Planning your vrije dagen for 2027? Start with the holidays. In the Netherlands a brugdag (bridge day) is the day between a holiday and the weekend. 2027 is a good year for them: King's Day falls on a Tuesday and Ascension Day on a Thursday, less than two weeks apart. Here is how to use them.
The best vrije dagen to book in 2027
Fri 1 Jan – Mon 4 Jan 2027
New Year's Day
Book 1 day off: Mon 4 Jan 2027.
You get 4 days off in a row, from Fri 1 Jan 2027 to Mon 4 Jan 2027.
4× your leave
Fri 26 Mar – Mon 29 Mar 2027
Easter Sunday & Easter Monday
Book 1 day off: Fri 26 Mar 2027.
You get 4 days off in a row, from Fri 26 Mar 2027 to Mon 29 Mar 2027.
4× your leave
Sat 24 Apr – Tue 27 Apr 2027
King's Day
Book 1 day off: Mon 26 Apr 2027.
You get 4 days off in a row, from Sat 24 Apr 2027 to Tue 27 Apr 2027.
4× your leave
Thu 6 May – Sun 9 May 2027
Ascension Day
Book 1 day off: Fri 7 May 2027.
You get 4 days off in a row, from Thu 6 May 2027 to Sun 9 May 2027.
4× your leave
Fri 14 May – Mon 17 May 2027
Pentecost & Whit Monday
Book 1 day off: Fri 14 May 2027.
You get 4 days off in a row, from Fri 14 May 2027 to Mon 17 May 2027.
4× your leave
Netherlands, 2027: the best-value day or days for each holiday. Hover or tap a day for the details.
Lange weekenden 2027
There are 3 free long weekends (lange weekenden) in 2027, where a holiday joins the weekend and you need no leave at all. The Netherlands best-days page lists every one with its dates.
King's Day and May
King's Day, Ascension Day and Whit Monday all fall between late April and mid-May. If you want one long spring break, joining Ascension Day and Whit Monday gives the most days off for your leave:
Book off: Fri 7, Mon 10, Tue 11, Wed 12, Thu 13 and Fri 14 May 2027.
Bank holidayBook offWeekend
If King's Day matters more to you than Pentecost, start earlier:
Book off: Thu 22, Fri 23, Mon 26, Wed 28, Thu 29 and Fri 30 Apr 2027.
Bank holidayBook offWeekend
Easter 2027
Easter Monday is Monday 29 March 2027. Good Friday is an official holiday but many employers do not give it off, so booking it is usually the first step to a long Easter weekend.
Dutch leave rules
- Four times your weekly hours. You are entitled to at least four times the hours you work each week as paid leave: 160 hours, or 20 days, on a 40-hour week (Government.nl: taking holiday hours). Many CAOs add bovenwettelijke days on top.
- Your employer can only say no for a serious reason. You agree your leave with your employer, who can only refuse if your absence would cause serious problems for the business.
- Statutory days expire. Statutory leave expires six months after the end of the year you earned it, so days earned in 2027 must be taken before 1 July 2028. Extra days on top of the minimum last five years (Business.gov.nl: statutory holidays).
- Public holidays are not a legal right. Dutch law does not say you get public holidays off. Your CAO or contract does, so check which days it lists.
Liberation Day and Good Friday
Liberation Day on 5 May is a national holiday, but many CAOs only give it off once every five years, and Good Friday is often a normal working day. The planner leaves both out. If your CAO gives you either day, your spring breaks get longer: add them in the Netherlands planner and the bridges update.
Frequently asked questions
How many days of leave do I get in the Netherlands?
At least four times your weekly working hours: 20 days on a full-time, five-day week. Your CAO or contract may give more, and part-time workers get the same four weeks in proportion to their hours.
When do my leave days expire?
Statutory days expire six months after the end of the year in which you earned them, so 2027 days must be used before 1 July 2028, unless you could not reasonably take them. Extra days last five years.
What is the best brugdag in 2027?
The Friday after Ascension Day (Thursday 6 May 2027) and the Monday before King's Day (Tuesday 27 April 2027). Each one turns one day of leave into four days off.
Plan your own vrije dagen
Open the Netherlands plannerVrije dagen 2027: best days to take off (Netherlands)
How we work it out. Every date and number here comes from our holiday data, checked against official government sources (see About). Always confirm days off with your employer.