BridgeDays
Best days to take off in Costa Rica in 2026
With 20 days of annual leave, booking the right days gives 47 days off across 6 breaks. Below are all 11 public holidays in Costa Rica in 2026, the long weekends you get for free, and the bridge days worth booking.
Plan your own dates for Costa Rica
Public holidays in Costa Rica in 2026
| Date | Holiday | Falls on |
|---|---|---|
| Thu 1 Jan | New Year's Day Año Nuevo | Day off |
| Thu 2 Apr | Maundy Thursday Jueves Santo | Day off |
| Fri 3 Apr | Good Friday Viernes Santo | Day off |
| Sat 11 Apr | Gesta Heroica de Juan Santamaría | Weekend |
| Fri 1 May | Labour Day Día del Trabajador | Day off |
| Sat 25 Jul | Guanacaste Day Anexión del Partido de Nicoya | Weekend |
| Sun 2 Aug | Our Lady of Los Ángeles Día de la Virgen de los Ángeles | Weekend |
| Sat 15 Aug | Mother's Day Día de la Madre | Weekend |
| Tue 15 Sep | Independence Day Día de la Independencia | Day off |
| Fri 9 Oct | Columbus Day Día de la Raza | Day off |
| Fri 25 Dec | Christmas Day Navidad | Day off |
4 of these fall on a weekend in 2026.
Long weekends in Costa Rica in 2026
- Thu 2 Apr to Sun 5 Apr, 4 days: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday
- Fri 1 May to Sun 3 May, 3 days: Labour Day
- Fri 9 Oct to Sun 11 Oct, 3 days: Columbus Day
- Fri 25 Dec to Sun 27 Dec, 3 days: Christmas Day
Best bridge days to book in 2026
A bridge day is a working day between a public holiday and a weekend. Booking it joins them into one long break.
- Book Fri 2 Jan (1 day) for 4 days off, Thu 1 Jan to Sun 4 Jan, around New Year's Day.
- Book Wed 1 Apr (1 day) for 5 days off, Wed 1 Apr to Sun 5 Apr, around Maundy Thursday, Good Friday.
- Book Thu 30 Apr (1 day) for 4 days off, Thu 30 Apr to Sun 3 May, around Labour Day.
- Book Mon 14 Sep (1 day) for 4 days off, Sat 12 Sep to Tue 15 Sep, around Independence Day.
- Book Thu 8 Oct (1 day) for 4 days off, Thu 8 Oct to Sun 11 Oct, around Columbus Day.
- Book Thu 24 Dec (1 day) for 4 days off, Thu 24 Dec to Sun 27 Dec, around Christmas Day.
How many days off can you get in 2026?
| Leave booked | Days off | Per day booked |
|---|---|---|
| 5 days | 21 days | 4.2x |
| 10 days | 37 days | 3.7x |
| 15 days | 52 days | 3.5x |
| 20 days | 67 days | 3.4x |
| 25 days | 82 days | 3.3x |
A plan for 20 days of leave in 2026
20 days of leave become 47 days off, in 6 breaks of at least five days.
- Thu 1 Jan to Mon 5 Jan: 5 days off for 2 booked (Fri 2 Jan, Mon 5 Jan)
- Sat 28 Mar to Sun 5 Apr: 9 days off for 3 booked (Mon 30 Mar, Tue 31 Mar, Wed 1 Apr)
- Sat 25 Apr to Sun 3 May: 9 days off for 4 booked (Mon 27 Apr, Tue 28 Apr, Wed 29 Apr, Thu 30 Apr)
- Fri 11 Sep to Tue 15 Sep: 5 days off for 2 booked (Fri 11 Sep, Mon 14 Sep)
- Sat 3 Oct to Sun 11 Oct: 9 days off for 4 booked (Mon 5 Oct, Tue 6 Oct, Wed 7 Oct, Thu 8 Oct)
- Fri 18 Dec to Sun 27 Dec: 10 days off for 5 booked (Fri 18 Dec, Mon 21 Dec, Tue 22 Dec, Wed 23 Dec, Thu 24 Dec)
Questions about 2026 in Costa Rica
How many public holidays does Costa Rica have in 2026?
Costa Rica has 11 public holidays in 2026, and 4 of them fall on a weekend.
When are the long weekends in Costa Rica in 2026?
Without booking any leave: Thu 2 Apr to Sun 5 Apr (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday), Fri 1 May to Sun 3 May (Labour Day), Fri 9 Oct to Sun 11 Oct (Columbus Day) and Fri 25 Dec to Sun 27 Dec (Christmas Day).
What are the best days to take off in Costa Rica in 2026?
Book Wed 1 Apr to get 5 days off, from Wed 1 Apr to Sun 5 Apr. With 20 days of leave, the best plan gives 47 days off across 6 breaks.
About these dates
These dates come from the date-holidays library and have not been checked by hand against Costa Rica's official calendar. Check before you book.
These dates come straight from the holiday library and have not been checked against this country’s official calendar by hand. Treat them as a starting point.