Long weekend is not a stroke of luck, it is pure mathematics. In 2026, the calendar is exceptionally favorable for those who know how to count – just a few well-placed days off are enough to turn office fatigue into a regeneration marathon. We checked how to beat the system and squeeze the maximum time off from the coming year.
In this game, the winners are those who strike first. The key to success is submitting your leave request before your colleagues do and aiming for dates off the radar of mass tourism. This way you avoid crowds, save leave days, and gain peace of mind – exactly when the rest of the country is still dreaming about a break. This is not just a regular trip, it is your best-played move in 2026.
Long weekends in 2026 – when?
An analysis of the 2026 calendar shows that the arrangement of holidays is quite diverse. Some months offer a natural extension of rest, others require a bit more creativity and use of leave days. The year starts promisingly. New Year’s Day (January 1) falls on a Thursday, immediately opening the chance for a four-day break if you take Friday, January 2 off. The situation improves with the Epiphany (January 6) falling on a Tuesday. Just take leave on Monday (January 5) to combine these two occasions into a longer block of free time.
Spring looks standard. Easter is celebrated on April 5-6, which guarantees us a day off on Easter Monday. May Day in 2026 is not one of those exceptional ones where a single day off gives a week free. May 1 falls on a Friday, and May 3 on a Sunday. This simply means a three-day weekend without the need to file a leave request, but also without the possibility to easily extend it by additional system days.
June traditionally brings Corpus Christi (June 4), which falls on a Thursday. August, in turn, presents a logistical challenge for employees and employers. August 15 (Assumption of Mary) falls on a Saturday. According to the Labor Code, the employer is obliged to give the employee a day off for a holiday falling on a Saturday. Often companies allocate this day to the preceding Friday or the following Monday, creating natural long weekends in the summer of 2026.
The end of the year also offers maneuvering room. November 1 is a Sunday, so no extra day is gained here (unless company regulations state otherwise). However, November 11 (Independence Day) falls on a Wednesday. This is a strategic point in the calendar – two days of leave (Monday-Tuesday or Thursday-Friday) give a total of five days off. Christmas (December 25-26) is on Friday and Saturday, which again triggers the mechanism of giving a day off for Saturday, potentially extending the Christmas-New Year’s break.
When to take leave to get a long weekend
Planning your break is a strategic game. To maximize your free time, it’s worth focusing on moments where the ratio of leave days to free days is most favorable. The greatest potential lies in January. Taking leave on January 2 (Friday) and January 5 (Monday) uses 2 days from your leave quota and gains a continuous break from January 1 to 6, i.e., 6 days off. This is enough time for a short winter getaway or recovery after the December holiday marathon.
Parents of pupils in grades 1-7 should also pay attention to one less obvious date in the school calendar. From May 11-13, 2026 (Monday-Wednesday) the eighth grade exams take place. For younger grades, these are usually days off from lessons. This is a great opportunity to take leave at that time and organize a family trip in mid-May – when the weather is often better than at the beginning of the month, and hotels are much quieter than during the May long weekend.
Another obvious choice is June. One day of leave (June 5) turns into four days off. It is a period when the weather is usually stable, and prices are still somewhat lower than in the peak vacation season of July-August. It’s worth marking this date in your calendar as early as possible.
November offers a specific kind of rest. A midweek day off (November 11) is rarely used for longer trips, which is a shame. Taking leave on November 12-13 (Thursday-Friday) gives you five days off. This is a perfect time to escape the autumn gloom to a place with a good wellness area. The November long weekend is often the moment when the body demands a break before the year’s finale most acutely.
It’s also worth remembering the days off in exchange for August 15 and December 26. Although they do not require submitting a leave request (they are the employer’s obligation), their dates are often set from above. It’s worth asking the HR department about planned dates for taking these days off at the beginning of the year to be able to plan potential trips.
Spa hotel for a long weekend
When choosing a place for a few days' reset, location is key – no one wants to spend half their free time in a car. If your goal is to escape from central Poland, the area around Wiskitki is a good direction. There is Santa Natura Resort & SPA, located just 60 km from Warsaw and about 90 km from Łódź. This distance allows reaching the place in about an hour, which is important for trips lasting 3-4 days.
This place fits the need for silence and contact with nature, situated within the Bolimów Landscape Park. It is not a big complex – the facility has 58 rooms (137 beds), which promotes an intimate atmosphere. The interior design refers to nature, aiming to quiet the stimuli we are bombarded with in the city.
For those seeking physical regeneration during a spa weekend, an interesting element is the wellness zone here. Besides the classic indoor swimming pool with hydromassage and water jets, guests can use an outdoor pool integrated into a natural pond. It is open all year round and unheated, attracting winter swimming enthusiasts in winter. The cold bath is complemented by an Estonian sauna hidden in a wooden hut and indoor saunas (Finnish and steam).
The culinary side of the stay is provided by the OLS Restaurant, where chef Grzegorz Birek serves traditional flavors in a more modern form. After dinner, you can use the cinema room, which is a good solution for long autumn or winter evenings. Santa Natura Resort & SPA is an example of a place that does not require complicated travel logistics yet provides a change of environment necessary for effective relaxation.
Attractions near Santa Natura
When planning a long weekend near Warsaw, it is worth considering not only the hotel offer but also the opportunities the region provides. The proximity of Bolimów Landscape Park is primarily an opportunity for walks and bike trips among forests, which are remnants of the former Bolimów Forest. The terrain is flat and accessible, which supports recreation without extreme effort.
For architecture and history lovers, just a few kilometers further is Żyrardów. This is a unique 19th-century factory settlement on a European scale. A walk among red brick buildings, a visit to the Flax Museum, or simply coffee in a post-industrial loft is an interesting change from forest landscapes. A bit further, but still within a short car trip, lie the Nieborów Palace and the romantic Arkadia Garden – places that look different at any time of year.
If the trip is family-oriented or focused on water fun, an important point on the map is Park of Poland (Suntago) in Wręcza. It is one of the largest indoor water parks in Europe, located in the immediate neighborhood. Thanks to this location, you can combine a peaceful stay surrounded by nature with a one-day thrill on waterslides, returning to silence in the evening.
Long weekends in 2026 – summary
The calendar for 2026, although not initially promising with the number of obvious long weekends, offers considerable opportunities upon closer analysis. January, May, June, and November are the months where strategic use of leave yields the biggest return in free time. It is worth remembering that long weekends in 2026 do not have to mean long trips. Often it is short trips to places located an hour from home, such as the surroundings of Bolimów Landscape Park, that allow you to recharge best, avoiding stress related to long journeys and logistics. The key is planning – it's worth sitting down with the calendar now and reserving dates.
FAQ – Long weekends in 2026 – most frequently asked questions
1. Is a day off due for August 15, 2026 (Saturday)?
Yes. According to the Labor Code, for a holiday falling on a Saturday, the employer is obliged to give the employee another day off within the accepted settlement period.
2. Where is it worth going for a short trip from Warsaw?
A good option is the area around Wiskitki and Bolimów Landscape Park. It takes about an hour to get there, which allows maximum use of time for rest, instead of spending it on traveling.
3. What attractions are near Wiskitki?
Besides the green areas of Bolimów Landscape Park, nearby there is the historic factory settlement in Żyrardów, the Nieborów Palace, and the Suntago water park.
4. Is the outdoor pool at Santa Natura open in winter?
Yes, the outdoor pool integrated into a natural pond is open all year and unheated. In winter, it is mainly used for winter swimming.