Luxembourg public holidays 2026: the full list and what's open or closed

Luxembourg observes 11 legal public holidays (jours fériés légaux) every year, set out in the country's Labour Code. On these days the working day is paid but free, and most of the country slows down. The list mixes fixed civil and religious dates with movable Christian feasts whose dates shift each year because they are tied to Easter. Below is the verified 2026 calendar, followed by what closes and the rules that apply when a holiday lands on a weekend.

The 11 public holidays in 2026

• New Year's Day — Thursday 1 January 2026
• Easter Monday — Monday 6 April 2026 (movable)
• Labour Day — Friday 1 May 2026
• Europe Day — Saturday 9 May 2026 (a legal holiday since 2019)
• Ascension Day — Thursday 14 May 2026 (movable)
• Whit Monday (Pentecost Monday) — Monday 25 May 2026 (movable)
• National Day — Tuesday 23 June 2026
• Assumption Day — Saturday 15 August 2026
• All Saints' Day — Sunday 1 November 2026
• Christmas Day — Friday 25 December 2026
• St Stephen's Day (Second Christmas Day) — Saturday 26 December 2026

Easter Sunday in 2026 falls on 5 April, which fixes the three movable feasts: Easter Monday is the next day, Ascension Day comes 39 days after Easter Sunday, and Whit Monday 50 days after. Good Friday is not a legal public holiday in Luxembourg, even though some calendars list it; only the 11 days above carry statutory status.

What's closed on a public holiday

On a legal public holiday, expect the same rhythm as a Sunday across most of the Grand Duchy:

• Shops and supermarkets: the large majority close. Retail generally follows Sunday-trading rules, so most stores shut for the day, though convenience stores and outlets in some tourist or transport zones may open limited hours.
• Banks: branches are closed. Cash machines and online banking remain available.
• Public administrations: communal offices, ministries and most public services are closed, and many bring the bank-holiday closure forward to the afternoon before.
• Post offices and most pharmacies: closed, but a rota of on-duty pharmacies (pharmacies de garde) covers emergencies; the duty list is published online and in pharmacy windows.
• Bakeries and food: many bakeries open in the morning, and railway-station kiosks and some petrol-station shops trade as usual.

Public transport keeps running but typically on a reduced, Sunday-style timetable, so buses, trams and trains are less frequent. Because public transport is free across Luxembourg year-round on buses, trams and second-class trains, there is no fare to worry about on a holiday either. Hospitals, emergency services and the airport operate normally.

When a holiday falls on a weekend

Four of the 2026 holidays land on a Saturday or Sunday: Europe Day (Saturday 9 May), Assumption Day (Saturday 15 August), All Saints' Day (Sunday 1 November) and St Stephen's Day (Saturday 26 December). Luxembourg does not simply move the public celebration to the following Monday. Instead, the Labour Code protects employees through a compensatory day (jour de congé compensatoire).

The rule works like this: if a legal public holiday falls on a day the employee would not normally work — a Sunday, a Saturday, or any other regular day off in their schedule — the employee is entitled to a replacement day of paid leave. That compensatory day must be taken as actual time off (it cannot be paid out in cash) within the three months following the holiday. In practice that means a worker whose week-end is Saturday-Sunday will bank compensatory days for the four weekend holidays in 2026, while someone who never works Mondays would gain replacement days for Easter Monday and Whit Monday.

There are also specific rules for staff who must work on a public holiday — for example in hospitality, healthcare or transport. They are generally entitled to premium pay and, in many cases, additional compensatory rest, with the exact terms depending on the sector and any collective agreement. If your situation is unusual, the labour inspectorate (ITM) is the authority that explains and enforces these entitlements.

Planning around the 2026 calendar

The clustering of holidays in spring is worth noting: Labour Day (1 May), Europe Day (9 May), Ascension Day (14 May) and Whit Monday (25 May) all fall within four weeks, making May the most holiday-heavy month of the year. Ascension Day always lands on a Thursday, which often invites a pont (bridge day) by taking the Friday off for a long weekend. For anyone living, working or travelling in Luxembourg, checking opening hours in advance around these dates avoids surprises.

Always confirm the current year's movable dates before planning, since Easter — and with it Easter Monday, Ascension and Whit Monday — shifts annually. The official sources linked above publish the authoritative list each year.

For full details on entitlements, premium pay and compensatory leave, the government's guichet.public.lu portal and the Inspection du travail et des mines (ITM) are the definitive references.

Last reviewed: June 2026. Movable-feast dates change each year — check the official sources linked above for the current year.