Most people in Belgium will have today off for Easter Monday, which is one of the ten official public holidays in the country. This also marks the start of the two-week Easter holidays for Dutch-speaking schools.
The main Easter celebration officially falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the beginning of the astronomical spring. On this day, many people in Belgium traditionally celebrate the holiday with a large family Easter brunch, while most practising Christians, who celebrate Jesus' resurrection, attend church services in which the Easter story is told.
The Monday immediately after Easter (called "Easter Monday" in Belgium) also holds religious significance for Christians: it follows the day Jesus Christ was resurrected following his crucifixion on Good Friday.
Galloping horses during the easter procession in Hakendover. Credit: Belga/ Jonas Roosens
In the village of Lembeek (in Halle, just outside Brussels), a traditional community festival named the Sint-Veroonmars or 'Easter Procession' takes place, recognised as Flemish intangible heritage as it is a one-of-a-kind celebration. In Hakendover (Tienen), the Horse Procession will take place, a serene procession full of colourful historical figures, statues, brass bands, people singing and praying and, of course, horses.
The day is an official bank holiday, and every year, shops, banks, post offices and other services are closed to the public.
From banks to pharmacies: What is closed today?
This Monday is a mandatory bank holiday for many employees across Belgium, which means that many businesses will be keeping their doors shut.
Bank branches have been closed since Friday 29 March. This year, banks are taking Good Friday off to replace the day missed on 21 July, which this year falls on a Sunday. Banks will remain shut on Monday 1 April, according to Febelfin, the Belgian Federation of the Financial Sector. However, it will still be possible to bank online and pay with your card.
Translation: "Banks will be closed on Friday, 29 March, and Monday, 1 April. All online banking services will remain operational. If you need to make urgent transfers, take the necessary measures or opt for an instant payment."
Most services and government offices as well as municipal administration buildings will also be closed today. Most post offices will also be closed and mail will not be delivered on Monday but some postal points within local convenience stores may still be accessible.
Most doctors will also not be working on Easter Monday, however, those in need of medical care on this public holiday can get help from an on-call doctor. When your regular doctor is not working, you should call the number 1733, the number for non-urgent medical help linked to local on-call services. Hospitals will also remain open.
Meanwhile, pharmacies across the country will be closed but at least one pharmacy in the local area will be open and on duty. The nearest on-duty pharmacy can be found here.
The vast majority of supermarkets across the country – Aldi, Lidl, Cora, Makro, Okay, and Colruyt – are all closed today. Only stores that remain open on Sundays and public holidays are likely to be open, including local Carrefour and Delhaize stores, as well as a limited number of Intermarché locations and some Spar locations.
If open, they will follow their Sunday opening hours. However, it is advisable to check online whether your local store is open or not.
Finally, some independent clothing stores may decide to open their doors on Monday, but this will vary from location to location, and again it is advisable to check online or via social media what shops are open.
Transport
In terms of public transport, there will be no significant impact on the services offered across the country. Brussels’ STIB network will run on the traditional Sunday timetable, meaning there will be fewer vehicles per hour. However, tram traffic on lines 3, 4, 25 and 55 will be interrupted for three days over the Easter weekend due to work for Metro line 3 from 21:00 on Friday until the end of service on Monday.
De Lijn in Flanders and TEC in Wallonia will also operate the Sunday timetable. From Tuesday, the normal timetable will apply again for all companies. However, as the public holiday falls in the Easter holidays for Dutch-speaking schools, fewer buses may be riding in the next two weeks. Commuters are advised to check the timetables online.
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SNCB trains across Belgium are in operation but on the weekend timetable. Because it is an extended weekend, SNCB's Weekend ticket option, which gives passengers up to 50% discount for travel from Friday evening until Sunday will be valid for longer, allowing people to return on Monday 1 April for the same price. Find more information on the SNCB website.
Finally, mobility organisation Touring warned that European roads on Easter Monday will be very busy on in the late afternoon and evening, as many people return from a short break. Touring predicts a red day in Ile-de-France and north-west France on Monday and an orange day elsewhere. For the return journey on Easter Monday, code orange applies for southern Germany and Austria and code red for Switzerland.
