What's open and closed in Germany on Ascension Day?
Christi Himmelfahrt
in German, is among the nine public holidays that are observed in all federal states.
It's observed on May 29th this year, so those living in Germany should expect most businesses to be closed on Thursday.
The day is also known as Father's Day (
Vatertag
) or Men's Day (
Männertag
), and many German men take it upon themselves to spend the day hiking outside with a wagon full of beer in tow.
Almost all supermarkets are to be closed for the holiday, as will be offices, government services and schools.
Restaurants, cafes and beer gardens on the other hand can often remain open as holiday traffic makes it a good day for business.
Here's an overview of what's open and what's closed on May 29th.
Grocery stores
Almost all supermarkets, as well as most independent shops will be closed closed for
Christi Himmelfahrt.
However, there are certain supermarkets (typically found in central train stations, airports or petrol stations) that are legally allowed to remain open on Sundays and holidays. So if you know of a grocery store in your local
Bahnhof
where you like to shop on Sundays it may also be open on May 1st, but do check the store's hours before heading out, as holiday hours may vary.
Small kiosks or
Spätis
-- especially those in big cities -- sometimes also remain open, and can work in a pinch if you need last minute snacks or drinks.
Bakeries are also sometimes allowed to open for a few hours on public holidays -- usually in the morning. But holiday hours here depend on the operator, so you're advised to ask ahead before counting on picking up fresh bread on Thursday morning..
You may also find the odd exception in the form of a local corner store such a
Spätkauf
or
Kiosk
, but generally speaking, you'll be better off assuming that nothing will be open and doing your shopping for Thursday ahead of time.
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People sit on banks of the Elbe River in Dresden on Father's Day. Photo: picture alliance/dpa/dpa-Zentralbild | Robert Michael
Bars, restaurants and cafés
As mentioned above, many hospitality businesses, especially those in tourist areas and big cities, will want to stay open to cater to the holiday crowds.
But it is also sometimes the case that business owners or staff would rather have the day off themselves.
Put simply, if you're out and about in a bigger city for the holiday, you shouldn't have much trouble finding something to eat or a place to have a drink, but you'll want to check in advance if you have plans to meet friends at a particular place.
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Offices, banks and schools
Almost all offices are set to be closed on May 29th, as are banks, post offices and public administration offices.
Since the holidays falls on a Thursday this year, some offices (and many workers) may decide to 'bridge' the holiday and remain closed Friday as well.
Schools also close and, once again, some schools may decide to give their pupils (and teachers) the Friday off too.
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Public transport & emergency services
Public transport runs as usual on holidays including
Christi Himmelfahrt
, but be aware that transport in most cases will be running on a holiday timetable with reduced services.
Most doctors' and dentists' practices will be closed for the day, so if you do have a non-urgent medical procedure scheduled for May 29th, you may want to check ahead that the appointment was not made in error.
But emergency services will of course function normally, with hospitals remaining open.
If you have a non-emergency medical issue on Thursday, you can dial 116 117 or try
this website
for a directory for local medical offices near you. In an emergency, call 112 for the fire brigade or ambulance or 110 for the police.
Most pharmacies will be closed, so it's best to ensure you have enough medication ahead of the holiday. But German regulations require a certain amount of pharmacies to remain open for emergency purposes. If you need one, you can find a
list of emergency service pharmacies here
.
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Tourist attractions and leisure activities
Many museums and other major tourist attractions close for public holidays, but some maintain holiday hours. So check ahead for the holidays hours before heading to a particular attraction on Thursday.
Alternatively, if you're visiting Germany at this time, the holiday offers an opportunity to experience contemporary German cultural traditions.
On Father's Day, men walk along the north shore of the Maschsee with their wagons full of beers. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Moritz Frankenberg
You could do as the Germans do and take a crate of beer to the nearest forest or lake, and not return home until every last drop has been drunk.
For both drinkers and non-drinkers alike, the holiday is celebrated by many Germans with a trek or a bike ride into nature with a group of friends.
EXPLAINED:
Why Germans get wholly wasted on Ascension Day
Or you could take it easy and plan your day around any of the special events set to make the holiday. To get started, here are the official city event pages for
Berlin
,
Hamburg
,
Frankfurt
and
Munich
.
Regional differences in shop closures
It's worth noting that the extent of shop closures for the holiday varies from region to region.
According to a
report by
Heidelberg 24,
all day closures in Baden-Württemberg are standard as openings are severely restricted by state regulations.
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Compared to other regions, the city-states of Berlin or Bremen are more relaxed -- there some
Spätis
can remain open all day.
Touristy places such as the island of Sylt or some parts of Bavaria also use special regulations for the holiday which make allowances for certain hospitality businesses.
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