UK bank holidays are perfect anchors for long weekends—especially when you attach just a day or two of annual leave. This guide tracks every major 2025 bank holiday and offers inspiration for pairing them with European city hops, English countryside retreats, or coastal escapes.
2025 UK bank holiday highlights
| Holiday | Date | Day | Quick inspiration |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | 1 Jan | Wed | Start the year in the Lake District with frosty hikes and gastropub lunches |
| Good Friday | 18 Apr | Fri | Pair with Easter Monday for a four-day Barcelona tapas crawl |
| Easter Monday | 21 Apr | Mon | Return from a Lisbon pastel de nata binge refreshed |
| Early May Bank Holiday | 5 May | Mon | Sneak in a Paris art weekend with a single extra leave day |
| Spring Bank Holiday | 26 May | Mon | Explore the Scottish Highlands before mid-summer crowds |
| Summer Bank Holiday | 25 Aug | Mon | Sail the Greek isles or relax in Cornwall before autumn |
| Christmas & Boxing Day | 25-26 Dec | Thu-Fri | Combine with earlier leave for a Dresden market trail |
Planner tips
- Open the UK 2025 planner and select the bank-holiday months you care about.
- Add your favourite itineraries to the shortlist to calculate how much annual leave each getaway needs.
- Jump into Wanderlust to shuffle fresh ideas every time you refresh—it’s perfect for last-minute inspiration.
Seasonal inspiration
- Spring escapes: Combine Easter bank holidays with Amsterdam tulip cruises or West Country spa stays.
- Summer breaks: Use the May and August bank holidays for Italian coastal drives, Algarve waves, or Northumberland castles.
- Festive finale: String Christmas and Boxing Day together with German market loops or snowy Lapland cabins.
Bookmark this playbook and revisit as bank-holiday dates get confirmed; HolidayStacker keeps the planner and Wanderlust shuffle in sync. EOF