Dutch public holidays do not produce one simple “everything closes” rule. The government publishes the official holiday calendar, but individual employers and venues set many of their own opening arrangements. For travellers, the important question is not whether a date appears on a national list; it is whether transport, museums, restaurants and city-centre crowds behave differently.
Official Dutch public holidays in 2026
The national list for 2026 includes New Year's Day (1 January), Good Friday (3 April), Easter Sunday and Monday (5–6 April), King's Day (27 April), Liberation Day (5 May), Ascension Day (14 May), Whit Sunday and Monday (24–25 May), and Christmas Day and Boxing Day (25–26 December).
King's Day: the date that changes the whole city
King's Day is on 27 April. Amsterdam becomes a huge street celebration and vrijmarkt, with crowd controls, altered transport patterns and exceptional demand for rooms. If you want the party, book accommodation early and keep your itinerary loose. If you want a normal museum-and-canal city break, avoid treating 27 April as an ordinary sightseeing day.
4 May: Remembrance Day is not a normal festival day
National Remembrance Day falls on 4 May. Amsterdam's main ceremony is on Dam Square and a two-minute silence is observed at 20:00. The atmosphere is solemn, not celebratory. Expect security and crowd management around Dam Square and plan respectfully around the ceremony.
5 May: Liberation Day
Liberation Day celebrates the end of the Second World War in the Netherlands. The City of Amsterdam says most businesses and shops stay open and city offices are open; it is a statutory free day only once every five years. Events and festivals can still make parts of the city busier, so check the day's programme rather than assuming a blanket closure.
Easter, Ascension and Whit Monday
These dates matter more for individual opening hours than for a complete shutdown. Major visitor attractions may remain open while smaller shops or services reduce hours. If a must-see museum falls on one of these days, verify its own calendar before locking in a timed itinerary.
Christmas and New Year
Late December needs the most venue-by-venue checking. Some attractions stay open with reduced hours — ARTIS, for example, publishes specific Christmas and New Year schedules — while restaurants may switch to set menus or close. Book Christmas dinner deliberately rather than expecting to find a normal walk-in evening.
Public transport on holidays
Do not assume the usual weekday timetable. GVB and NS publish current journey information and disruptions, and major events can cause temporary route changes. On King's Day especially, plan around live transport notices and be ready to walk the final section.
Shopping and supermarkets
Opening is increasingly business-specific. Central supermarkets and convenience stores may trade when smaller independent shops do not. Google listings are useful as a clue, but for a critical purchase use the business's own site or app on the day.
Best planning rule
For King's Day, build the trip around the holiday. For Christmas and New Year, pre-book meals and confirm attraction hours. For the other official holidays, keep your plans but check the exact venue and transport operator. That is more reliable than broad claims that Amsterdam is “open” or “closed”.
Official references: Government of the Netherlands holiday calendar, City of Amsterdam King's Day, and Amsterdam commemorations.
Reviewed September 2026 using current official visitor, transport and government guidance. Always re-check timed tickets, holiday opening hours and transport products close to travel.