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How the Luxembourg school year is structured, when the holidays fall, and ideas for family activities in every season - plus where to find the official calendar.
The Luxembourg school year starts in mid-September and ends in mid-July. It is punctuated by regular breaks, roughly every six to seven weeks: a precious rhythm for organising family life, childcare and trips. The exact dates are set by the Ministry of Education and published several years in advance on men.public.lu.
| Break | Usual period | Length |
|---|---|---|
| All Saints break (Toussaint) | Late October - early November | 1 week |
| Christmas holidays | Around 25 December and New Year | 2 weeks |
| Carnival break | February | 1 week |
| Easter holidays | March-April | 2 weeks |
| Pentecost break | May-June | 1 week |
| Summer holidays | Mid-July to mid-September | About 8 weeks |
Add to this the legal public holidays (National Day on 23 June, Europe Day on 9 May, etc.) and a few local free days depending on the commune.
Autumn: hikes in the Mullerthal, the castles of Vianden and Bourscheid, museums free on certain Sundays. Winter: Christmas markets, ice rinks, indoor pools, the Philharmonie and shows for young audiences. Spring: animal parks, family cycle paths, the playgrounds of Kirchberg and the Pétrusse valley. Summer: the Upper Sûre lake, open-air pools, local festivals and holiday activities organised by communes and maisons relais.
Good to know: men.public.lu publishes the official calendar for each school year, and communes advertise their children's activity programmes in their bulletins and websites. For holiday childcare, enquire well in advance.
Many family activities are free or nearly free: public transport is free throughout the country, many national museums offer free entry permanently or on certain days, and communes maintain hundreds of playgrounds and marked trails. The Luxembourg Card, valid one to three days, gives access to dozens of attractions at an attractive family rate. In summer, watch for the communes' holiday-activity programmes: workshops, excursions and sports are offered at a symbolic price, with professional supervision.
