We all know that time is the greatest luxury. And in 2026, with a little smart planning, you can turn your annual leave allowance into long, restorative holidays and bucket-list adventures, without taking more days off.
Here’s how to work the calendar, plus some ideas for where those well-earned days could take you.
How to Stretch Your Annual Leave in 2026
Easter Break
Take 4 days’ leave around Good Friday (3 April) and Easter Monday (6 April).
Get 10 days off in a row.
Where to go: A spring escape to Japan for cherry blossom season or a European city break (Rome, Paris, Madrid).
Early May Bank Holiday
Monday 4 May is already a holiday. Take 4 days’ leave (5–8 May).
Get 9 days off in total.
Where to go: Greek Islands or Mallorca before peak season crowds.
Late May Bank Holiday
Monday 25 May is a holiday. Take 4 days (26–29 May).
Get 9 days away.
Where to go: California road trip, Canadian Rockies, or a wellness retreat in Portugal.
August Bank Holiday
Monday 31 August is a holiday. Take 4 days (1–4 Sept).
Get 9 days off.
Where to go: African safari (Tanzania or South Africa), or combine Iceland + Greenland cruise.
Christmas & New Year
Christmas Day (Friday 25 Dec) and Boxing Day (Monday 28 Dec) are holidays. New Year’s Day (Thursday 1 Jan 2027) also falls perfectly. Take 3 days (29–31 Dec).
Get 10 days away over the festive season.
Where to go: Lapland for a festive break, or escape the cold with Caribbean all-inclusive luxury.
Bucket List Ideas to Fill Your Extra Time
2026 could be the year you finally:
Safari in South Africa - like Ally, who is ticking this off her list in October.
Take a long-haul cruise - think Japan in cherry blossom or transatlantic glamour.
Reset on a wellness retreat - yoga in Bali, hiking in Patagonia, or spa escapes in the Dolomites.
Chase the Northern Lights - combine with husky sledding in Lapland.
Indulge in food and wine journeys - Tuscany, Bordeaux, Mendoza.
The Case Travel Touch
We’ll take care of every detail - flights, transfers, hotels, even restaurant bookings - so your annual leave doesn’t just add up to time off, but time well spent.
