Krompirjeve počitnice: Slovenia's “Potato Holidays” Explained (2026 Dates and Programme)

I have lived in Slovenia since 2004 and for a long time I wondered what “krompirjeve počitnice” really were. Literally, the “potato holidays”. Every late October, Slovenian parents mention them as if everybody knew, spas sell packages under that name, and Bohinj has just published a whole “krompirjeve počitnice v Bohinju” programme. So I finally dug into it.

The short answer: krompirjeve počitnice is the nickname of Slovenia's autumn school holidays (jesenske počitnice), one week off school attached to two public holidays, 31 October and 1 November. In 2026 they run from Monday 26 to Friday 30 October, which gives about 275,000 pupils nine days off, from Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November. And nobody digs potatoes any more: the name most likely comes from the German Kartoffelferien, and the holidays themselves only date back to 1993.

Potato holidays 2026 in Slovenia: dates and key facts

The official source is the Ministry of Education's 2026/27 primary school calendar, published on 5 February 2026.

Why “potato holidays”? Where the name comes from

The explanation most often given in the Slovenian press points to Germany. There, the autumn break is still called Kartoffelferien: farm children were let off school to help dig up the family's potatoes, and German pupils were still doing it into the 1960s. The word is said to have reached Slovenia with the “zdomci”, Slovenians working in Germany or Austria who came home with their children during the German autumn break. That is what N1 and 24ur report. No period source proves it, but the timeline fits.

Because the word is recent. It does not appear in the first great dictionary of Slovene (SSKJ, published 1970 to 1991). It enters the second edition in 2014, with no colloquial label: “krompirjeve počitnice: autumn holidays at the end of October and the beginning of November”. The Slovenian Academy's dictionary of new words gives an example sentence that says it all: “During the potato holidays we won't be picking potatoes, we'll be having fun at the seaside and in the spas, wandering around Slovenia and discovering the beauty of the neighbouring countries”.

The irony: by late October, Slovenian potatoes were dug up long ago. More and more Slovenians, says N1, call them “kostanjeve počitnice”, the chestnut holidays, which fits the roast chestnuts sold on Ljubljana's streets that week. By the way, krompir (potato) is one of the words you will see on every gostilna menu: my Slovene guide for travellers has more.

Before 1993: school timed to the farm calendar

Letting children off for the harvest is an old idea. Under the Austrian monarchy, explains Marjetka Balkovec Debevec of the Slovenian School Museum, school bent to farm work: under the school law of 1774, country pupils only attended half-time. According to Siol, the school year began on 1 October in towns and on 1 November in the countryside.

As late as 1927, the weekly Slovenski gospodar was calling for the return of autumn holidays in the rural schools of former Styria, where the school year ran from early November to the end of August: September and October were for bringing in the crops and fruit, and above all for minding the animals at pasture. Potatoes are not even mentioned. Two years later, the 1929 school law set the summer holidays from 27 June to 1 September, close to today's calendar.

Children kept picking potatoes long after that, just not during an autumn break. In August 1965, reported the Ljubljanski dnevnik, the Komenda farm cooperative hired eighth-graders from Domžale, Mengeš and Komenda: every morning a tractor took them to the fields, where they gathered and sorted the potatoes already dug up. 40 dinars a crate. A hard-working pupil filled up to 25 a day and went home with a “tisočak”, a thousand-dinar note, enough for the new school year's books and exercise books.

1993: independent Slovenia's first autumn break

The jesenske počitnice as we know them date from the 1993/94 school year, two years after independence. The aim was to break up the long first term and spread rest more evenly through the year. The 1993 regulation set them from 31 October to 5 November. On 9 November 1993 the local paper Naša komuna ran the headline “We survived the first autumn holidays, now we're preparing for the winter ones”, noting that pupils had greeted the news of a first break after two months of lessons “with great joy”.

Today's rule fits in one sentence of the school calendar regulation: the autumn holidays last “as a rule one week, at the time of the holidays of 31 October and 1 November”. The dates are the same nationwide, unlike the winter holidays, which are split into two waves by region. And Slovenian labour law gives parents of school-age children the right to take at least one week of annual leave during school holidays.

Potato holidays elsewhere in Europe

• Scotland: the “tattie holidays” appeared in the 1930s; by 1949 about 49,000 children were taking part in the harvest. Mechanisation ended the picking in the 1980s, but the holidays stayed.
• Germany: Kartoffelferien is still the nickname of the Herbstferien, the autumn break.
• Finland: the perunannostoloma, the potato-picking holiday, existed in rural municipalities from the 1940s to the 1970s, before returning as an autumn break (syysloma).
• Austria: a nationwide autumn break only since 2020, between the national day on 26 October and All Saints.
• Croatia: no autumn break at all; the 2026/27 calendar goes straight to the Christmas holidays.

31 October and 1 November: Reformation Day and Slovenia's All Saints

The holiday week leans on two days off. 31 October, dan reformacije (Reformation Day), has been a work-free day since 1992. That a mostly Catholic country celebrates the Protestant Reformation always surprises visitors: it gave Slovene its first printed books, Primož Trubar's Catechism and Abecedarium, in 1550. 1 November, dan spomina na mrtve (Remembrance Day), is the secular version of All Saints and the big day for cemeteries.

Families clean and decorate the graves, mostly with chrysanthemums, and light candles on them. Lots of candles: according to the Ministry of the Environment, Slovenians light around 16 million a year, eight per person, two-thirds of them around 1 November. After dark the cemeteries glow with thousands of flames; Ljubljana's Žale, designed by Jože Plečnik, holds the European Heritage Label.

• Shops: since the Trade Act reform they close on Sundays and public holidays, except small exempt outlets such as petrol station shops. Do your shopping on Friday 30 October.
• Roads: traffic builds up around cemeteries on 1 November, especially at Žale.
• Museums and sights: most stay open, and several run Reformation or Halloween events (see below).

What to do during the 2026 potato holidays: the programme

For Slovenian families, this week means spas, caves, mountains and children's workshops. Here is what I picked out of the official programmes, starting with Bohinj, which published the most complete one. Most workshops are in Slovene; festivals, walks and tours work for everyone.

Bohinj: a full week of family activities

Turizem Bohinj grouped its programme under the name “Krompirjeve počitnice v Bohinju”, with booking through the bohinj.si events calendar. Several activities need a ticket by noon the day before, sometimes two days before, so do not wait.

• Saturday 24 October, 2 p.m.: Zlatorog's Fairytale Trail, a guided walk of about 2 km for families with young children, starting from the P6 car park in Ukanc. €5 per person, activity booklet for under-14s, book by noon on Friday 23 October.
• Saturday 24 October, 3 to 9 p.m.: the Cheese and Wine Festival (Praznik sira in vina) at the Danica hall in Bohinjska Bistrica, with face painting and workshops for children. €12 from age 15, including €4 of tasting vouchers, free for younger children.
• Saturdays 24 and 31 October, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.: producers' market in Bohinjska Bistrica (cheese, fish, honey, crafts).
• Sunday 25 and Tuesday 27 October, 1 to 4 p.m.: “Kids do the cooking”, children cook a three-course menu with chef Matevž Zalokar at the Triglav National Park centre in Stara Fužina, then parents sit down to eat around 3 p.m. €45 per child, from age 8. A free fish version runs on Thursday 29 (register two days ahead at info@bohinj.si).
• Monday 26 to Friday 30 October, mornings: children's workshops at Bohinjska hiša in Bohinjska Bistrica, one theme a day: autumn crafts, pottery, Halloween decorations and pumpkin carving, a sound story, wool felting, then a closing party on Friday at 11:45 a.m. Registration: bohinjska.hisa@obcina.bohinj.si or 051 672 281.
• Monday 26 and Friday 30 October, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: a walk through the Pokljuka forest with a Triglav National Park biologist, about two hours on foot, free, starting from Mrzli studenec. Register by noon the day before: maja.fajdiga-komar@tnp.si.
• Monday 26 October, 3 p.m.: guided tour of Studor, from its hayracks to Oplen House, €6. Tuesday 27 at 4 p.m.: cheese and herb butter workshop at the Gartner farm in Studor, €10.
• Wednesday 28 October: free story hour at 5 p.m. at the Bohinjska Bistrica library. For older kids and adults, a 35 km e-bike ride through the Voje valley to the Mostnica gorge, €65 (Hostel pod Voglom, info@pac.si).
• Friday 30 October, 5 p.m.: children's film at the Kulturni dom in Bohinjska Bistrica, €5.
• Saturday 31 October, 3 to 7 p.m.: B.O.FEjST, Bohinj's autumn children's festival at Danica (Bohinjska Bistrica), free entry: magician, shows, bouncy castles, face painting, Halloween workshops, fly-tying. Come in costume. The same afternoon, local chefs serve street food at “Ugrizni Bohinj”.
• Sunday 1 November: last day of the season for the panoramic boat on the lake, all tickets half price.

To round it off: my Lake Bohinj guide, the Mostnica Gorge and 10 authentic places to stay in Bohinj. By train, note that buses replace trains between Jesenice and Vintgar on the Bohinj line until 11 November.

Bled and Kranjska Gora

• Bled Castle, Friday 30 October, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.: for Reformation Day, printing Trubar's Abecedarium on a replica Gutenberg press, an embroidery workshop and an exhibition on Trubar. Saturday 31 October, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.: “Čarovniška akademija”, a witchcraft academy across the whole castle for children aged 6 and over, €6 in advance (child plus accompanying adult), free shuttle from the Blejski grad II car park. The footpath from the lake up to the castle is closed until around the end of October. Everything else is in my Lake Bled guide.
• Kranjska Gora, Saturday 31 October, 3 to 7 p.m.: Halloween party for children at the Vitranc hall, concert, pumpkin carving, face painting, a room of fear. €10 per adult, €8 per child aged 2 to 12 (Eventim and the tourist office). On Monday 26 and Tuesday 27 October, 10 a.m. to noon, the Slovenian Alpine Museum in Mojstrana runs workshops for children aged 6 and over, €6. See also my Kranjska Gora page.

Ljubljana and around

• Ljubljana Castle, 26 to 30 October, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.: “Friderikove jesenske zagonetke”, riddles, challenges and escape-room games for children aged about 6 to 9 (grades 1 to 3), who can come on their own. €7 a day, in Slovene.
• Kinodvor, Friday 30 October, 10 a.m. to noon: free “Strašljivi kino” workshop on the scary sounds of cinema for ages 10 to 14 (register at kinobalon@kinodvor.org), plus children's films all week.
• Hiša eksperimentov, the hands-on science centre: open daily from 28 October to 1 November, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Technical Museum of Slovenia in Bistra, near Vrhnika: weaving workshop on Wednesday 28 at 10 a.m., kaleidoscope-making on Friday 30 at 10 a.m., included in the museum ticket.
• Stanežiče corn maze: Halloween nights from 24 to 31 October; €7 per child, €10 per adult, €32 for a family of four.
• Volčji Potok Arboretum: “Bučmani” pumpkin exhibition until 1 November, included in admission, alongside the life-size dinosaurs and the maze.
• Trubar's birthplace in Rašica, Saturday 31 October, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.: workshops, a guided tour on “Trubar and his time” and a ceremony at 7 p.m. for Reformation Day. Free entry.

To plan your days in the capital, my Ljubljana destination page covers the essentials.

Postojna, Celje, Maribor and the spas

• Postojna Cave, 24 October to 1 November: with two adult tickets, up to two children under 15 go free. The cave costs €69.80 for two adults and two children instead of €111.20, or €99.80 with Predjama Castle. My Postojna or Škocjan comparison helps you choose.
• Celje Castle, Saturday 31 October, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.: Halloween and the legend of Veronika, falconry, a witches' market, a treasure hunt, costumed tours. €5 per child, €10 per adult, €23 per family, postponed if it rains.
• Maribor Puppet Theatre, 26 to 30 October, 10 a.m. to noon: creative workshops for children, €6 a session or €20 for all five.
• Spas: this is the busiest week of the autumn. In 2025 most resorts reported being “almost full” and Terme Olimia expected to sell out. Terme 3000 in Moravske Toplice sells a “Krompirjeve počitnice” package from 23 October to 1 November.
• Soča Valley: a quieter programme, with an animated film every day at 4 p.m. at the Tolmin cinema.

Travelling in Slovenia in late October? My advice

From 26 to 30 October you share the country with Slovenian, Austrian, French and Belgian families on holiday. In practice:

• Book early for spas, family accommodation and cave time slots, especially for the weekend of 31 October.
• The week before is quieter (17 to 25 October), with two caveats: the Ljubljana Marathon fills the capital's hotels on 17 and 18 October, and the Ljubljana to Bled and Jesenice railway is closed for works from 19 to 23 October, then from 2 to 6 November, with replacement buses. Ljubljana to Bled without a car has the alternatives.
• Clocks go back on the night of 24 to 25 October: it gets dark around 5 p.m. afterwards, so start hikes early.
• End-of-season closures: Vintgar Gorge closes at the end of October, and several boats and lifts run for the last time on 1 November, like the Bohinj panoramic boat.
• On 31 October and 1 November shops are closed: shop on the Friday.

For the rest of the month, my guide to Slovenia in October covers the colours, the young wine and what closes. And if it rains, my rainy-day ideas will keep you busy all week.

Frequently asked questions

What does “krompirjeve počitnice” mean?

“Potato holidays”. It is the nickname of the jesenske počitnice, Slovenia's autumn school holidays: one week in late October, around the public holidays of 31 October and 1 November.

When are the potato holidays in Slovenia in 2026?

From Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026, for primary and secondary schools across the country. With weekends and public holidays, pupils get nine days off, from 24 October to 1 November, and go back on Monday 2 November.

Why are they called potato holidays?

The name most likely comes from the German Kartoffelferien, the autumn break during which farm children helped with the potato harvest, and was brought back by Slovenians working in Germany. By late October, though, the potato harvest in Slovenia is long over.

Since when does Slovenia have autumn school holidays?

In their current form, since the 1993/94 school year. Before that, under the Austrian monarchy and in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, rural schools already fitted their calendar around harvests and grazing.

Are shops open on 31 October and 1 November in Slovenia?

Mostly not: like Sundays, public holidays are closed, except small exempt outlets such as petrol station shops. Museums and most tourist sights stay open.

Is it a good week to visit Slovenia?

Yes for autumn colours and family programmes, but it is the busiest week of the autumn: spas, caves, Bled and Bohinj fill with Slovenian, Austrian and French families. Book ahead or aim for the week before.

When are the 2027 potato holidays?

The 2027/28 calendar has not been published yet; the ministry usually releases it early in the year. The regulation sets one week around 31 October and 1 November, which in 2027 fall on a Sunday and a Monday. This page will be updated as soon as the dates are out.

Sources checked on 19 October 2026: Ministry of Education 2026/27 school calendars and back-to-school figures (gov.si), SSKJ² and SNB dictionaries (fran.si), N1 (2021 and 2022), 24ur (2013), Siol (2016), dLib archives (Slovenski gospodar 1927, Naša komuna 1993), National Museum of Contemporary History (1965 caption), Ministry of the Environment (candles, 2020), RTV SLO (spas, 2025), Wikipedia (tattie holidays, Herbstferien, syysloma); programme: official Turizem Bohinj and TD Bohinj calendar, Bled, Ljubljana and Celje castles, Kinodvor, Technical Museum of Slovenia, Postojna Cave, Kranjska Gora. Programmes can change: check with the organisers. Photos: potato harvest in Zabukovje (Šentrupert), Eleassar, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons; Hriblje 1951, Jernej Šušteršič, Slovene Ethnographic Museum, public domain; Komenda 1965, Marjan Ciglič, National Museum of Contemporary History of Slovenia, public domain.

Patrick Faust

French expat in Slovenia since 2004. Founder of e-Slovénie, a Slovenia travel guide. Learn more →