Duration of Summer Vacations Across Different European Nations - Duration of Summer Breaks Across Various European Nations Revealed
Summer holidays across Europe vary significantly, with some countries offering longer breaks than others. In Germany, the summer holiday length is typically six weeks, with variations in start times among its 16 federal states to manage tourism demand and reduce congestion.
While this duration is relatively standard across the European Union (EU), it is shorter compared to some countries. For instance, France tends to have longer summer breaks, with the average vacation trip length reported to be approximately two weeks in 2021. The EU member states differ significantly in public holiday counts, which can also affect total holiday durations; Germany has fewer public holidays compared to countries like Cyprus (15) or Spain (14).
In comparison, the summer holiday length in Bulgaria is even longer than in many cantons in Switzerland, where it ranges from five to six weeks. Some countries, such as Bulgaria and Lithuania, have a unique education system where younger students have longer summer holidays than older ones.
The standard within the EU for summer holidays is around eight weeks, but this varies widely among countries. Teachers and students in Ireland, Latvia, and Malta, for example, enjoy three months of summer holidays. Southern European countries, including Greece, Italy, and Portugal, have summer holidays lasting more than twelve weeks.
The tradition of long summer holidays in southern European countries dates back to their high temperatures and agricultural past. However, education experts in Bulgaria are concerned that weaker or disadvantaged students may forget too much during the long summer break. Similar concerns have been raised in Germany, where the Federal Parents' Council considers the summer break too long.
In contrast, the Swiss have no uniform regulation for summer holidays, with cantons setting the duration themselves. The start and end of holidays are not centrally determined in some countries, allowing schools to decide for themselves. President Emmanuel Macron of France has proposed shortening the holiday period, but the fate of this proposal remains to be seen.
In international comparison, Germany ranks last in summer holiday length, with some European countries having holidays twice as long. The EU Portal "Eurydice", Euronews, and News Agency DPA are sources for this information.
The European Community, comprising various EU nations, demonstrates significant differences in summer holiday lengths, with some countries exceeding the six-week norm from the European Community, such as Bulgaria, Southern European nations including Greece, Italy, and Portugal, which have holidays lasting more than twelve weeks. Moreover, the general news reveals education-and-self-development debates surrounding these extended breaks, as education experts in Bulgaria have expressed concern that weaker or disadvantaged students may forget too much during the long summer break, a concern that has also been raised in Germany by the Federal Parents' Council.
