Paris, France
London, UK
Barcelona, Spain
Rome, Italy
Lisbon, Portugal
Amsterdam, Netherlands
UKFranceSpainItalyPortugalGermany
Europe Travel Events Calendar 2026
Major festivals, public holidays, and tourism events across Europe - for travel brands planning seasonal content, campaigns, and booking strategy.
This calendar covers major festivals, public holidays, and tourism events across Europe in 2026. Each event is a content and booking signal for travel brands serving European markets. Dates for religious festivals follow the Gregorian calendar. View the Southeast Asia calendar.
January 2026
Jan 1
Public HolidayNew Year
All Europe
Low season across most of Europe. Good window for early-bird campaigns and shoulder-season content.
Jan 6
Public HolidayEpiphany / Three Kings Day
Spain, Italy, Germany
Major public holiday in Spain and Italy. Three Kings parades. End of Christmas travel season.
Late Jan
Tourism PeakBerlinale Film Festival prep
Germany
Berlin International Film Festival runs mid-February. Hotel demand builds from late January.
February 2026
Feb 11-17
Tourism PeakBerlinale Film Festival
Germany
One of the world's top film festivals. Berlin hotels at premium. Cultural tourism peak.
Feb 14
Tourism PeakValentine's Day
All Europe
Strong short-break demand. Paris, Venice, Rome, Prague lead bookings. Couples travel peak.
Feb 17-21
Cultural EventCarnival season peaks
Spain
Tenerife and Cadiz host Spain's biggest carnivals. Significant domestic and international demand.
Late Feb
Tourism PeakVenice Carnival
Italy
One of Europe's most iconic events. Venice accommodation premium for two weeks. Book months ahead.
March 2026
Mar 1
Cultural EventSt David's Day
Wales
Welsh national day. Cultural events across Wales.
Mar 8
Cultural EventInternational Women's Day
All Europe
Public holiday in some European countries. Cultural events widely observed.
Mar 17
Tourism PeakSt Patrick's Day
Ireland
Ireland's biggest tourism event. Dublin parade draws international visitors. Pubs and events across the country.
Mar 19
Tourism PeakLas Fallas, Valencia
Spain
Fire festival in Valencia. Huge papier-mache sculptures burned on March 19. One of Spain's most spectacular events.
Mar 29
Cultural EventClocks change to BST / CEST
All Europe
Daylight saving begins across Europe. Longer evenings boost outdoor tourism.
April 2026
Apr 3
Public HolidayGood Friday
All Europe
Public holiday in most of Europe. Spring travel peak begins. Easter weekend is one of the busiest short-break periods.
Apr 5-6
Public HolidayEaster Weekend
All Europe
Peak short-break travel across Europe. City hotels and rural retreats both see strong demand.
Apr 7
Public HolidayEaster Monday
All Europe
Public holiday. End of Easter travel peak.
Apr 23
Cultural EventSant Jordi - Book and Rose Festival
Spain
Catalonia's literary day. Barcelona streets fill with book and rose stalls. Strong cultural tourism draw.
Apr 25
Public HolidayLiberation Day
Portugal, Italy
Public holiday in Portugal (Freedom Day) and Italy (Liberation Day). Domestic travel peak.
Late Apr
Tourism PeakKing's Day - Amsterdam
Netherlands
Amsterdam turns orange on King's Day. One of Europe's biggest street parties. Hotels book out months ahead.
May 2026
May 1
Public HolidayLabour Day
All Europe
Public holiday across most of Europe. Start of high season for Mediterranean destinations.
May 3
Cultural EventCruces de Mayo, Cordoba
Spain
Traditional flower cross festival in Cordoba. Vibrant visual displays throughout the city.
May 21
Public HolidayAscension Day
All Europe
Public holiday in several European countries including Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium.
Late May
Tourism PeakCannes Film Festival
France
Global media attention on the French Riviera. Cannes and Nice hotels at peak rates for two weeks.
Late May
Tourism PeakChelsea Flower Show
UK
One of the UK's most prestigious annual events. London hotel demand strong mid-week.
June 2026
Jun 2
Public HolidayRepublic Day
Italy
Italian national day. Parades in Rome. Public holiday.
Jun 10
Public HolidayPortugal National Day
Portugal
Public holiday. National celebrations across Portugal.
Mid Jun
Cultural EventCorpus Christi, Granada
Spain
Religious procession and festival in Granada. Strong cultural tourism.
Jun 21
Cultural EventFete de la Musique
All Europe
Free outdoor music events across France and many European cities. Paris especially vibrant. Good for urban tourism content.
Jun 24
Cultural EventMidsummer / San Juan
Spain, Portugal
Beach bonfires and celebrations. Barcelona and Porto beaches packed.
Late Jun
Tourism PeakGlastonbury Festival
UK
World's most famous music festival. Somerset. Strong accommodation demand across Somerset and Bristol.
July 2026
Jul 6-14
Tourism PeakSan Fermin / Running of the Bulls
Spain
Pamplona's famous festival. International media attention. Pamplona and Navarra hotels book out completely.
Jul 14
Public HolidayBastille Day
France
French national day. Fireworks over the Eiffel Tower. Paris at its most festive. Public holiday.
Jul
Tourism PeakWimbledon Championships
UK
Oldest tennis Grand Slam. London tourism peak. Strawberries, Pimms, and queues.
Jul
Tourism PeakLa Tomatina preparations
Spain
Bunol tomato festival takes place in late August. Advance bookings for Valencia region start in July.
August 2026
Aug 1
Public HolidaySwiss National Day
Switzerland
Switzerland's national day. Fireworks and bonfires across the country.
Aug 15
Public HolidayAssumption Day
France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Greece
Major public holiday across Catholic Europe. Strong domestic travel. Mediterranean resorts peak.
Late Aug
Tourism PeakLa Tomatina, Bunol
Spain
World's largest tomato fight. Valencia region. International visitors and media coverage.
Late Aug
Tourism PeakNotting Hill Carnival, London
UK
Europe's largest street festival. Two days of Caribbean culture in West London. Massive domestic draw.
Aug
Tourism PeakEdinburgh Fringe Festival
Scotland
World's largest arts festival. Edinburgh transforms completely. Hotels at annual peak for the entire month.
September 2026
Sep 10-13
Tourism PeakLa Merce Festival, Barcelona
Spain
Barcelona's biggest festival. Free concerts, human towers, fire runs. Strong cultural tourism draw.
Sep 19 - Oct 4
Tourism PeakOktoberfest, Munich
Germany
World's most famous beer festival. Munich hotel demand at annual peak. International visitors from across the world.
Late Sep
Tourism PeakOktoberfest peak weekend
Germany, Austria
Final weekend of Oktoberfest. Busiest period. Book accommodation a year ahead.
October 2026
Oct 3
Public HolidayGerman Reunification Day
Germany
German national holiday. Public celebrations across the country.
Oct 12
Public HolidaySpain National Day
Spain
Public holiday. Military parade in Madrid.
Oct 31
Cultural EventHalloween
Ireland, UK
Derry in Northern Ireland hosts one of the world's best Halloween festivals. Dublin also vibrant.
November 2026
Nov 1
Public HolidayAll Saints Day
All Catholic Europe
Public holiday in France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Poland, Austria, Belgium. Travel moves toward cities and cultural tourism.
Nov 11
Cultural EventArmistice Day / Remembrance
France, Belgium, UK
Ceremonies at war memorials. Significant for heritage tourism in northern France and Belgium.
Nov
Tourism PeakChristmas Markets open
Germany
Nuremberg, Cologne, Dresden, and Rothenburg Christmas markets typically open last week of November. One of Europe's most popular seasonal travel experiences.
December 2026
Dec 6
Public HolidayConstitution Day
Spain
Public holiday in Spain.
Dec 8
Public HolidayImmaculate Conception
Italy, Spain, Portugal, Austria
Public holiday across Catholic Europe. Short break travel peaks.
Dec 1
Tourism PeakChristmas Markets season
All Europe
Peak period for Christmas market tourism across Germany, Austria, France, UK. Cologne, Strasbourg, Vienna, Edinburgh and Bath among the most visited.
Dec 25-26
Public HolidayChristmas
All Europe
Peak season. Ski resorts, city breaks, and rural retreats all see maximum demand. Highest room rates of the year.
Dec 31
Tourism PeakNew Year's Eve
All Europe
Edinburgh Hogmanay, London fireworks, Paris, Berlin, and Vienna all host major events. Book months ahead.
Using This Calendar for Your Travel Brand
European travellers plan 8-12 weeks ahead for major holiday periods. Publish Easter content in January. Christmas market content in September. Summer content by March. If your property targets European source markets, your editorial calendar needs to match their planning cycle - not yours.
Need help building a content calendar for your travel brand? Get in touch.
Download Full Calendar
All 2026 Europe events in one file. Works with Apple Calendar, Google Calendar & Outlook.
Legend
Public Holiday
Cultural Event
Tourism Peak
Countries Covered
UKFranceSpain
ItalyPortugalGermany
NetherlandsIrelandAustria
SwitzerlandBelgiumScotland
Are You in a Rush?
Drop a quick message - Nathan responds same day.