European school holidays 2026-2027 calendar
Planning a boating holiday around the school holidays or choosing quieter times can help you get the best deals and avoid the most crowded periods at popular European destinations. By aligning your travel plans with key dates from September 2026 to September 2027, you can ensure everyone in the family can join in, making it a memorable trip for all.
Whether you’re looking at UK 2026 holidays or planning for a trip abroad in 2027 , this guide will help you identify the best times to go on holiday by showing you when popular tourist areas might be the busiest.
Our detailed school holiday calendar includes all school breaks for major European countries such as France, the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands, helping you plan your perfect getaway.
You can also discover our top boating recommendations for family fun or find Inspiration for your canal boat hire with a wide range of experiences from exploring serene waterways to enjoying exquisite countryside backdrops and engaging in exciting activities.
In this article:
- Autumn school holidays 2026
- Winter school holidays 2026-2027
- Spring school holidays 2027
- Summer school holidays 2027
- Ideal boating times
- European boating holiday highlights
- Tips for planning your European boating holiday
European school holidays 2026-2027 calendar
Autumn school holidays 2026 calendar
Scroll across to view more countries. See more details about the French school holiday zones at the bottom of the article.
| Dates | France | UK | Germany | Netherlands | Belgium | Ireland, Italy, Spain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week from 31/08 to 06/09 | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria | Spain, Italy | ||||
| Week from 07/09 to 13/09 | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria | Italy | ||||
| Week from 14/09 to 20/09 | ||||||
| Week from 21/09 to 27/09 | ||||||
| Week from 28/09 to 04/10 | ||||||
| Week from 05/10 to 11/10 | Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland | |||||
| Week from 12/10 to 18/10 | Scotland | Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Bremen, Lower Saxony, Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, Thuringia, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (from 15th) | North region | |||
| Week from 19/10 to 25/10 | All zones | Bremen, Lower Saxony, Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, Thuringia, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Nordrhein-Westfalen (NRW), Berlin, Brandenburg, Hamburg, Saxony-Anhalt | Central & South regions | Wallonia | ||
| Week from 26/10 to 01/11 | All zones | England, Wales, Northern Ireland | NRW, Berlin, Brandenburg, Hamburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Baden-Württemberg | Wallonia | Ireland | |
| Week from 02/11 to 08/11 | Bavaria | Flanders | ||||
| Week from 09/11 to 15/11 | ||||||
| Week from 16/11 to 22/11 | ||||||
| Week from 23/11 to 29/11 | ||||||
| Week from 30/11 to 06/12 |
Winter school holiday dates 2026-2027
Scroll across to view more countries. See more details about the French school holiday zones at the bottom of the article.
| Dates | France | UK | Germany | Netherlands | Belgium | Ireland, Italy, Spain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week from 07/12 to 13/12 | ||||||
| Week from 14/12 to 20/12 | ||||||
| Week from 21/12 to 27/12 | All zones | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland |
All 16 Bundesländer Baden-Württemberg, Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hesse, Lower Saxony, NRW, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saxony & Thuringia from 23rd. Bavaria from 24th |
All regions | Wallonia, Flanders | Ireland, Spain, Italy |
| Week from 28/12 to 03/01 | All zones | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | All 16 Bundesländer | All regions | Wallonia, Flanders | Ireland, Spain, Italy |
| Week from 04/01 to 10/01 | Baden-Württemberg, Hesse, Bavaria (to 8th), Bremen, Lower Saxony, NRW (to 6th), Rhineland-Palatinate (to 8th), Schleswig-Holstein (to 6th) | |||||
| Week from 11/01 to 17/01 | Hesse (to 12th) | |||||
| Week from 18/01 to 24/01 | ||||||
| Week from 25/01 to 31/01 | ||||||
| Week from 01/02 to 07/02 | Berlin, Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, Bremen (to 2nd), Lower Saxony (to 2nd) | |||||
| Week from 08/02 to 14/02 | Zones C | Bavaria, Saarland, Saxony, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern | Flanders | |||
| Week from 15/02 to 21/02 | Zones A & C | England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland | Saxony, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern | South region | Ireland | |
| Week from 22/02 to 28/02 | Zones A & B | Central & North regions | Wallonia | Ireland (primary) | ||
| Week from 01/03 to 07/03 | Zone B | Hamburg | Wallonia | |||
| Week from 08/03 to 14/03 | Hamburg |
Spring school holiday dates 2027
Scroll across to view more countries. See more details about the French school holiday zones at the bottom of the article.
| Dates | France | UK | Germany | Netherlands | Belgium | Ireland, Italy, Spain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week from 15/03 to 21/03 | ||||||
| Week from 22/03 to 28/03 | Bavaria, Berlin, Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Brandenburg, Bremen, Lower Saxony, NRW, Thuringia, Saxony-Anhalt, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (from 24th), Baden-Württemberg (from 25th) | Ireland | ||||
| Week from 29/03 to 04/04 | England, Wales, Northern Ireland | Bavaria, Berlin, Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Brandenburg, Bremen, Lower Saxony, NRW, Thuringia, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Saxony, Baden-Württemberg, Saarland, Schleswig-Holstein | Flanders | Ireland, Spain, Italy | ||
| Week from 05/04 to 11/04 | Zone C | England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland | Saarland, Schleswig-Holstein | Flanders | Ireland, Spain, Italy | |
| Week from 12/04 to 18/04 | Zones A & C | |||||
| Week from 19/04 to 25/04 | Zones A & B | |||||
| Week from 26/04 to 02/05 | Zone B | All regions | Wallonia | Ireland | ||
| Week from 03/05 to 09/05 | Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Thuringia, Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Lower Saxony, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Saxony | Wallonia, Flanders (6–7 May Ascension) | ||||
| Week from 10/05 to 16/05 | Hamburg | |||||
| Week from 17/05 to 23/05 | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Lower Saxony, NRW, Saxony-Anhalt, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (to 18th), Saxony (to 18th) | |||||
| Week from 24/05 to 30/05 | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria. | Ireland | ||||
| Week from 31/05 to 06/06 | England, Wales (half-term) | |||||
| Week from 07/06 to 13/06 |
Summer school holiday dates 2027
Scroll across to view more countries. See more details about the French school holiday zones at the bottom of the article.
| Dates | France | UK | Germany | Netherlands | Belgium | Ireland, Italy, Spain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week from 14/06 to 20/06 | Italy | |||||
| Week from 21/06 to 27/06 | Italy, Spain (from ~22/06) | |||||
| Week from 28/06 to 04/07 | Northern Ireland (from 1st July) | Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Berlin, Brandenburg, Hamburg | Wallonia (from 3/07), Flanders (from 1/07) | Ireland, Italy, Spain | ||
| Week from 05/07 to 11/07 | All zones | Scotland, Northern Ireland | Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Berlin, Brandenburg, Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Bremen, Lower Saxony | Wallonia, Flanders | Ireland, Italy, Spain | |
| Week from 12/07 to 18/07 | All zones | Scotland, Northern Ireland | Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Berlin, Brandenburg, Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Bremen, Lower Saxony, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia | North region | Wallonia, Flanders | Ireland, Italy, Spain |
| Week from 19/07 to 25/07 | All zones | England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland | + NRW (all above continuing) | North & Central regions | Wallonia, Flanders | Ireland, Italy, Spain |
| Week from 26/07 to 01/08 | All zones | England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland | + Baden-Württemberg (from 29th) | All regions | Wallonia, Flanders | Ireland, Italy, Spain |
| Week from 02/08 to 08/08 | All zones | England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland | + Bavaria | All regions | Wallonia, Flanders | Ireland, Italy, Spain |
| Week from 09/08 to 15/08 | All zones | England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland | Hamburg (to 11th), Berlin, Brandenburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Bremen, Lower Saxony, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, NRW, Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria | All regions | Wallonia, Flanders | Ireland, Italy, Spain |
| Week from 16/08 to 22/08 | All zones | England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland | Bremen, Lower Saxony (to 18th), Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, NRW, Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria | All regions | Wallonia, Flanders | Ireland, Italy, Spain |
| Week from 23/08 to 29/08 | All zones | England, Wales, Northern Ireland | NRW, Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria | Central & South regions | Flanders | Ireland, Italy, Spain |
| Week from 30/08 to 05/09 | NRW (to 31st), Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria | South region | Flanders (to 31/08) | Ireland, Spain, Italy | ||
| Week from 06/09 to 12/09 | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria |
Ideal boating season times in Europe
| Period | Ideal Destinations | Why is this the perfect timing? |
|---|---|---|
| Spring break |
|
|
| Summer break |
|
|
| Autumn half-term |
|
European holiday highlights
| Holidays | Date | Destination | Activities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good Friday and Easter Monday | 26th & 29th March 2027 | Shannon and Erne, Ireland |
|
| Labour Day (France, Germany, Italy, Spain) | 1st May 2027 | Brittany, France |
|
| King’s Day (Netherlands) | 27th April 2027 | Amsterdam Canals, Netherlands |
|
| Bastille Day (France) | 14th July 2027 | Canal du Midi, France |
|
To make the most of your boating holiday, it’s a great idea to plan around key dates, such as UK holidays in 2026 and 2027. This way, you can avoid the busiest travel times and enjoy a more relaxing experience. With Emerald Star, you can have an unforgettable holiday on the water while also taking advantage of school and public holidays.
Tips for planning your European boating holiday
- Early booking: Secure your dates and get the best availability by booking early, especially around popular periods such as summer holidays in the UK 2026 and UK holidays in April 2027.
- Packing: Ensure you pack essentials for your boat holiday, including suitable clothing, food, and safety gear. Proper preparation for the unique aspects of a boating holiday can make your trip smoother and more enjoyable. Read our ‘Boating holiday packing list: 7 unexpected tips you’ll thank us for’ to make sure you don’t forget anything from your holiday packing list.
- Preparation: Thoroughly prepare for your holiday by planning your itinerary around quieter periods, if possible, and avoid peak times such as May bank holidays in France and other UK public holidays. This will help you maximise your time on the water.
Discover useful information to help you prepare for your boating holiday with our travel checklist
By following these tips and planning around key holiday dates, you can ensure a fantastic boating experience with Emerald Star.
Ready to book your your European boating holiday?
Book a boating holiday with Emerald Star today, and let us help you create the perfect holiday experience.
You can also find out more information on the kind of boating adventure that awaits you in our boating holidays for beginners video.
France is divided into three academic zones—A, B and C—for winter and spring school holidays. This regional stagger helps ease the flow of holiday travel and avoid overcrowding (road traffic, ski resorts, accommodation):
- Zone A: Besançon, Bordeaux, Clermont-Ferrand, Dijon, Grenoble, Limoges, Lyon, Poitiers.
- Zone B: Aix‑Marseille, Amiens, Caen, Lille, Nancy‑Metz, Nantes, Nice, Orléans‑Tours, Reims, Rennes, Rouen, Strasbourg.
- Zone C: Paris region (Créteil, Paris, Versailles), Montpellier and Toulouse.
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