The Netherlands in 2024 is a leap year with 366 days. Easter Sunday falls on 31 March โ an early Easter. King's Day (Koningsdag) falls on 27 April โ a Saturday in 2024, meaning it is observed on Friday 26 April instead, as per Dutch custom when the 27th falls on a Sunday (here, the Saturday rule shifts it one day earlier).
Liberation Day (5 May) is not a full public holiday for most workers in 2024 โ it is a national memorial day every year, but a paid day off only in years ending in 0 or 5. The Netherlands observes Good Friday, Easter Monday, Ascension Day, Whit Monday, Christmas Day, and Second Christmas Day as standard public holidays.
Public Holidays 2024
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Nationwide Public Holidays 2024
| Date | Day | Holiday | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Jan 2024 | Mon | New Year's Day | Nationwide |
| 1 Apr 2024 | Mon | Easter Monday | Nationwide |
| 27 Apr 2024 | Sat | King's Day | Nationwide |
| 5 May 2024 | Sun | Liberation Day | Nationwide |
| 9 May 2024 | Thu | Ascension Day | Nationwide |
| 20 May 2024 | Mon | Whit Monday | Nationwide |
| 25 Dec 2024 | Wed | Christmas Day | Nationwide |
| 26 Dec 2024 | Thu | 2nd Day of Christmas | Nationwide |
School Holidays 2024
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Drenthe โ School Holidays Overview
Winter Break
17.02.2024 - 25.02.2024
Spring Break
27.04.2024 - 05.05.2024
Summer Holidays
20.07.2024 - 01.09.2024
Autumn Break
26.10.2024 - 03.11.2024
Christmas Break
21.12.2024 - 05.01.2025
Holidays by Region
DrentheFlevoland (Central)Flevoland (North)FrieslandGelderland (Central)Gelderland (North)Gelderland (South)GroningenLimburgNorth Brabant (Central)North Brabant (South)North HollandOverijsselSouth HollandUtrecht (Central)Utrecht (North)Zeeland
Frequently Asked Questions
What is King's Day in the Netherlands?
King's Day (Koningsdag) is the biggest public celebration in the Netherlands, held on 27 April (or 26 April if the 27th is a Sunday). It celebrates the birthday of King Willem-Alexander. The country turns orange, cities hold street parties and free markets, and Amsterdam's canals fill with decorated boats.
Is Liberation Day (5 May) a public holiday in the Netherlands?
Liberation Day is a national memorial day every year, but it is a full public holiday for workers only every five years (years ending in 0 or 5, e.g. 2025, 2030). On other years, most employees still work.
What are the three Dutch school regions?
The Netherlands divides its provinces into three school regions โ Noord, Midden, and Zuid โ which stagger their autumn and May half-term breaks to reduce traffic congestion. Summer and Christmas holidays are the same for all regions.
Does the Netherlands have two Christmas holidays?
Yes. The Netherlands observes both Christmas Day (25 December, Eerste Kerstdag) and Second Christmas Day (26 December, Tweede Kerstdag) as public holidays. Boxing Day is not a common term in the Netherlands, but the concept is the same.
What is Remembrance Day in the Netherlands?
Remembrance Day (Dodenherdenking) is on 4 May โ the evening before Liberation Day. It is a solemn national occasion in which the entire Netherlands observes two minutes of silence at 8:00 PM to honour those who died in World War II and subsequent conflicts.