Why Sweden Takes So Much Vacation Time

Sweden takes more vacation time than any other country in the world – 41 paid days annually, to be exact. Why do Swedes take so much vacation time? And is it sustainable in the global economy?
While 41 paid vacation days sounds huge to non-Europeans, it’s actually just the statutory minimum: when you throw in things like personal days, grief leave, public holidays (called red days), and even a day off when you’re moving house, it means Swedes could be away from the office nearly two months of the year.

This all might make Swedes come across as a tad lazy but interestingly, Forbes magazine has named Sweden the best country for business in 2017. It’s also no secret that the tech and startup scene is one of the strongest in the world, with investment per capita in Stockholm second only to Silicon Valley.

But vacation time is changing in Sweden. Traditionally, Swedes would take four or five weeks off in the summer, head to their country houses (usually in July), and the country would more or less shut down. These days, however, people are splitting up their vacation days. July is still when most people take at least a few weeks off, but now they might take a week or a few days here and there throughout the year as well.

There’s even a law governing vacation leave, called the Annual Leave Act. Basically, it gives all workers the right to the statutory amount of leave based on their terms of employment, and it is illegal to negotiate a contract without including vacation time. Additionally, Swedes can ‘save’ vacation days: after the first 20 vacation days are taken, an employee can save remaining days for up to five years. Even better? Employers must inform employees when those ‘saved’ days are about to run out – and allow the employee to use them before they are lost.

So while the way Swedes take vacation leave might be slowly changing and restaurants no longer close for most of July, there is no danger of the good people of Sweden losing their spot at the top of annual holiday leave. If anything, they’ll probably figure out how to take even more, while still keeping productivity high.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.