Right then, let’s get those 2026 getaways planned. The UK’s bank holidays are the perfect launchpad for squeezing every last drop out of your time off. With a bit of smart scheduling, you can turn your standard annual leave into some properly epic adventures.
Welcome to your essential guide for every single UK bank holiday in 2026. This is where you’ll spot all the best opportunities for a cheeky long weekend or a much bigger trip. We’ll get you up to speed on ‘holiday hacking’ – the simple trick of booking annual leave around public holidays to stretch out your breaks without rinsing your allowance. Think of this as your starting point before we dive into the nitty-gritty for each country and share some top booking tips.
First off, the number of holidays isn’t the same everywhere. In 2026, England and Wales get eight bank holidays, Scotland gets nine, and Northern Ireland comes out on top with ten. These differences are all down to unique local traditions, like St Andrew’s Day in Scotland and the Battle of the Boyne in Northern Ireland.
UK Bank Holidays 2026 At a Glance
To make things super simple, here’s a quick-reference table with all the dates you need to know. It shows exactly which holidays apply to which parts of the UK, so you can start circling dates in your calendar right now.
Date
Day of the Week
Holiday Name
Applies to (Country)
1st January
Thursday
New Year’s Day
UK-wide
2nd January
Friday
2nd January
Scotland only
17th March
Tuesday
St Patrick’s Day
Northern Ireland only
3rd April
Friday
Good Friday
UK-wide
6th April
Monday
Easter Monday
England, Wales, Northern Ireland
4th May
Monday
Early May bank holiday
UK-wide
25th May
Monday
Spring bank holiday
UK-wide
12th July
Sunday (substitute day Monday 13th July)
Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen’s Day)
Northern Ireland only
3rd August
Monday
Summer bank holiday
Scotland only
31st August
Monday
Summer bank holiday
England, Wales, Northern Ireland
30th November
Monday
St Andrew’s Day
Scotland only
25th December
Friday
Christmas Day
UK-wide
28th December
Monday
Boxing Day (substitute day)
UK-wide
This table is your secret weapon for spotting those all-important long weekend opportunities at a glance. Now, let’s look at a few of the biggest ones.
Key Opportunities in 2026
To get the ball rolling, here are a few key periods you should have on your radar:
Easter Break: Good Friday lands on 3rd April and Easter Monday is on 6th April, giving you an automatic four-day weekend straight out of the gate.
May Weekends: With two bank holidays falling on Mondays (4th and 25th May), you’ve got two guaranteed three-day weekends ready and waiting. Perfect for a quick city break.
Christmas Period: Christmas Day (25th December) is a Friday, which flows straight into a long weekend. With Boxing Day falling on a Saturday, the substitute day off is on Monday, 28th December, giving you another lovely four-day break.
Right then, let’s look at what 2026 has in store for those of us in England and Wales. With eight bank holidays sprinkled throughout the year, there are some cracking opportunities to either kick back and relax or, even better, squeeze in a new adventure. These dates are your secret weapon for maxing out your time off, especially if you want to create some proper long weekends without burning through all your annual leave.
The year gets going with New Year’s Day on Thursday, 1st January. It’s not an automatic long weekend, but it’s a golden opportunity. Just book off that one Friday – the 2nd – and you’ve instantly got a four-day break. Perfect for shaking off the New Year’s Eve cobwebs or starting 2026 with a crisp getaway, maybe exploring somewhere like the Peak District.
Spring and Summer Breaks
Come spring, the real holiday hacking begins. Easter hands you a glorious four-day weekend, no annual leave required.
Good Friday: Friday, 3rd April 2026
Easter Monday: Monday, 6th April 2026
This four-day window is pretty much made for a short-haul trip. Think about a WeRoad city escape to somewhere like Lisbon or Prague, where you can wander through historic streets and soak up the milder spring weather, all without touching your holiday allowance.
After Easter, you’re guaranteed two more three-day weekends thanks to the May bank holidays, both landing on a Monday. You’ve got the Early May Bank Holiday on the 4th and the Spring Bank Holiday on the 25th. These are ideal for quick jaunts over to Europe or just exploring a bit closer to home.
Fast forward to the end of summer, and the Summer Bank Holiday on Monday, 31st August gives you one last three-day shot at some sunshine before autumn rolls in. It’s the perfect excuse for an adventure along the stunning Amalfi Coast, if you ask us.
Festive Season Planning
The year wraps up with another fantastic chance for an extended break. Christmas Day (25th December) is on a Friday, and with Boxing Day (26th December) falling on a Saturday, the substitute bank holiday gets bumped to Monday, 28th December. That’s a four-day festive weekend right there, ready-made for celebrating with mates or jetting off to a unique Christmas market in Europe.
Scotland and Northern Ireland Bank Holidays 2026
While England and Wales sync their calendars, Scotland and Northern Ireland very much march to the beat of their own drum. Each has its own unique set of dates, deeply rooted in local culture and history, which throws up some fantastic opportunities for planning your 2026 bank holiday adventures.
Scotland gets nine bank holidays, one more than its southern neighbours. The year kicks off with a brilliant double-header, as the 2nd of January is also a public holiday. In 2026, that falls on a Friday, creating an instant four-day weekend right after New Year’s – perfect for a bracing trip to the Highlands without dipping into your annual leave.
Further into the year, Scots also get their national day off.
Scottish Holiday Highlights
Summer Bank Holiday: Scotland’s summer break is on Monday, 3rd August, a full four weeks before the rest of the UK (barring Northern Ireland). This is a prime time for a less crowded European getaway before the peak travel rush properly kicks in elsewhere.
St Andrew’s Day: This celebration of Scotland’s patron saint falls on Monday, 30th November. It’s a welcome three-day weekend that really brightens up the tail end of autumn.
Planning a trip to see the Northern Lights? St Andrew’s Day is a fantastic launchpad. Booking a trip to Iceland or Norway over this long weekend gives you a brilliant chance to catch the aurora borealis.
Northern Ireland boasts the most public holidays in the UK, with a grand total of ten. The calendar includes two dates you won’t find anywhere else in the UK, both of which are culturally significant and offer some great travel potential.
Northern Ireland’s Unique Dates
First up is St Patrick’s Day on Tuesday, 17th March. It’s a massive global celebration, but there’s absolutely nothing like experiencing it in Belfast. Just book the Monday off, and you’ve got yourself a four-day weekend dedicated to world-class festivities.
Later in the year, the Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen’s Day) is observed. The original date (12th July) falls on a Sunday in 2026, so the bank holiday is bumped to Monday, 13th July. This gives you a guaranteed long weekend right in the middle of summer – ideal for a WeRoad adventure to catch some sun in Croatia or Greece.
How to Maximise Your Annual Leave in 2026
If you want to master the art of travel, learning how to plan your time off around the bank holidays 2026 calendar is the ultimate trick. By smartly booking just a handful of annual leave days next to public holidays, you can stretch a normal weekend into a proper adventure. It’s a simple strategy that can easily double, or even triple, your time away without burning through your whole year’s allowance. They call it ‘holiday hacking’, and it’s your best bet for seeing more of the world.
The secret is spotting which bank holidays give you the most bang for your buck. A holiday that falls on a Tuesday or Thursday, for instance, is a golden opportunity. Just take one day off – the Monday or the Friday – and you’ve instantly created a four-day mini-break. That’s more than enough for a quick European city escape. It’s a simple move that opens up a serious travel window.
Easter: The Ultimate Holiday Jackpot
When it comes to getting the most time off for the fewest leave days, the Easter period in 2026 is the undisputed champion. With Good Friday falling on the 3rd of April and Easter Monday on the 6th of April, you’ve already got a four-day weekend straight out of the gate.
But why stop there? Here’s how to turn it into something truly epic:
Book off: Monday, 7th April to Thursday, 10th April (that’s just four days of annual leave).
You get: A massive 10-day break, running all the way from Friday, 3rd April to Sunday, 12th April.
This clever hack turns four days of leave into a ten-day holiday. That’s enough time for a real adventure, whether you fancy trekking in Morocco or exploring the ancient wonders of Jordan. It’s easily the most efficient way to squeeze a big trip into the early part of the year.
To make things even clearer, we’ve put together a handy cheat sheet.
2026 Holiday Hacking Cheat Sheet
This table breaks down the best opportunities in 2026 to combine your precious annual leave with bank holidays, creating some seriously long breaks. It’s your go-to guide for planning bigger adventures without emptying your leave balance.
Bank Holiday Period
Annual Leave Days to Book
Total Days Off
Suggested Trip Type
Easter Break
4 days (7-10 Apr)
10 days (3-12 Apr)
Long-haul adventure (e.g., Jordan, Colombia)
Early May Bank Holiday
4 days (5-8 May)
9 days (2-10 May)
European exploration (e.g., Italy, Greece)
Spring Bank Holiday
4 days (26-29 May)
9 days (23-31 May)
Island hopping (e.g., Croatia, Canary Islands)
Christmas & New Year
3 days (29-31 Dec)
10 days (25 Dec-3 Jan)
End-of-year escape (e.g., Morocco, Egypt)
As you can see, with just a bit of forward-thinking, a few days of leave can go an incredibly long way.
Spring and Christmas Opportunities
Beyond the Easter jackpot, there are plenty of other dates in the 2026 calendar that are ripe for the picking. Both the Early May Bank Holiday (Monday, 4th May) and the Spring Bank Holiday (Monday, 25th May) automatically give you a three-day weekend. If you want to extend them, just book the following four days off (Tuesday to Friday) to bag a nine-day holiday for only four days of leave.
The Christmas period is another prime time for holiday hacking. Christmas Day is on a Friday and the substitute Boxing Day is on Monday, 28th December, giving you another four-day weekend as a starting point. By booking off the 29th, 30th, and 31st of December, you can create a huge 10-day break to ring in the New Year somewhere incredible. While summer gets all the attention, those planning around school term times will find these breaks offer fantastic value. If you need more inspiration, check out our guide on finding amazing trips during school holidays.
This just shows how dates like St Patrick’s Day in Northern Ireland and St Andrew’s Day in Scotland can be used to plan unique getaways that don’t clash with the peak travel times across the rest of the UK. A little bit of local knowledge can go a long way
When to Book Your 2026 Bank Holiday Travel
When it comes to booking travel for the bank holidays in 2026, timing really is everything. If you leave it too late, you’ll be staring down the barrel of skyrocketing flight and accommodation prices as demand goes through the roof. Get ahead of the game, though, and you can lock in some fantastic deals, making sure your travel budget goes that little bit further.
The secret is understanding the different booking windows for each key holiday period. Popular travel dates, especially around Easter and the August bank holiday, see prices climb steadily the closer you get. As a general rule of thumb, booking your flights three to six months in advance is the sweet spot. It usually gives you the best balance of price and availability before that last-minute rush really kicks in.
Let’s say you’re dreaming of a getaway for the Easter break in early April 2026. You should really be looking to book your flights and main accommodation by January at the latest. That puts you well ahead of the curve compared to everyone who waits until the final weeks.
A Seasonal Strategy for Booking
Not all bank holidays are created equal, so a one-size-fits-all approach won’t work. Demand shifts throughout the year, which means your booking tactics should, too.
Take the May bank holidays, for instance. They’re perfect for short European city breaks, and booking two to four months out is often plenty of time. Airlines know these are popular weekends for a quick trip, but the demand isn’t quite as frantic as the big Easter or summer stampedes. A bit of organisation here can uncover some real value.
The August bank holiday, on the other hand, is a different beast entirely. It falls smack in the middle of peak summer and the school holidays, so prices can get eye-wateringly high. For this one, your best bet is to book as early as you possibly can. Aim to have your trip locked in six to nine months ahead if you want to dodge the worst of the price hikes. Yep, that means finalising your summer plans around Christmas or New Year.
Holding out for a last-minute deal on a bank holiday weekend is a high-stakes gamble. While you might occasionally get lucky with less popular destinations, for the in-demand spots, you’re far more likely to end up paying a hefty premium or finding everything is sold out.
Tips for Nailing the Best Value
Beyond just booking early, a few extra tricks can help you get the most bang for your buck.
Play with Your Dates: If you’ve got the flexibility, flying a day before the bank holiday officially starts or coming back a day later can sometimes slash your flight costs.
Look at Package Deals: Booking flights and accommodation together, particularly with group travel companies, can often unlock better rates than piecing it all together yourself. Have a look at our specially curated bank holiday travel options for some hassle-free inspiration.
Set Up Price Alerts: Use flight comparison sites to set alerts for the routes you’re interested in. You’ll get a notification when prices drop, letting you pounce at the perfect moment.
By putting these simple strategies into action, you can make your travel budget work much harder for the bank holidays in 2026.
Trip Ideas for Your 2026 Bank Holidays
Knowing the dates for the bank holidays 2026 is the first step, but the real fun is in turning that precious time off into a proper adventure. Every bank holiday has its own personality, making it the perfect window for a specific kind of trip. It’s all about matching the right destination to the right holiday to truly make the most of it.
Whether you’ve got a long weekend up your sleeve or a cleverly extended break, we’ve pulled together some inspiration. From sun-drenched coastlines to getting lost in a new culture, there’s something here for every kind of traveller.
Spring City Breaks and Adventures
The Easter break in early April is your first real chance for a proper escape. With a guaranteed four days off, it’s spot on for an adventure that needs a bit more breathing room. Think about trekking in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains, where the spring weather is just right for hiking before the scorching summer heat kicks in.
Then you’ve got the Early May Bank Holiday, which is practically made for a buzzing city break. A three-day weekend is just enough time to get lost in the historic streets of Lisbon or wander through the fairytale architecture of Prague. These cities are full of life in May, with lovely temperatures for exploring and fewer of the peak season crowds.
A long weekend is the perfect test run for solo group travel. It’s a low-commitment way to meet new people and see if this style of adventure is for you, all while discovering a new city.
Summer Sun and Coastal Escapes
As summer gets into full swing, the August Bank Holiday is calling out for a classic sun-soaked getaway. This three-day weekend at the end of the month is your last big chance to chase the summer heat. It’s the perfect time for a trip to Italy’s jaw-dropping Amalfi Coast, where you can hop between picturesque cliffside villages and eat incredible food.
Or, for something different, a Greek island-hopping adventure gives you a brilliant mix of chilling out and exploring. The warm Aegean Sea and the lively island culture create the perfect backdrop for one last summer hurrah with new mates. Both spots are at their absolute best in late August, delivering those quintessential summer holiday vibes.
For a full list of adventures that line up perfectly with these breaks, have a look at our complete range of 2026 departures.
Got a Question?
Still got a few things you’re wondering about the 2026 bank holidays? No worries. Here are some quick answers to the most common queries we get, so you can get back to planning your next adventure.
Are Bank Holidays Different in Each UK Country?
Yes, they absolutely are. While everyone gets the big ones like Christmas Day and Good Friday off, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and England & Wales each have their own unique public holidays.
Think of Scotland’s St Andrew’s Day or Northern Ireland’s St Patrick’s Day celebration. That’s why it’s so important to check the specific calendar for your country before locking in any travel plans. A day off in Belfast doesn’t automatically mean a day off in Birmingham!
What Happens if a Bank Holiday Is on a Weekend?
Good question. When a fixed bank holiday date lands on a Saturday or Sunday, you don’t lose out. Instead, a ‘substitute’ day is given, which is almost always the very next Monday.
Take 2026, for example. Boxing Day (26th December) falls on a Saturday. To make sure everyone gets their well-deserved break, the official bank holiday gets shifted to Monday, 28th December, neatly creating a long weekend perfect for a quick getaway.
Am I Legally Entitled to a Paid Day Off?
This is where it can get a bit confusing. Surprisingly, there’s no automatic legal right to have a paid day off on a bank holiday. It all comes down to what’s written in your employment contract.
Most employers do include bank holidays as part of your annual paid leave, but they don’t have to by law. So, before you start booking flights, have a quick look at your contract to see what your company’s policy is.
Ready to turn these dates into unforgettable adventures? At WeRoad, we organise small-group trips for solo travellers to destinations all over the world. Find your perfect 2026 getaway at https://www.weroad.com.
