlov appears in searches, but Norwegian municipalities use høstferie. To find the correct dates, search for “skolerute”, the city name and the school year.

For example, Oslo and Bergen have different weeks in autumn 2027, as the table shows. This can help you choose your trip dates, but does not promise lower prices or availability. Oslo municipality: school calendar; Bergen municipality: school calendar (3 November 2026).

How should you account for Easter, 1 May and 17 May?

Easter includes public holidays and longer school breaks. For example, Oslo's and Bergen's municipal calendars for spring 2027 end their school breaks on different dates. Find more about travelling then in the Easter guide.

The 1 May and 17 May holidays are governed by a separate law. For questions about working hours or pay, a tourist calendar is not enough: check the employment conditions that apply. Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority: 1 May and 17 May (3 November 2026). For joining the National Day celebrations, see the 17 May guide.

How do you build a calendar for your trip?

1. Write down the city, year and family members travelling.
2. Open the official skolerute and select the correct school year.
3. If you need a nursery, SFO or a particular school, open its own calendar.
4. Check transport, food options and attractions separately for the required days.
5. Save confirmations and check for changes again before travelling.

What should your saved plan contain?

• City and school year.
• A link to the official calendar and the date checked.
• The start and end dates of the school break.
• Separate days for school, nursery and after-school care.
• Confirmed opening hours for the chosen dates.

Sources

• Oslo municipality: school calendar. Checked 3 November 2026.
• Bergen municipality: school calendar. Checked 3 November 2026.
• Bergen municipality: check your own school. Checked 3 November 2026.
• Info Norden: public holidays in Norway. Checked 3 November 2026.
• Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority: 1 May and 17 May. Checked 3 November 2026.

Author: Redaksjonen NorgeGuide. Updated 3 November 2026.