European school holidays 2025-2026 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 2025 to September 2026, you can ensure everyone in the family can join in, making it a memorable trip for all.
Whether you’re looking at UK 2025 holidays or planning for a holiday in the UK 2026, 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 2025
- Winter school holidays 2026-2026
- Spring school holidays 2026
- Summer school holidays 2026
- Ideal boating times
- European boating holiday highlights
- Tips for planning your European boating holiday
European School Holidays 2025-2026 calendar
Autumn school holidays 2025 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 01/09 to 07/09 | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein | Spain, Italy | ||||
| Week from 08/09 to 14/09 | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Lower Saxony | Italy | ||||
| Week from 15/09 to 21/09 | ||||||
| Week from 22/09 to 28/09 | ||||||
| Week from 29/09 to 05/10 | Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (2nd Oct.) | |||||
| Week from 06/10 to 12/10 | Hesse, Saxony, Thuringia | |||||
| Week from 13/10 to 19/10 | Scotland | Bremen, Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia | South | |||
| Week from 20/10 to 26/10 | All zones | Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (20th and 25th Oct.), Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein | North and Central regions | Wallonia | ||
| Week from 27/10 to 02/11 | All zones | England, Wales, Northern Ireland: 30 & 31 October | Baden-Württemberg, Berlin, Brandenburg, Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein | Wallonia, Flanders | Ireland | |
| Week from 03/11 to 09/11 | Bavaria, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (3rd Nov.) | |||||
| Week from 10/11 to 16/11 | ||||||
| Week from 17/11 to 23/11 | Bavaria (19th Nov.) | |||||
|
Week from 24/11 to 30/11 |
||||||
| Week from 01/12 to 07/12 |
Winter school holiday dates 2025 – 2026
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 08/12 to 14/12 | ||||||
| Week from 15/12 to 21/12 | Hamburg (starts 17th Dec) | |||||
| Week from 22/12 to 28/12 | All zones | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | All Bundesländer | All regions | Wallonia, Flanders |
Ireland, Spain, Italy |
| Week from 29/12 to 04/01 | All zones | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | All Bundesländer | All regions | Wallonia, Flanders | Ireland, Spain, Italy |
|
Week from 05/01 to 11/01 |
Hesse (ends 10th Jan), Rhineland-Palatinate (ends 7th Jan) | |||||
| Week from 12/01 to 18/01 | ||||||
| Week from 19/01 to 25/01 | ||||||
| Week from 26/01 to 01/02 | ||||||
| Week from 02/02 to 08/02 | Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein (2nd-3rd Feb.) | |||||
| Week from 09/02 to 15/02 | Zone B | Northern Ireland 12 & 13 February | Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Saxony | |||
| Week from 16/02 to 22/02 | Zones B & C | England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland | Bavaria, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Saarland, Saxony, Thuringia | South & Central regions | Wallonia, Flanders | Ireland, Italy |
| Week from 23/02 to 01/03 | Zones C & A | North region | Wallonia | |||
| Week from 02/03 to 08/03 | Zone A | |||||
| Week from 09/03 to 15/03 |
Spring school holiday dates 2026
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 16/03 to 22/03 | ||||||
|
Week from 23/03 to 29/03 |
Bremen, Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein (starts 26th March) | |||||
| Week from 30/03 to 05/04 | England, Wales, Scotland from 03/04, Northern Ireland from 02/04 | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saxony (3rd April), Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein | Ireland, Spain, Italy | |||
| Week from 06/04 to 12/04 | Zone B | England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Brandenburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Saxony (ends 10th April), Schleswig-Holstein (ends 10th April), Thuringia | Flanders | Ireland, Spain | |
| Week from 13/04 to 19/04 |
Zones B & C |
Scotland (until Monday 20/04 included) | Saarland, Saxony (15th April), Thuringia | Flanders | ||
| Week from 20/04 to 26/04 | Zones C & A | |||||
| Week from 27/04 to 03/05 | Zone A | All regions | Wallonia | |||
| Week from 04/05 to 10/05 | Wallonia | Ireland | ||||
| Week from 11/05 to 17/05 | Bremen, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (15th May), Lower Saxony (15th May), Schleswig-Holstein (15th May), Thuringia (15th May) | |||||
| Week from 18/05 to 24/05 | Bremen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (22nd May) | |||||
| Week from 25/05 to 31/05 | England, Wales | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (26th May), Lower Saxony (26th May), North Rhine-Westphalia (26th May), Saxony-Anhalt | Ireland | |||
| Week from 01/06 to 07/06 | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria | Flanders | ||||
| Week from 08/06 to 14/06 | Wallonia, Flanders | Italy |
Summer school holiday dates 2026
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 15/06 to 21/06 | Wallonia, Flanders | Italy | ||||
| Week from 22/06 to 28/06 | Wallonia, Flanders | Spain, Italy | ||||
| Week from 29/06 to 05/07 | Scotland, Northern Ireland from 01/07 | Bremen, Hesse, Lower Saxony (from 2nd July), Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland | Wallonia, Flanders | Ireland, Spain, Italy | ||
| Week from 06/07 to 12/07 | All zones | Scotland, Northern Ireland | Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Lower Saxony, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, Thuringia | North region | Wallonia, Flanders | Ireland, Spain, Italy |
| Week from 13/07 to 19/07 | All zones | Scotland, Northern Ireland | Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, Thuringia | North & South regions | Wallonia, Flanders | Ireland, Spain, Italy |
| Week from 20/07 to 26/07 | All zones | England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland | Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, Thuringia | All regions | Wallonia, Flanders | Ireland, Spain, Italy |
| Week from 27/07 to 02/08 | All zones | England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, Thuringia | All regions | Wallonia, Flanders | Ireland, Spain, Italy |
| Week from 03/08 to 09/08 | All zones | England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, Thuringia | All regions | Wallonia, Flanders | Ireland, Spain, Italy |
| Week from 10/08 to 16/08 | All zones | England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Brandenburg, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, Thuringia | All regions | Wallonia, Flanders | Ireland, Spain, Italy |
| Week from 17/08 to 23/08 | All zones | England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Brandenburg, Hamburg (until 19th August), Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, North Rhine-Westphalia | Central & South regions | Wallonia, Flanders | Ireland, Spain, Italy |
| Week from 24/08 to 30/08 | All zones | England, Wales, Northern Ireland | Baden-Württemberg, BavariaNorth Rhine-Westphalia | Central region | Flanders | Ireland, Spain, Italy |
| Week from 31/08 to 06/09 | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia (ends 1st Sept.) | Ireland | ||||
| Week from 07/09 to 13/09 | 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 | 3rd April & 6th April 2026 | Thames River, UK |
|
| Labor Day (France, Germany, Italy, Spain) | 1st May 2026 | Brittany, France |
|
| King’s Day (Netherlands) | 27th April 2026 | Amsterdam Canals, Netherlands |
|
| Bastille Day (France) | 14th July 2026 | 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 2025 and 2026. This way, you can avoid the busiest travel times and enjoy a more relaxing experience. With Le Boat, 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 2025 and UK holidays in April 2026.
- 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 Le Boat.
Ready to book your your European boating holiday?
Book a boating holiday with Le Boat 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.
Other articles
Introducing Liberty: houseboat holidays redefined
Exciting news! We’re thrilled to introduce Liberty, the newest gem in our Luxury range. We’ve designed Liberty to redefine houseboat holidays with exceptional comfort, luxury, and ease of cruising. Read on to discover how she was designed and how her fabulous features will captivate you for your next boating holiday!
Read article
8 hidden historical gems om Europe to discover on boating holidays
Who doesn’t dream of an adventure-filled European holiday with the most stunning destinations rich in history unfolding before your eyes? There’s just something about hidden gems in Europe that compels you to explore this beautiful region at least once in your life. So how do you start planning your holiday? Where do you kick off? Where to go next?
Read article
Le Boat's top boating destinations – Our ultimate boating holiday index
Going on a boating trip is an incredibly exciting experience. When you rent a boat, you’re free to enjoy your vacation however you’d like. Better yet, there’s a boating holiday to suit everyone. Whether you’re a family looking for an action-packed trip, or a group of friends booking a short break away, you’re bound to find a boating holiday that offers everything you want it to. And, to make the decision that much easier, we’ve created the ultimate boating holiday index.
Read article