European vacation

***image1***Vacationers traveling during summer might want to know about national holidays in the countries where they travel.

In Germany, the states of Bavaria and Saarland observe a holiday Aug. 15. The former east-German states  have a holiday Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 is a religious holiday in Baden-Wuerrtemberg, Bavaria, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Rheinland-Pfalz and Saarland.

The German automobile club, ADAC, lists holidays from several European countries, so travelers can plan accordingly for the remainder of 2008:

• Bulgaria: Sept. 6 and 22
• Estonia: Aug. 20, Dec. 24
• Finland: Dec. 6 and 24
• France: Aug. 15, Nov. 11
• Greece:  Oct. 28
• Great Britain: Aug. 25 (not in Scotland)
• Ireland: Aug. 4, Oct. 27
• Italy: Aug. 15, Dec. 8
• Croatia: Aug. 5 and 15, Oct. 8
• Latvia: Nov. 18, Dec. 31
• Lithuania: Aug. 15
• Austria: Aug. 15, Oct. 26, Dec. 8
• Poland: Aug. 15, Nov. 11
• Portugal: Aug. 15, Oct. 5, Dec. 1 and 8
• Romania: Dec. 1
• Switzerland: Aug. 1 and 15, Dec. 8 (but not everywhere)
• Slovakia: Aug. 29, Sept. 1 and 15, Nov. 17, Dec. 24
• Slovenia: Aug. 15, Oct. 31
• Spain: Aug. 15, Oct. 12, Dec. 6 and 8
• Czech Republic: Sept. 28, Oct. 28, Nov. 17, Dec. 24
• Turkey: Aug. 30, Oct. 29
• Hungary: Aug. 20, Oct. 23

(Courtesy of Automobile Club ADAC)