Dutch public holidays Netherlands 2026: Easter, King's Day and Christmas explained

Table of contents

Good Friday: the surprise non-holiday

Good Friday (Goede Vrijdag) is officially recognised as a public holiday in the Netherlands, which might lead you to expect a day off. It does not work that way in practice. Most Dutch employers do not grant Good Friday as a paid holiday. If your company does give it off, consider yourself lucky. Schools, government offices and most large employers operate normally. Supermarkets and shops remain open. The one exception: many churches hold services and the atmosphere is reflective in more traditionally religious communities.

If your CAO (sector collective labour agreement) or employment contract specifically lists Good Friday as a day off, then you are entitled to it. Many international companies with offices in the Netherlands do observe it, particularly those whose home countries (UK, Ireland, Australia) treat it as a bank holiday. When in doubt, ask HR before planning a long Easter weekend.

Easter Sunday and Easter Monday

Easter Sunday (Eerste Paasdag) and Easter Monday (Tweede Paasdag) are both official public holidays and both are genuine days off for most workers. Easter Monday in particular is treated as a full national holiday: schools are closed, government offices shut and many shops operate on reduced hours or close entirely.

Dutch Easter traditions include egg painting (eitjes verven), egg hunts for children and family brunches. You will see decorated eggs and spring flowers in supermarkets from February onwards. Albert Heijn and Jumbo typically run Easter brunch promotions with decorated eggs, croissants and special offers. Cities like Amsterdam, Utrecht and Rotterdam may have outdoor Easter markets in city squares. The weather in early April can range from cold and grey to surprisingly warm, so bring layers if you are planning outdoor activities.

The Easter weekend is also one of the first major travel weekends of the year. Motorways and rail connections fill up from the Thursday or Friday beforehand. If you are planning a trip to the beach (Scheveningen, Zandvoort, Katwijk) or the tulip fields (Keukenhof opens end of March), book transport and parking well in advance. See our Netherlands day trips guide for practical ideas.

Ascension Day (Hemelvaartsdag) commemorates the Christian belief that Jesus ascended to heaven 40 days after Easter. It always falls on a Thursday, making it one of the most practically significant holidays in the Dutch calendar. Almost every Dutch employer, school and public institution closes for the day, making it a near-universal holiday in practice even though it is technically not mandated for all workers by law.

The Thursday-Friday bridge day strategy

Because Ascension Day is always a Thursday, the Friday that follows (Hemelvaartsdag vrijdag or simply brugdag) is the ideal bridge day. Taking one vacation day on the Friday gives you a 4-day weekend from Thursday to Sunday at the cost of just one annual leave day. Dutch workers plan these bridge days months in advance and many companies experience very low attendance on that Friday. If you want to travel, book transport and accommodation early. For the full bridge-day strategy with 2026 dates, see our Dutch holidays vacation planning guide.

Dauwtrappen: the unique Ascension Day tradition

Dauwtrappen (literally "dew treading") is one of the Netherlands' most charming and unique public holiday traditions. The custom involves getting up early on Ascension Day morning and going for a walk in nature to step in the morning dew. Folk belief held that morning dew collected on Ascension Day had healing and beautifying properties. While few people genuinely believe this today, the tradition of the early morning nature walk has persisted as a lovely way to start the long weekend.

Nature reserves, parks and forest areas across the Netherlands organise guided dauwtrappen walks starting from around 6 am. Participants often receive hot chocolate or coffee at a meeting point. The walks tend to be family-friendly and free or very low cost. Popular spots include the Hoge Veluwe National Park, Amsterdamse Bos, Nationaal Park Utrechtse Heuvelrug and local polders and dunes. Check your local gemeente's website or Nature Today (Natuurkalender) for events near you.

Pinksteren (Pentecost) falls 50 days after Easter and commemorates the Christian feast of the Holy Spirit descending on the apostles. Both Whit Sunday (Eerste Pinksterdag) and Whit Monday (Tweede Pinksterdag) are official public holidays in the Netherlands. Whit Monday is the practically significant one: almost all employers close and it functions as a full day off similar to Easter Monday.

Unlike some countries where Pentecost is a minor occasion, the Netherlands treats Tweede Pinksterdag as a genuine long-weekend holiday. Expect the same patterns as Easter Monday: supermarkets open on reduced hours, most shops close and many people leave the city. The weather in late May is typically warmer than Easter, making Whit Monday a popular day for cycling trips, beach visits and outdoor events.

Some towns and villages hold Pinkstermarkten (Pentecost markets) with local produce, crafts and food stalls. Rural areas sometimes host Pinksterfeesten (Pentecost fairs) with fairground rides and music. These are community events rather than tourist attractions and give you a glimpse of traditional Dutch festivity. Check local VVV (tourist information) offices or gemeente websites for events in your area.

Practical planning for the Pentecost weekend

Whit Monday falling in late May means you are dealing with warmer weather and more competition for accommodation and transport. The coastal towns (Scheveningen, Zandvoort, Bloemendaal, Texel) fill up fast. If you want to visit the tulip region around Lisse and Keukenhof, note that Keukenhof typically closes in mid-May, so Pentecost weekend may be after the season ends. For beach and cycling day trips, see our cycling Netherlands guide for route ideas.

King's Day (Koningsdag) is the Netherlands' national day and the one public holiday that every expat encounters in their first Dutch year. It celebrates the birthday of King Willem-Alexander, who was born on 27 April 1967. The entire country turns orange: people wear orange clothing, paint their faces, hang flags and flood the streets for what is effectively a nationwide street party combined with a giant flea market (vrijmarkt).

King's Night: the evening before

King's Night (Koningsnacht) takes place on the evening of 26 April, starting around 18:00. Cities across the Netherlands host outdoor concerts, DJ stages, canal boat parties and street parties. Utrecht has traditionally been the centre of King's Night celebrations, with the whole city centre transformed into a music festival. The Hague hosts the Life I Live festival on King's Night, drawing around 200,000 visitors. Amsterdam has numerous stages spread across the canal ring and Vondelpark.

The vrijmarkt: the world's largest flea market

The vrijmarkt is arguably the most distinctive element of King's Day. On this one day per year, anyone can sell anything anywhere in public space without a permit or market fee. Children lay out blankets on pavements and sell old toys and games; families set up stalls with clothes, books and household items; and entrepreneurs offer food and drinks. Prices are low and bargaining is normal. The vrijmarkt runs from early morning (often from 6 or 7 am) until around 17:00 or 18:00. Cities officially designate vrijmarkt zones but in practice the entire city centre becomes a market.

Transport and practical tips

Transport on King's Day is chaotic. Many cities redirect trams and buses around closed streets. Amsterdam's metro and main rail connections continue but are extremely crowded. Arrive early, travel before 10:00 or after 20:00 if possible and consider cycling rather than public transport within cities. For a full city-by-city breakdown of what happens where, see our dedicated King's Day expat guide.

Sinterklaas is the Dutch gift-giving tradition and, culturally, it outweighs Christmas for many Dutch families with children. The character of Sinterklaas is based on Saint Nicholas, the bishop of Myra, and arrives by steamboat (stoomboot) from Spain each year in mid-November in a ceremony called the Intocht van Sinterklaas. This arrival is broadcast live on Dutch public television and watched by millions of children.

Throughout November and into December, children leave their shoes by the fireplace (or the radiator) at night and wake to find them filled with small sweets (pepernoten, speculaas, chocolate) if they have been good, or coal if they have not. The main event is Pakjesavond (gift evening) on 5 December, when Sinterklaas delivers presents to children. For adults who participate, the tradition typically involves exchanging gifts with handwritten poems (Sinterklaasgedichten) that tease or compliment the recipient, and creative surprise packages (surprises) in which the gift is disguised in an elaborate handmade wrapper.

As an expat, you are not expected to celebrate Sinterklaas, but if a Dutch colleague or neighbour invites you to a Pakjesavond gathering, go. It is one of the most distinctively Dutch experiences you can have. Bring pepernoten or a bag of chocolate letters as a contribution. Children's Sinterklaas celebrations at schools and daycare (kinderopvang) are a big deal: your children will be fully immersed regardless of whether you celebrate at home. For daycare and school arrangements, see our childcare costs Netherlands guide.

Sinterklaas and the workplace

Many Dutch companies celebrate Sinterklaas internally, often with a team Pakjesavond or a Secret Santa-style exchange on or around 5 December. Offices may decorate, pepernoten bowls appear on desks from mid-November, and HR might organise a gift exchange with a set maximum budget. Participating, even modestly, signals cultural integration and goodwill with Dutch colleagues.

The Netherlands observes both Christmas Day (Eerste Kerstdag, 25 December) and Boxing Day (Tweede Kerstdag, 26 December) as official public holidays. Both are genuine days off for almost all workers. Christmas in the Netherlands is primarily a family holiday rather than the commercial spectacle it has become in some other countries, partly because Sinterklaas on 5 December already handles the gift-giving pressure for children.

Dutch Christmas traditions include a large family dinner on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day (kerstdiner), often featuring beef, pork or salmon, with Gourmet (tabletop cooking sets where each person grills their own food) a popular and informal option. Oliebollen (Dutch doughnuts dusted with icing sugar) appear in market stalls and bakeries from late November as a New Year's tradition, though they are eaten throughout the festive period.

Christmas markets in the Netherlands

Several Dutch cities hold Christmas markets (kerstmarkten) in December. Valkenburg in Limburg hosts one of the country's most famous Christmas markets, held inside the medieval caves (Gemeentegrot) and spanning several weeks. Amsterdam's Museumplein and Vondelpark host markets, as does the Grote Markt in Haarlem and the Ridderzaal area in The Hague. Rotterdam's floating Christmas tree and Delft's Koopjesmarkt are also popular. These markets run from late November through to 23 or 24 December and are family-friendly with food stalls, mulled wine (glühwein) and craft items.

What's open on Christmas Day and Boxing Day?

Most shops close on Christmas Day and many close on Boxing Day too, particularly smaller independent retailers. Major supermarket chains (Albert Heijn, Jumbo, Lidl, Aldi) operate on Boxing Day with reduced hours, often 10:00-18:00. Petrol stations stay open. Restaurants and cafes vary: some close over the Christmas period, others operate with a set kerstmenu (Christmas menu) at higher prices. Book well in advance if you want a restaurant on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Museums generally open on Boxing Day and can be a pleasant option for a cultural outing when the weather is typically cold and grey.

Opening hours on Dutch public holidays vary by holiday, retailer and municipality. The table below summarises what to generally expect, but always check ahead for specific shops or venues.

Pharmacies on public holidays

Regular pharmacies (apotheken) close on public holidays. Emergency pharmacy (dienstdoende apotheek) coverage operates on a rotation system: one pharmacy in each area stays open for emergency prescriptions. Call your regular pharmacy or check the Dutch Pharmacy Finder (apotheek.nl) for the on-duty pharmacy in your postcode. In genuine medical emergencies, go to the nearest hospital emergency department (spoedeisende hulp / SEH) or call 112.

Hospitals and urgent care on public holidays

Hospitals operate continuously including on public holidays, but routine outpatient appointments are cancelled. For non-emergency urgent care, most regions have a Huisartsenpost (out-of-hours GP service) that operates on evenings and public holidays. Call your GP practice first: they will direct you to the appropriate service. If you need help finding English-speaking doctors in the Netherlands, our English-speaking GP and dentist guide covers registration and urgent care options.

Official resources