Best Days to Take Leave in Belgium 2026
Use these holiday-anchored annual leave ideas to turn a few leave days into longer breaks:
- Take Thu, Apr 2 to get 5 days off from Apr 2 to Apr 6. Uses 1 leave day; anchored by Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday.
- Take Tue, Apr 7 to get 5 days off from Apr 3 to Apr 7. Uses 1 leave day; anchored by Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday.
- Take Wed, May 13 to get 5 days off from May 13 to May 17. Uses 1 leave day; anchored by Ascension Day, Day after Ascension Day.
- Take Mon, May 18 to get 5 days off from May 14 to May 18. Uses 1 leave day; anchored by Ascension Day, Day after Ascension Day.
- Take Fri, Jan 2 to get 4 days off from Jan 1 to Jan 4. Uses 1 leave day; anchored by New Year's Day.
Belgium 2026 Long Weekend & Vacation Planning Guide
Discover 9 long weekend and bridge day opportunities in 2026 to maximize your annual leave:
- New Year's Day (2026-01-01, Thursday) - 4-day Bridge Weekend: Take Friday off for a 4-day extended mini-vacation (Thu–Sun)!
- Good Friday (2026-04-03, Friday) - 3-day Weekend: Automatic 3-day weekend (Fri–Sun) with 0 days of leave needed!
- Easter Monday (2026-04-06, Monday) - 3-day Weekend: Automatic 3-day weekend (Sat–Mon) with 0 days of leave needed!
- Labour Day (2026-05-01, Friday) - 3-day Weekend: Automatic 3-day weekend (Fri–Sun) with 0 days of leave needed!
- Ascension Day (2026-05-14, Thursday) - 4-day Bridge Weekend: Take Friday off for a 4-day extended mini-vacation (Thu–Sun)!
- Day after Ascension Day (2026-05-15, Friday) - 3-day Weekend: Automatic 3-day weekend (Fri–Sun) with 0 days of leave needed!
- Whit Monday (2026-05-25, Monday) - 3-day Weekend: Automatic 3-day weekend (Sat–Mon) with 0 days of leave needed!
- Belgian National Day (2026-07-21, Tuesday) - 4-day Bridge Weekend: Take Monday off for a 4-day long weekend getaway (Sat–Tue)!
- Christmas Day (2026-12-25, Friday) - 3-day Weekend: Automatic 3-day weekend (Fri–Sun) with 0 days of leave needed!
Belgium Official Public Holidays 2026 Schedule
| Date | Day | Holiday Name | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 (2026-01-01) | Thu | New Year's Day | Public |
| Apr 3 (2026-04-03) | Fri | Good Friday | Public |
| Apr 5 (2026-04-05) | Sun | Easter Sunday | Public |
| Apr 6 (2026-04-06) | Mon | Easter Monday | Public |
| May 1 (2026-05-01) | Fri | Labour Day | Public |
| May 14 (2026-05-14) | Thu | Ascension Day | Public |
| May 15 (2026-05-15) | Fri | Day after Ascension Day | Public |
| May 25 (2026-05-25) | Mon | Whit Monday | Public |
| Jul 21 (2026-07-21) | Tue | Belgian National Day | Public |
| Aug 15 (2026-08-15) | Sat | Assumption Day | Public |
| Nov 1 (2026-11-01) | Sun | All Saints' Day | Public |
| Nov 11 (2026-11-11) | Wed | Armistice Day | Public |
| Dec 25 (2026-12-25) | Fri | Christmas Day | Public |
| Dec 26 (2026-12-26) | Sat | St. Stephen's Day | Public |
About Belgium Holidays & Observances
Belgium observes 10 official statutory public holidays where financial institutions, schools, and public services are closed nationwide. Commercial banks, government offices, schools, and financial institutions are typically closed on statutory public holidays.