Public holidays in the Netherlands: How to plan your holidays in a clever way

Public Holidays in the Netherlands - how to plan

The Dutch are smart and plan bridging days to stretch the weekends. Assuming the traditional five-day-a-week system, by taking just one day off work, e.g. the Friday after Hemelvaartsdag (Ascension Day), you get to enjoy a four-day long weekend! Most Dutch people, whenever possible, take advantage of the holidays and spend their free time actively.

When you’re individually learning Dutch at Level Up Academy, it might help you to know which days exactly are public holidays in the Netherlands.  Check out our Dutch calendar of national and public holidays to plan your days off in the smartest way possible! If you are coming from abroad to the Netherlands it’s worth checking the calendar for all the holidays upfront!

Compared with, for example, India, Turkey, China, Poland or Slovakia the Dutch enjoy fewer days off. However, it makes sense to be aware of when individual holidays are celebrated in the Netherlands, to get the most out of your vacation time while working in the Netherlands.

The Dutch are smart and plan bridging days to stretch the weekends. Assuming the traditional five-day-a-week system, by taking just one day off work, e.g. the Friday after Hemelvaartsdag (Ascension Day), you get to enjoy a four-day long weekend! Most Dutch people, whenever possible, take advantage of the holidays and spend their free time actively.

Official national holidays do not automatically mean that everyone is free on that day. If in doubt, always ask your employer. Some days off depend on the sector you work in. Check out our summary of the holidays in the Netherlands.

1. Nieuwjaarsdag (New Year's Day) - January 1

There is no surprise in the case of the New Year. January 1 is a public holiday in the Netherlands.

2. Goede Vrijdag (Good Friday): a movable feast

Good Friday is not a statutory holiday. However, almost all schools and municipal offices are closed on this day.

3. Tweede Paasdag (Easter Monday): a movable feast

Easter Monday is always a day off from work in the Netherlands. Traditionally many Dutch people make the whole Easter weekend a family affair.

4. Koningsdag (King's Day): April 27th

King’s Day, or Koningsdag, is one of the most important Dutch national holidays. This day is celebrated on April 27, unless it falls on a Sunday when it is then celebrated on the Saturday before. Previously, during the reign of Willem-Alexander’s mother, Queen Beatrix, the celebration was called Koninginnedag, Queen’s Day in English, and it was celebrated on April 30. You can read more about this holiday in a separate article.

Calendar Holidays Netherlands

5. Bevrijdingsdag (Liberation Day): May 5

Liberation Day is an annual holiday for government employees. However, once every five years, May 5 is also a day off for all residents of the Netherlands. The next Liberation Day, that will be a public holiday for all, is May 5, 2025.

6. Hemelvaartsdag (Ascension of the Lord): Thursday, movable feast

The Christian celebration of Hemelvaartsdag (Ascension of the Lord) is the 40th day after Easter. The holiday is moveable, so it falls on a different date every year, but always on a Thursday. This offers a great opportunity to plan a long weekend off work. Beware if you plan to take a Friday after Hemelvaartsdag off; many companies allow their employees to book their days off on first come first serve basis. Make sure you get in early with your request to beat the holiday loving crowd!

7. Pinksteren: Eerste en tweede pinksterdag (First and second days of Pentecost), Whit Sunday and Monday, movable feast

You’ll be pleased to know Hemelvaartsdag does not signal an end to the days off in the Netherlands during the spring season! On the 10th day after Hemelvaartsdag, there are two more special dates in the Dutch calendar (nl. agenda): Pinksteren, (Pentecost or Whit Sunday and Monday). Pentecost is also a public holiday in other countries such as Belgium, Denmark, Germany and Hungary. Note it is also a moveable holiday, like Easter and Ascension Day. The first and the second day of Pentecost are both days off work, the latter always falling on a Monday.

8. Kerstmis (Christmas): December 25 and 26

After the Hemelvaartsdag and Pinksteren holidays, there is a long break when it comes to public holidays in the Netherlands. Yes, the pool of official days off is exhausted mainly in the first half of the year! The Dutch do not celebrate December 24 (Kerstavond) in the same way as in Germany or Poland for example. Christmas Eve is a normal working day. Unlike in the afore mentioned countries, it is not customary to give each other gifts on December 24 in the Netherlands, but it is commonly a time for meeting up with friends or family. The good news is that two official free days follow, that being Kerstmis on December 25 and tweede kerstdag on December 26.

Once Christmas is out of the way you can start preparing for your next day off – January 1! However, only if New Year’s Day does not fall during the weekend*, 😉in which case you have to start counting down the days to the next Good Friday.

*This rule applies to all Dutch public holidays – if it falls on a weekend then you do not get an extra day off work on the Monday, as is the case in the UK, for example. In these cases, you have, as the Dutch say, pech (bad luck).

Public holidays and days off in the Netherlands in 2023

Nieuwjaarsdag (New Year’s Day): Sunday, January 1, 2023

Goede Vrijdag (Good Friday): Friday, April 7, 2023

Tweede Paasdag (Easter Monday): Monday, April 10, 2023‼ ️ long weekend‼ ️

Koningsdag (King’s Day): Thursday, April 27, 2023
‼ ️ Long four-day weekend alert !! Long weekend is possible if you take a day off on Friday, April 28th 2023‼ ️

Bevrijdingsdag (Liberation Day): Friday, 5 Mei 2023
For most working people this day is not a day off in 2023.

Hemelvaartsdag (Ascension): Thursday, May 18, 2023
‼ ️ Long four-day weekend alert !! Long weekend possible if you take a day off on Friday, May 19th 2023‼ ️

Tweede Pinksterdag (Second Pentecost): Monday, May 29, 2023
‼ ️ Long weekend‼ ️

Kerstmis (Christmas): Monday 25 and Tuesday 26 December 2023.