Netherlands public holidays and festivals: dates and closures

Dutch public holidays are a mix of fixed dates and Christian feast days that move with Easter. Only a few are true nationwide closures; the rest are days when offices shut but shops, cafés and museums often stay open on Sunday hours.

Dates below are the 2026 pattern. Easter, Ascension and Whit Monday shift every year, so confirm the exact day before you plan around one.

The practical rule: Dutch public holidays are days off for offices and schools, not for the whole country. Supermarkets, cafés and most museums open with Sunday hours on Easter, Ascension, Whit and Boxing Day. The genuine closures are Christmas Day and New Year's Day, when many restaurants and smaller shops shut and some museums take their annual break.

King's Day is its own case. Amsterdam's centre becomes a giant street market and the roads close to cars from the night before; trams are rerouted and some stops are suspended. Trains into Amsterdam run extra services but are extremely busy from mid-morning. If you are not there for the party, this is the day to be somewhere else.

Liberation Day on 5 May is a public holiday every year, but the large-scale free festivals are held mainly in years ending in 0 and 5. In other years it is a normal working day for many people, with local events in the evening.

On Sundays and public holidays, many smaller shops in the Netherlands open later or not at all, especially outside the big cities. Plan museum visits and supermarket runs around that.

Spring is the strongest reason to time a trip. The bulb fields around Lisse and the Keukenhof gardens draw the biggest crowds from mid-April to early May; book accommodation and tickets well ahead and go on a weekday morning.

King's Day on 27 April is the country's biggest street event. Amsterdam, Utrecht and Haarlem all hold free markets and music; expect orange clothing, loud crowds and higher hotel prices for that week.

Summer brings open-air music and theatre: the Vondelpark open-air concerts in Amsterdam, the North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam in July, and the Uitmarkt-style season openings in late August. Autumn has the Amsterdam Dance Event in October, which fills city hotels, and Sinterklaas arrivals in mid-November, a family event in many towns.

Winter is quieter but has its own dates: Sinterklaas on 5 December, Christmas markets in Maastricht, Dordrecht and other towns through December, and New Year's Eve fireworks, which are set off by residents across the country.

If you want the Netherlands without event crowds, avoid King's Day week, the Keukenhof peak and the Amsterdam Dance Event weekend. Late April after King's Day, and September, are calmer and still mild.

If you want the events, book transport and beds first: hotels in Amsterdam and Rotterdam raise prices and sell out for King's Day, North Sea Jazz and ADE. Trains are the easiest way between cities on event days, but expect packed carriages and allow extra time.

Check opening hours for the specific museum or restaurant you care about on the day itself. Dutch venues often post holiday hours only a few weeks ahead, so a same-week check is worth it.

Public transport on public holidays generally follows a Sunday timetable, with fewer and later first services. On King's Day, Amsterdam's trams and buses are rerouted and some stops close; walking is often faster in the centre.

Fireworks on New Year's Eve are set off by the public from around 22:00 and continue past midnight. It is loud and smoky in city centres; some travellers prefer to be outside the busiest streets or to stay in a quieter town.

If you are driving, expect road closures and parking restrictions around King's Day and large festivals; check local signs and the event's own transport advice before setting out.

Dates and closure patterns are based on the official Dutch government holiday list and national tourism information, cross-checked against transport operators' holiday timetables. Event dates for 2026 are announced by organisers and can shift, so confirm before booking.

This page was last checked in September 2026. Anything marked check should be verified with the venue or operator for your travel dates.