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Just a couple of hours from London by Eurostar, Belgium is one of the easiest short breaks a UK traveller can take — Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp are all compact, walkable and rich in food, art and beer. Knowing the country’s public holidays helps you time a trip well. Belgium has 10 official public holidays in 2026, and its habit of taking ‘bridge days’ around them can turn a single holiday into a long weekend. This guide lists every public holiday in Belgium in 2026 and explains what stays open for visitors.
Public Holidays in Belgium 2026 — Full List
The table below lists Belgium’s 10 official public holidays (jours fériés légaux / wettelijke feestdagen) for 2026. They apply nationwide, though names appear in both French and Dutch. Belgium also has community and regional days that some workers receive, noted below.
| Date | Holiday (FR / NL) | Holiday (English) | Type | Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January | Nouvel An / Nieuwjaar | New Year’s Day | National | Thursday |
| 6 April | Lundi de Pâques / Paasmaandag | Easter Monday | National | Monday |
| 1 May | Fête du Travail / Dag van de Arbeid | Labour Day | National | Friday |
| 14 May | Ascension / O.L.H. Hemelvaart | Ascension Day | National | Thursday |
| 25 May | Lundi de Pentecôte / Pinkstermaandag | Whit Monday | National | Monday |
| 21 July | Fête nationale / Nationale feestdag | Belgian National Day | National | Tuesday |
| 15 August | Assomption / O.L.V. Hemelvaart | Assumption Day | National | Saturday |
| 1 November | Toussaint / Allerheiligen | All Saints’ Day | National | Sunday |
| 11 November | Armistice / Wapenstilstand | Armistice Day | National | Wednesday |
| 25 December | Noël / Kerstmis | Christmas Day | National | Friday |
The day after Ascension (Friday 15 May) is not an official holiday but is very widely taken as a bridge day, and many offices close. When an official holiday falls at the weekend, Belgian employees are entitled to a replacement day, usually fixed by their employer or sector.
Long Weekends in Belgium 2026
Where the three- and four-day breaks fall in 2026:
Easter (4–6 April): Easter Monday (6 April) gives a three-day weekend across the country, one of the most popular for a spring city break.
Ascension bridge (14–17 May): Ascension Day falls on Thursday 14 May, and with the following Friday so commonly taken off, much of Belgium enjoys a four-day weekend — an excellent window for visitors, though book early.
Whitsun (23–25 May): Whit Monday (25 May) rounds off May with another three-day weekend, close on the heels of the Ascension break.
What’s Open and Closed on Public Holidays
On public holidays, banks, offices and most shops close, though in the tourist hearts of Brussels, Bruges and Ghent you will still find plenty open. Supermarkets generally shut or run limited hours, while bakeries and chocolatiers in tourist areas often trade for at least part of the day. Restaurants, cafés and bars mostly stay open — Belgium’s café culture does not pause for a holiday.
Museums and major attractions tend to open on public holidays but may close the following day instead (many Belgian museums close on Mondays anyway, so check before you travel). Public transport — including the trams, metro and SNCB/NMBS trains — runs to a Sunday or holiday timetable, and Eurostar services continue as normal, though seats sell out around long weekends.
Travel tip: Belgian museums frequently close on Mondays as standard, and some also close the day after a public holiday. If a gallery or landmark is the reason for your trip, always check its holiday opening hours in advance — a wasted morning in Bruges is easily avoided.
How Belgium’s Public Holidays Compare with UK Bank Holidays
Belgium’s 10 official public holidays are a little more than the eight England and Wales receive, and several fall in a tight May cluster. The most useful thing for visitors to know is Belgium’s fondness for the ‘bridge day’ (pont / brug): when a holiday lands on a Thursday, many people take the Friday too, effectively closing offices for four days.
| Feature | United Kingdom | Belgium |
|---|---|---|
| Number of holidays | 8 (England & Wales) | 10 official |
| Weekend holidays | Moved to Monday | Replacement day set by employer/sector |
| Bridge days | Not customary | Very common (esp. around Ascension) |
| Language | English | Names in French and Dutch |
| Museum closures | Usually open | Many close Mondays / day after a holiday |
For the full British picture, see our list of UK bank holidays. Belgium’s northern neighbour makes a natural twin trip — our guide to public holidays in the Netherlands covers a country with a very similar spring holiday pattern, easily combined by train.
Key Cultural Holidays Explained
Belgian National Day (21 July) marks the day in 1831 when the first King of the Belgians, Leopold I, swore allegiance to the constitution. Brussels hosts the biggest celebrations, with a military and civil parade past the royal palace, free concerts and an evening fireworks display over the city — a good day to be in the capital.
Armistice Day (11 November) carries particular weight in Belgium, whose soil saw some of the First World War’s worst fighting. Ceremonies take place at war memorials nationwide, and in Ypres (Ieper) the daily Last Post at the Menin Gate — sounded every evening since 1928 — draws especially large crowds around this date. For UK visitors, it is a moving connection to shared history.
Did you know? Belgium’s three language communities and regions have their own additional festival days — such as the Day of the French Community (27 September) and the Day of the Flemish Community (11 July). These are official days off mainly for public-sector and community workers, so which extra days a Belgian gets can depend on where they live and who they work for.
Planning Your Trip Around Public Holidays
For UK travellers, Belgium is a year-round short break, but the May holiday cluster — Ascension and Whitsun — brings the biggest domestic demand and the busiest trains and hotels. Christmas markets in Brussels, Bruges and Ghent make December a lovely (if chilly) time to visit, while July’s National Day is ideal if you want celebration and ceremony. Weekends around bank holidays fill fast, so early booking pays off.
With Eurostar making Belgium so accessible, the trip’s cost is mostly the hotel — compare central options in Brussels or Bruges early on Booking.com, and pre-book guided experiences such as brewery tours, chocolate workshops or a canal cruise through GetYourGuide to skip the queues on busy holiday weekends. For more on making the most of days off, see our guide to long weekends in 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many public holidays does Belgium have in 2026?
Belgium has 10 official public holidays in 2026. Some workers also receive additional community or regional days depending on where they live and their sector.
Is the day after Ascension a holiday in Belgium?
Not officially. Ascension Day (Thursday 14 May 2026) is a public holiday, and the following Friday 15 May is very widely taken as a bridge day, so many offices close — but it is not a statutory holiday.
What happens when a Belgian holiday falls on a weekend?
Employees are entitled to a replacement day off, usually set by their employer or sector. In 2026, Assumption (15 August) falls on a Saturday and All Saints’ Day (1 November) on a Sunday.
Are shops open on public holidays in Belgium?
Banks and most shops close, though cafés, restaurants and many tourist-area businesses in Brussels, Bruges and Ghent stay open. Supermarkets usually shut or run limited hours.
When is Belgian National Day in 2026?
Belgian National Day is on Tuesday 21 July 2026, marked by a parade, concerts and fireworks in Brussels.
Do Eurostar and trains run on Belgian public holidays?
Yes. Eurostar runs as normal, and Belgian SNCB/NMBS trains, trams and metros operate to a Sunday or holiday timetable. Seats sell out around long weekends, so book ahead.
Are museums open on public holidays in Belgium?
Usually yes, but many Belgian museums close on Mondays as standard and some close the day after a holiday, so always check opening hours before you travel.
Sources & Last Verified
Federal Public Service Belgium (Employment) — official public holidays — belgium.be
Nager.Date Public Holiday API — Belgium 2026 — date.nager.at/PublicHolidays/2026/BE
Cross-checked against Office Holidays and timeanddate.com
Last verified: 27 July 2026
Author: Bank Holidays UK Editorial Team