Celebrate Easter the Dutch way!

Published

24th March 2026

You know Easter is around the corner when you see your favourite supermarket stocking up with shelves of chocolate eggs ‘chocolade paaseitjes’. You might also realise that Easter in the Netherlands isn’t just a religious celebration, but also a holiday to spend time with friends and family. The Dutch love to celebrate Easter, below we've listed interesting traditions that are unique in the Netherlands.

Good Friday

The Dutch Easter kicks off with Good Friday ‘Goede Vrijdag’. Good Friday is recognised as a bank holiday however, not everyone gets the day off. It is considered a normal working day, except for some offices and schools. Easter Sunday ‘Eerste Paasdag’ and Easter Monday ‘Tweede Paasdag’ are public holidays where schools and most businesses are closed.

Decorating with twigs

Weeks before Easter, you will find willow branches, or ‘paastakken’ - literally translated as Easter branches - on sale at the florists. These are used to decorate Dutch homes, and children join in for some arts and crafts such as painting eggs and little chicks to hang on the branches.

Easter brunch

The Easter breakfast ‘Paasontbijt’ or brunch ‘Paasbrunch’ is an important Dutch tradition – much like Christmas – where families come together for quality time with traditional treats. A lot of schools will also organise an Easter brunch for the kids a few days before Easter. During the brunch you can expect to find the following Easter treats:

Hot rolls
Croissants
A lot of eggs
‘Matzes’ – unleavened plain crackers
'Paasstol’ – bread with a marzipan filling, raisins and powdered sugar
Bread, butter and other pastries in the shape of bunny's

Easter egg hunt

The most loved Easter activity is none other than the Easter egg hunt. Instead of the Easter bunny, the Dutch have an Easter hare ‘Paashaas’ who hides the eggs for the kids to find. Whoever finds the most eggs wins! Not only do children look for eggs at home, but also many parks and neighborhoods create egg hunts for its residents.

Easter musical – The Passion

The Passion is a Dutch Easter musical that returns every year with a different cast of Dutch actors and presenters. The musical reenacts the story of Easter and Jesus, with Dutch pop songs intertwined into the story. The Passion takes place in a different city every year, three days before Easter, and is normally presented live in the city square with a complete musical ensemble. This year it will be performed live on Thursday, 2 April in the Drenthe village of Dwingeloo and broadcasted on KRO-NCRV and NPO 1 on the same day at 20:30.

Matthäus-Passion

Another Easter tradition that is unique to the Dutch is St Matthew Passion. This composition by Johann Sebastian Bach is performed in churches throughout the country around the time of Easter, with many locals making this an annual affair.

How do you celebrate Easter? Perhaps you could incorporate some of these traditions into your celebration.

Easter events

Home Made Easter Market: from Friday, 3 April to Monday, 6 April, head to the historic Lange Voorhout and Lange Vijverberg (Court Pound) in The Hague to enjoy over 100 stands offering special products from handmade jewellery to a great selection of vinyl, vintage goods, and live music in the background.
Paaspop Festival: a major annual three‑day music and cultural festival in the Netherlands held during the Easter weekend. This year it takes place from 3 to 5 April 2026 in Schijndel fand features musical acts of varying genres from all over the world.
Keukenhof, one of the biggest spring gardens in the world. This year, Keukenhof opens its door to the public from 19 March to 10 May, making it the perfect easter activity for young and old! From 11 April, you can travel there more easily with a direct bus from The Hague Central Station. Book the Hop On Hop Off Holland package for transport and entry included, and use the code THEHAGUE10 to get 10% off.
Familiepark Drievliet, a family-friendly amusement park in The Hague, reopens on 3 April, just in time for a fun Easter outing. With over 40 attractions and shows for all ages, it’s the perfect spring activity for families.