Long weekends and vacation planning in Lithuania 2026
With strategic vacation planning, in 2026 in Lithuania you can turn 6 vacation days into up to 25 consecutive days off. The best opportunity is Joninės week at the end of June, when Rasos and Joninės Day (24 June) falls on a Wednesday — taking 4 vacation days yields 9 days off in a row.
Under Lithuanian labour law, a full-time employee is entitled to at least 20 working days of paid annual leave (or 24 working days for a 6-day week). Strategic timing of vacation around public holidays lets you significantly extend your time off without using extra leave.
Frequently asked questions
How many annual leave days is a Lithuanian employee entitled to? ▾
Under Article 126 of the Labour Code, a full-time employee (working 40 hours per week) is entitled to at least 20 working days (or 24 working days if working 6 days per week) of paid annual leave. Young workers under 18, people with disabilities, and single parents with children under 14 are entitled to 25 working days. Public holidays are not counted towards this leave — they are additional.
What is the best long weekend in 2026? ▾
The best opportunity in 2026 is Joninės week at the end of June. Rasos and Joninės Day (24 June) falls on a Wednesday, so taking 4 vacation days (Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri — 22, 23, 25, 26 June) yields 9 consecutive days off. A similar opportunity is 6 July (Monday) — 4 vacation days also give 9 days off. The very best investment is Christmas + New Year: 3 vacation days give 11 days off.
Does a shortened workday reduce my annual leave? ▾
No. A shortened workday (Labour Code Art. 112(5)) is an ordinary working day that ends one hour earlier because of an upcoming public holiday. It is not a day off and does not affect annual leave entitlement. The employer must pay a full wage for the shortened day — no reduction.
What happens if a public holiday falls during my leave? ▾
Under Article 130(3) of the Labour Code, if a public holiday falls within your annual leave, that day is not counted as leave — your leave is extended by one day. This makes strategic planning of vacation around public holidays especially useful — you get more days off without using additional leave.
How should I best plan my leave in 2026? ▾
The most effective strategy for 2026: take 6 vacation days and get up to 25 days off in a row. Focus on four main periods: Joninės week at end of June (4 vacation days = 9 free), 6 July Statehood Day (4 vacation days = 9 free), Christmas–New Year (3 vacation days = 11 free), and the free May Day weekend (0 vacation = 3 free days, since Mother's Day falls on Sunday).
Do shortened workdays add value to my holidays? ▾
Directly — no, a shortened workday is still a working day. Indirectly, however, they are valuable: for example, the Wednesday before Joninės (23 June) is one hour shorter, so your 9-day mega-week effectively starts on Wednesday afternoon. Plan accordingly — set off for the country cottage or the seaside earlier!