Sportlov and höstlov: Swedish school holidays explained
| Day | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Sportlov (vecka 7–10, olika i olika kommuner) | Monday, 9 February 2026 – Sunday, 8 March 2026 | Monday, 15 February 2027 – Sunday, 14 March 2027 |
| Höstlov (oftast vecka 44) | Monday, 26 October 2026 – Sunday, 1 November 2026 | Monday, 1 November 2027 – Sunday, 7 November 2027 |
- The date
- Each municipality sets its own school holidays. Sportlov is one week in February or March, spread over weeks 7 to 10 across the country. Höstlov is one week, in most places week 44.
- Day off?
- Not public holidays: school holidays. Adults work as usual unless they take leave, which is why after-school care (fritids) stays open.
Swedish school pupils have a week off in late winter, sportlovet, the sports break. It began during the Second World War as a fuel break (bränslelov), closing schools for a week to save heating, and soon became a week for skiing and outdoor play. Different parts of the country take it in different weeks, from week 7 to week 10, so the ski resorts don't fill up all at once.
In late autumn comes höstlovet, a week off usually in week 44, around alla helgons dag. Some municipalities call it läslov, a reading break, to encourage children to read. Then there are the Christmas holiday (jullov), the Easter holiday (påsklov) and the long summer holiday (sommarlov) from mid-June to mid-August.
How it works in practice
- Skiing in the mountains (fjällen) in places like Sälen and Åre during sportlov, or sledging and skating closer to home.
- Activities for children run by municipalities, libraries and sports clubs during the breaks.
- Parents juggling work: fritids, the after-school centre, stays open for children whose parents work.
- Check your municipality's website for the exact weeks: they are set locally and differ between towns.
Food and drink
| Swedish | English | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| varm choklad | hot chocolate | From a thermos on the ski slope. |
| våfflor | waffles | The classic ski-hut snack. |
| korv med bröd | hot dog | Grilled over a fire on a winter outing. |
Words for the school holidays
Nouns are given with en or ett where you would use them that way. Words in our dictionary are linked, with their forms and pronunciation.
| Swedish | English |
|---|---|
| ett lov | a school holiday |
| ett skollov | a school holiday |
| sportlovet | the winter sports break |
| höstlovet | the autumn break |
| läslovet | the reading break (autumn) |
| påsklovet | the Easter holiday |
| jullovet | the Christmas holiday |
| sommarlovet | the summer holiday |
| fjällen | the mountains |
| åka skidor | to ski |
| en skidbacke | a ski slope |
| längdskidor | cross-country skis |
| en pulka | a plastic sledge |
| åka skridskor | to skate |
| fritids | after-school centre |
| en termin | a school term |
| en kommun | a municipality |
Phrases you will hear
- Vilken vecka har ni sportlov?Which week is your sports break?
- Vi åker till fjällen på sportlovet.We're going to the mountains for the sports break.
- Är fritids öppet på lovet?Is the after-school centre open during the break?
- Trevligt lov!Have a nice break!
Learn more Swedish
See every holiday and the full list of red days in the Swedish holiday calendar, and pick up one new word a day with the Swedish word of the day. Dates and weekdays are easier with our guide to days and months in Swedish and the Swedish numbers tool.
Sources
- Lag (1989:253) om allmänna helgdagar, Riksdagen: which days are public holidays.
- Sportlov: from wartime energy saving to a Swedish tradition, Sveriges Radio
Dates are calculated from the rules above and were checked against the law and published calendars. Last checked 7 October 2026. Customs vary between regions and families; this page describes the common ones.