Norway’s calendar has a rhythm of quiet mornings, flag-filled parades, and family-heavy weekends that can surprise visitors and newcomers. Public holidays affect everything from grocery opening hours to bus timetables. If you plan a trip or a move, understanding how these days work will save you some closed-door frustration and help you catch the best of our traditions.
In short, public holidays in Norway are called “red days” and most shops close, public transport runs on reduced schedules, and many Norwegians head to a cabin in the mountains or by the coast. A handful of holidays are fixed dates, while others follow the Easter calendar. If you are traveling, book accommodation and transport early for the spring and May weekends, and expect the country to slow down around Easter and Christmas.
Let’s take a deeper dive into public holidays in Norway, how they are celebrated, and how to plan around them.
What Counts as a “Red Day” in Norway
You will hear people say a day is “rød dag.” That means it is an official public holiday. On these days, most retail stores are closed, larger supermarkets lock their doors, Vinmonopolet the state-run wine and liquor shops are closed, and many museums and attractions either close or run limited hours. Restaurants and cafes decide for themselves, so you will find options in cities, just fewer than normal.
There are exceptions. Small convenience shops under 100 square meters, many gas stations, and some kiosks may open. Tourist-heavy areas often have at least one “søndagsåpen” grocery, which is allowed to trade on Sundays and red days because of its size. Pharmacies often rotate on-duty locations with reduced hours.
The Public Holiday Calendar in Norway
Below are the official public holidays most travelers and residents will encounter each year. Dates tied to Easter shift annually, but the pattern stays the same.
New Year’s Day (1 January)
A quiet, closed-up day. Public transport runs on holiday schedules. Some bakeries open a bit later for those who need a fresh start.
Maundy Thursday (movable, the Thursday before Easter Sunday)
In Norwegian, Skjærtorsdag. Many people are already at the cabin by this point. Cities feel empty. Shops are generally closed.
Good Friday (movable)
Langfredag is a very quiet day. Expect closures across the board.
Easter Monday (movable)
Second Easter Day in Norwegian, a travel day back from the mountains. There is often heavy traffic and reduced store hours. Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday are not official workdays in a typical sense, but remember Easter Saturday is not a red day, which confuses visitors. Stores still tend to close early on Easter Saturday.
Labor Day (1 May)
Known as Første mai. This is a public holiday with demonstrations and parades in larger towns. It kicks off Norway’s run of spring red days.
Constitution Day (17 May)
Syttende mai is the big one. Expect early-morning brass bands, children’s parades, national costumes, and a city-wide party. Everything that can wave a flag will wave a flag. Restaurants are open and fully booked, shops are closed, and the entire country is outside. If you want a table with a view of the parades, book weeks in advance.
Ascension Day (movable, 39 days after Easter Sunday)
Kristi himmelfartsdag always lands on a Thursday. This creates a classic long weekend for Norwegians.
Whit Monday or Pentecost Monday (movable, the day after Pentecost)
Andre pinsedag. Another spring Monday off, which often becomes a travel day.
Christmas Day (25 December)
Første juledag is a red day. Most Norwegians celebrate the main family dinner on Christmas Eve, not the 25th, but the 25th is the official holiday.
Boxing Day (26 December)
Andre juledag is also a red day. The period between Christmas and New Year is called “romjul,” a slow, cozy week where many people take time off.
Important Days That Are Not Public Holidays
Christmas Eve (24 December) and New Year’s Eve (31 December) are not red days, but stores close early and city centers empty out by late afternoon. If you need groceries, go in the morning. Easter Saturday is not a red day either, but many shops close early and public offices are shut. St. John’s Eve (23 June) is culturally important with bonfires in coastal areas, yet it is not a public holiday.
Sami National Day (6 February) is widely celebrated in the north and in schools across the country, with flags and cultural programs, but it is not a red day.
How Public Holidays Affect Daily Life
Shops and groceries: The biggest surprise for visitors is how thoroughly Norway closes on red days. Do your grocery run the day before. If you forget, look for a small “søndagsåpen” convenience-sized grocery or a gas station store. Choice is limited and prices are usually higher.
Alcohol sales: Vinmonopolet is closed on Sundays and red days. Supermarket beer sales follow shorter hours on the days before holidays and stop early on Saturdays. If you want wine for a holiday dinner, plan ahead.
Public transport: Buses, trams, and metro lines run on Sunday or holiday timetables. Night services may be cut back. Intercity trains and planes still run, but peak holiday dates sell out or get pricey.
Attractions and museums: Many museums and family attractions either close or keep shortened hours on red days, then reopen with normal hours the following day. In Oslo and Bergen, some major museums open on 17 May or adjust hours around the festivities.
Work and school: Offices are closed and you should not expect email replies. Schools build longer breaks around Christmas and Easter, though these are school holidays rather than public holidays.
The Culture Around Easter, May, and Christmas
Easter (Påske): Norwegians love a cabin Easter with cross-country skiing, oranges, and chocolate wafer biscuits. City restaurants may shorten hours, and grocery shelves will be raided for cabin food. If you plan to travel during Easter week, book trains and flights early. Mountains can have avalanche risk in spring, so check conditions if you go up high.
May season: May brings three or four key days in a short span. With Ascension Day landing on a Thursday, many people take the Friday off too, called an “inneklemt dag,” literally a squeezed-in day. That creates long weekends and busy roads. Hotels in scenic areas fill quickly, especially in fjord country and along the coast.
Christmas and romjul: Families gather, towns light up, and the pace drops. Offices and public services run on skeleton crews. If you want a white Christmas in the mountains, reserve accommodation months ahead. City breaks during romjul can be magical but quieter than you might expect.
Planning Tips for Tourists
1) Build a red-day buffer into your itinerary. If your only full day in a city is a red day, you may find several attractions closed. Swap days so your museum day lands on a normal weekday. If you cannot, plan for outdoorsy activities, scenic walks, and cafes that you know are open.
2) Pre-book restaurants for 17 May and the May weekends. Constitution Day bookings open early at many places. For a parade view, reserve a spot along Karl Johans gate in Oslo or by the Bryggen area in Bergen, and expect special fixed menus.
3) Stock your kitchen. If your arrival is the evening before a red day, shop immediately. Many airport and central-station groceries keep extended hours and are a lifesaver.
4) Expect Sunday timetables on transport. Check the holiday column when you search. Leaving early in the morning can beat the cabin traffic when everyone drives home.
5) Nature never closes. Trails, waterfront promenades, and city viewpoints are open and usually less crowded on red days, especially early. In winter, check daylight hours and ice conditions before you set out.
6) Look for cultural moments. On 17 May, join the morning children’s parade, try an ice cream or three like the locals, and watch the bunads. On Labor Day, see the speeches and banners in the city center. Around Easter, pick up a crime novel for the tradition of påskekrim.
Living in Norway: Practical Notes for Newcomers
If you move here, it helps to think in seasons. April through June fills with inneklemt-dag long weekends, and colleagues may take time off around the Thursday holidays. December has early office closures from mid-month, especially on the 23rd and 24th. Many services pause responses until after New Year.
For childcare and school planning, watch school calendars in your municipality. They list teacher planning days and longer breaks around the public holidays, which are not red days but function like them for families. Book after-school care or plan remote work if you can.
If you work in hospitality or tourism, public holidays can be busy rather than quiet. Restaurants in city centers and resort towns do strong trade when everyone is off work. Public holiday pay and scheduling follows your contract and local rules. If you are job hunting, note that interviews and processes slow down over Easter and romjul.
Quick Reference: Norway’s Official Public Holidays
To keep it simple, here are the red days most people meet each year, without the movable-date details:
January: New Year’s Day
March or April: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Monday
May: Labor Day on 1 May, Constitution Day on 17 May, Ascension Day (Thursday)
May or June: Whit Monday
December: Christmas Day on 25 December, Boxing Day on 26 December
If your trip overlaps any of these, plan groceries, bookings, and travel with a little extra thought. The payoff is big. You get to experience Norway the way we like it best: slow mornings, good company, and time outside. And if you catch 17 May, bring your camera and some patience for crowds. It is the happiest day on the Norwegian calendar, and even the weather tries to behave.