Vacation days in 2026: smart planning for maximum travel time

As a remote professional or someone who dreams of traveling more, there is one thing you always want to optimize: your vacation days. With strategic planning, you can make the most of your days off in 2026 and spend more time on what really matters: adventure, relaxation and new experiences. Here are my tips and tricks for getting smart about your vacation days next year.

Holidays in 2026

New Year’s Day: Thursday, January 1, 2026
Good Friday: Friday, April 3, 2026
Easter (first and second day of Easter): Sunday, April 5 and Monday, April 6, 2026
King’s Day: Monday, April 27, 2026
Liberation Day: Tuesday, May 5, 2026
Ascension Day: Thursday, May 14, 2026
Pentecost (Whit Sunday and Whit Monday): Sunday, May 24 and Monday, May 25, 2026
Christmas: Friday, Dec. 25 and Saturday, Dec. 26, 2026

Making the most of the holidays in 2026

In 2026, there are several holidays that you can cleverly combine for longer breaks without sacrificing much vacation time. This is the chance to take longer periods off without using up too many of your days off.

Easter
Good Friday falls on April 3 (some employers give this day off) and Easter Monday falls on April 6. Take Friday off and you have a long four-day weekend. Perfect for a city break or mini-work trip.
Ascension
Ascension Day falls on May 14 (Thursday). By taking Friday, May 15 off, you create a long weekend of four days. Around this time, southern Europe is already wonderfully warm, ideal for catching a week of sun.
Pentecost
Whit Monday falls on May 25 (Monday). This automatically gives you a long weekend, which you can easily extend with a few extra days off.
Christmas
In 2026, Christmas falls on Friday, Dec. 25 and Saturday, Dec. 26. Take four vacation days in the week leading up to Christmas (Dec. 21 to 24), and you have a nine-day free period, perfect for ending the year in a relaxed manner or looking for a winter sun destination.
New Year’s Eve
New Year’s Day 2027 falls on Thursday, Jan. 1. If you take Friday, Jan. 2 off, you’ll have an extra-long weekend to start the new year off right.

Smart combining: more free time with fewer days

With a little puzzling, you can stretch your days off quite a bit. Although they don’t fall very favorably in 2026. Especially if you work remotely, you can combine parts of your travel with working days on location. That way you save vacation days and still have a longer break. Consider this, for example:

Spring Break
Plan a spring workation around April and May and take advantage of many holidays. If you cleverly combine those holidays around Easter, King’s Day and Pentecost with taking days off, you will have a long time off.
End-of-year break
Take time off from Monday, Dec. 21 to Thursday, Dec. 24 and Monday, Dec. 29 to Thursday, Dec. 31.
That’s 8 vacation days giving you 16 consecutive days off: from Saturday, Dec. 19, 2026 to Sunday, Jan. 3, 2027.

If you work remotely, you can use your vacation days even smarter. Consider working in an inspiring location for a few days and plan your vacation around that. If so, than you use travel time more efficiently and stay productive while enjoying new surroundings. That way you can stay away longer without sacrificing extra days off.

Tips for optimal travel time

Plan early: Many people take advantage of these strategic days. If you wait too long then your colleagues may already be ahead of you. In addition, with travel, the earlier you book, the cheaper it is. And the more available it is. Book your flights and accommodations well in advance to avoid disappointment.
Choose destinations with short travel time: For a long weekend, European destinations are ideal. Consider a city break to Barcelona or a relaxing beach break in Portugal.
Consider time zones: If you work remotely while traveling, preferably choose destinations where the time zone matches the Netherlands or where you can easily adjust your workday. This makes it easier to communicate with your colleagues and increases the chances that your supervisor will approve your workation.

Getting as much as possible out of your vacation days in 2026

With a little planning, you can make the most of your vacation days in 2026 and enjoy travel to the fullest. Use the holidays, be smart with your combinations and consider working remote to maximize your adventures. Opportunities abound again next year and the earlier you start planning, the greater your chances.