Danish holidays and opening hours – plan your trip without surprises

When you travel in Denmark, it is a good idea to know about the country's holidays, vacations, and opening hours.
Although Denmark is a modern country with flexible opening hours, there are still days of the year when shops, banks, and offices are closed or have limited opening hours.
Here you get a comprehensive guide so you can plan your trip in the best possible way.


National holidays in Denmark

Denmark has more Christian holidays, which is still celebrated – most with a red date in the calendar.
Below is the list of Official Danish holidays, how many shops and offices are closed:

Public holidayDate (typical)Note
New Year's DayJanuary 1The first day of the year – everything closed
Maundy ThursdayMarch/AprilThursday before Easter
Good FridayMarch/AprilGood Friday before Easter
Easter SundayMarch/AprilSunday – everything closed
Second Easter DayMarch/AprilMonday after Easter
Store Prayer Day*April/MayAbolished from 2024 (historic holiday)
Ascension DayMayThursday – many take Friday off
PentecostMay/JuneSunday – everything closed
Second Day of EasterMay/JuneMonday – public holiday
Constitution DayJune 5Not an official holiday, but many stores close
Christmas EveDecember 24Not a holiday, but most close early
Christmas DayDecember 25Completely closed
Boxing DayDecember 26Completely closed
New Year's EveDecember 31Short open – many close early

Store Bededag was abolished in 2024, but is still often mentioned in older calendars.


Store opening hours

Opening hours in Denmark are generally flexible but vary depending on the type of store and area.

Supermarkets

  • Monday–Friday: approx. 07.00–21.00
  • Saturday–Sunday: approx. 08.00–20.00
  • Many larger chains (e.g., Netto, Rema 1000, Føtex, and Bilka) are open every day of the week, also on holidays such as Second day of Easter og Good Friday.

Stores in city centers and large centers

  • Typically open 10.00–19.00 on weekdays
  • Saturdays until approximately 17.00
  • Sunday opening occurs in big cities and in December

Small towns and villages

  • Shorter opening hours, often Closed Sunday.
  • Holiday resorts often keep shops open longer during the summer period.

Banker and post

  • BankerOpen Monday–Friday approximately 10.00–16.00Closed on weekends and holidays.
  • Posthumous rarely found; mail is handled via PostNord or parcel shops in supermarkets, which follow the store hours.

Public offices

Authorities, citizen service, and municipalities hold Closed on all holidays or often also on Constitution Day (June 5) og between Christmas and New Year.
It is always a good idea to book an appointment online if you need a passport, driver's license, or CPR number during your stay.


Attractions, museums, and sights

Most tourist attractions, museums, and castles in Denmark are open year-round, but with changed opening hours during the winter period
On holidays such as Christmas Day og New Year's Day Most of them are completely closed.

Tip:

  • Always check the attraction's own website before visiting.
  • Many museums are closed Monday - also outside of holidays.

Dining places and restaurants

Restaurants and cafes in the cities are usually open all year round – also on holidays.
Some can smaller restaurants og local cafes Closed days during the winter period.
It is always a good idea to reserve a table In good time during holidays and peak season.


Holiday periods in Denmark

In addition to the holidays, there are fasting vacation weeks where many Danes take time off:

  • Winter vacation Week 7 or 8 (depending on the region)
  • Easter holiday: Maundy Thursday – Second Easter Day
  • Summer vacation End of June to early August
  • Autumn holiday: Week 42
  • Christmas holiday: December 24 – January 1

During school holidays, there are especially many visitors at attractions and hotels, so it pays to Booked in good time.


Practical tips

  • Check holiday calendar She under before you plan shopping or visits to museums.
  • Small Supermarkets is almost always open, but public offices closes.
  • When traveling with public transportationis running changed schedules on holidays
  • Restaurants and hotels Usually open – but please reserve a table in advance.

Danish holidays 2025–2029

Public holiday20252026202720282029Note
New Year's DayJanuary (Wednesday)January (Thursday)January (Friday)January (Saturday)January (man)The first day of the year
Maundy ThursdayApril 17April 2March 25April 13March 29Thursday before Easter
Good FridayApril 18April 3March 26April 14March 30Good Friday before Easter
Easter SundayApril 20April 5March 28April 16April 1Sunday – everything closed
Second Easter DayApril 21April 6March 29April 17April 2Monday – public holiday
Store Bededag— (abolished)Abolition in 2024
Ascension DayMay 29May 14June 6May 25May 10Thursday – many take Friday off
PentecostJune 8May 24May 16June 4May 20Sunday – holiday
Second Day of EasterJune 9May 25May 17June 5May 21Monday – public holiday
Constitution DayJune 5 (Thursday)June 5 (Fri)June 5 (Saturday)June 5 (Monday)June 5 (Tuesday)Not a holiday, but many have time off
Christmas Eve24th Dec (Wed)24th Dec (Thursday)December 24 (Friday)December 24 (Sunday)24th December (Monday)Not a holiday, but everything closes early
Christmas DayDecember 25 (Thursday)December 25 (Friday)December 25 (Saturday)December 25 (Monday)25th Dec (Tue)Completely closed
Boxing DayDecember 26 (Friday)December 26 (Saturday)December 26 (Sunday)December 26 (Tuesday)December 26 (Wednesday)Completely closed
New Year's EveDecember 31 (Wed)December 31 (Thursday)December 31 (Fri)December 31 (Sun)December 31 (Monday)Not a holiday, but closed from the afternoon

🏖️ Vacation periods (guideline)

Although they are not official holidays, the Danish school holidays typically fall at these times:

VacationTypical period
Winter vacationWeek 7 or 8 (mid-February)
Easter holidayMaundy Thursday – Second Easter Day
Summer vacationEnd of June – beginning of August
Autumn holidayWeek 42 (mid-October)
Christmas holidayDecember 24 – January 1