Belgium keeps ten national holidays, with regional community days on top — 11 July in Flanders, 27 September in Wallonia — that are days off for regional public servants rather than the whole workforce.

How people take the days

When a holiday falls on a weekend, Belgian law requires a replacement day, which employers usually schedule as a bridge. That makes Belgian long weekends unusually predictable.

If you're visiting

Shops and banks close on national holidays; cafés and restaurants trade. Brussels transport moves to Sunday timetables and the national day on 21 July closes central roads for the parade.

If you live here

The replacement-day rule is the detail worth knowing — you never simply lose a holiday to a Saturday. Your works council posts the replacement dates at the start of each year.

What these days actually mean

Observance, business closures and transport impact for the next few dates.

All Saints' Day

1 Nov 2026

Public

Observance: Families visit cemeteries with flowers and candles. Quiet and reflective rather than festive.
Business: Banks and most shops closed in Catholic-majority countries; florists do their busiest day of the year.
Transport: Extra services to cemeteries; heavy intercity travel over the weekend.

Armistice Day

11 Nov 2026

Public

Observance: Officially recognised as a public holiday, so most people have the day off work.
Business: Expect offices, banks and the majority of shops to be closed.
Transport: Public transport usually runs a Sunday or holiday timetable.

General guidance based on this day's official classification, not country-specific reporting.

Christmas Day

25 Dec 2026

Public

Observance: The central Christian winter feast; in most countries the household gathering matters more than the church service.
Business: Near-total closure of retail, offices and banks. Expect the preceding afternoon to shut early too.
Transport: Skeleton or suspended services in many countries. Book intercity travel well ahead.

St. Stephen's Day

26 Dec 2026

Bank

Observance: Classified as a bank holiday rather than a general public holiday.
Business: Banks and financial settlement are closed; many shops and offices trade as normal.
Transport: Services generally run as on a normal working day.

General guidance based on this day's official classification, not country-specific reporting.

BEBelgium · 2026

How the holiday year works in Belgium

The calendar

How people take the days

If you're visiting

If you live here

What these days actually mean

All Saints' Day

Armistice Day

Christmas Day

St. Stephen's Day

Belgium · 2026