While you might be enjoying your well-deserved summer vacation right now, what’s the best thing to do during your current vacation? That’s right! Book the next one! This way, you avoid the post-vacation blues when you return to work and have another trip to look forward to. So, what does 2027 look like in terms of public holidays, and how can you maximize your time off?
| Date | Holiday | Day | Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January | Nieuwjaarsdag (New Year’s Day) | Friday | 3-day weekend |
| 26 March | Goede Vrijdag (Good Friday) | Friday | 3-day weekend |
| 28 March | Eerste Paasdag (Easter Sunday) | Sunday | Weekend |
| 29 March | Tweede Paasdag (Easter Monday) | Monday | 3-day weekend |
| 27 April | Koningsdag (King’s Day) | Tuesday | Bridge opportunity |
| 5 May | Bevrijdingsdag (Liberation Day) | Wednesday | Bridge opportunity |
| 6 May | Hemelvaartsdag (Ascension Day) | Thursday | Bridge opportunity |
| 16 May | Eerste Pinksterdag (Whit Sunday) | Sunday | Weekend |
| 17 May | Tweede Pinksterdag (Whit Monday) | Monday | 3-day weekend |
| 25 December | Eerste Kerstdag (Christmas Day) | Saturday | Falls on the weekend |
| 26 December | Tweede Kerstdag (Boxing Day) | Sunday | Falls on the weekend |
The good news is that you can create two great bridge holidays in the Netherlands in 2027. The first opportunity comes with King’s Day. If you take Monday, 26 April off, you’ll enjoy a four-day break to celebrate.
Another excellent opportunity comes in May. Liberation Day falls on Wednesday, and Ascension Day falls on Thursday. Take Friday, 7 May off, and you’ll turn them into a long vacation with just one vacation day.
That is already 9 vacation days in total by simply taking three days of your PTOs. This is your sign to book them now.
Check LongVacation.eu to explore even more options and maximize your vacation in 2027!
Three PTO days, nine days off — worked example
The spring cluster is where the Netherlands’ 2027 calendar pays off the most:
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King’s Day falls on Tuesday, 27 April. Take Monday, 26 April off and the Tuesday holiday connects to the weekend: four consecutive days off (24–27 April) using a single PTO day.
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Liberation Day falls on Wednesday, 5 May, and Ascension Day on Thursday,6 May. Take Friday,7 May off and those two holidays plus the weekend become a five-day break (5–9 May) — again with a single PTO day.
That is nine days off spread across two breaks for the price of two vacation days — and you still have most of your allowance for summer and Christmas. See exactly how it stacks in the planner。
Frequently asked questions
Does everyone get Liberation Day off?
Liberation Day (Bevrijdingsdag) is a national public holiday in the Netherlands, so most employees get it off. It is worth confirming with your employer anyway, especially if you work in essential services or under a sector agreement with different rules。
What about regional holidays?
The Netherlands has fewer region-specific public holidays than countries like Spain, but the planner still supports the national calendar fully, and you can add local dates — carnival days, school holidays, or your employer’s shutdown days — as custom free days so suggestions match your real year.
Can I extend the Christmas weekend?
Christmas Day and Boxing Day fall on Saturday and Sunday, 25–26 December, in 2027 — so the working days around them (Christmas Eve on Friday, 24 December, and the days before New Year) are natural bridge candidates. Open the planner and see what fits your remaining allowance around the festive break.