Easter 2027 in the UK — Events, Dates & Days Out

Easter is early in 2027, with Easter Sunday on 28 March. It is the first long weekend of the year for most of the UK and the point at which gardens, heritage railways and seasonal attractions reopen after winter. This guide sets out the dates, the kinds of days out that suit an early Easter, and a live list of events from our calendar for the Easter fortnight.

When is Easter 2027? Dates and bank holidays

Good Friday: Friday 26 March 2027 — a bank holiday throughout the UK
Easter Sunday: Sunday 28 March 2027
Easter Monday: Monday 29 March 2027 — a bank holiday in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, but not in Scotland

The clocks also go forward on Easter Sunday itself: British Summer Time begins on 28 March 2027, so you lose an hour’s sleep on Saturday night but gain lighter evenings for the rest of the weekend. School Easter holidays are set by local councils and by each nation, so they differ around the country — check your own school’s term dates, and expect family attractions to be busy for a week or so either side of the bank holiday weekend.

Easter traditions you will still find

Easter in Britain mixes church and folk custom. Cathedrals and parish churches hold services throughout Holy Week, with music at its best on Good Friday and Easter morning; cathedral cities such as Canterbury, York, Lincoln, Chichester and St Albans make good bases if that appeals. Hot cross buns are eaten on Good Friday, chocolate eggs given on Easter Sunday, and in parts of northern England and Scotland children still roll decorated hard-boiled eggs down a hill on Easter Monday. Some towns keep older customs going too, from traditional Good Friday plays to Easter bonnet parades. Local events of this kind are usually free; where we have dates they appear in the live list further down.

Easter egg hunts at castles, houses and gardens

The staple family day out is an egg hunt or spring trail around the grounds of a historic house, castle or garden. Heritage organisations and independent estates across the UK run them through the school holidays rather than only on the bank holiday weekend, typically as a follow-the-clues trail with a chocolate prize at the end. There is normally a charge for the trail on top of normal admission, and popular properties can reach capacity on Easter Sunday and Monday, so look at the property’s own page for booking arrangements before setting out.

Regions with a good spread of houses and castles within a short drive include Northumberland, the Peak District, Oxfordshire, Norfolk and Pembrokeshire.

Steam railways and heritage trains at Easter

Easter is the traditional start of the main season for Britain’s heritage railways, and many put on special trains or family activities for the weekend. A steam train works particularly well in changeable spring weather, because the journey is the attraction. Ideas include the narrow-gauge lines of Snowdonia, the steam railway to Kingswear for Dartmouth in South Devon, the Victorian steam railway on the Isle of Man and the North Yorkshire Moors Railway towards Whitby. Timetables for spring 2027 are published by each railway, and some early-season dates are weekends only, so check the official site before you travel.

Spring gardens: what is in flower in late March

With Easter falling in March, expect daffodils, primroses, camellias and early magnolias rather than the bluebells and rhododendrons of a late-April Easter. Bluebell woods generally peak from mid-April into May, well after the 2027 bank holiday. Gardens in the mild south-west and on the Isles of Scilly are usually furthest ahead, while those in the north and in upland areas such as Cumbria run a few weeks behind. Many gardens that close for winter reopen in March; opening dates differ, so confirm before making a special trip.

Coastal walks and seaside towns

The coast is at its most enjoyable before the summer crowds arrive, provided you dress for wind and showers. Good Easter choices include the cliff paths of Pembrokeshire and Anglesey, the long beaches and castles of Northumberland, fossil hunting on the beach at Lyme Regis, and classic resorts such as Scarborough, Llandudno and Eastbourne, where piers, amusements and seafront cafés come back to life for the season. Our guides to the best UK coastal walks and England’s best coastal towns have more suggestions, and the English coast page gathers every seaside destination we cover.

City breaks for the Easter weekend

If the forecast looks poor, a city gives you museums and galleries to fall back on. Edinburgh is quieter and cheaper than in August — see our long weekend in Edinburgh — and remember that Easter Monday is an ordinary working day in Scotland, so shops and transport run as normal. York, Cardiff, Belfast and Newcastle all work well for two or three nights without a car.

Easter 2027 events by destination

These events run at some point between 20 March and 11 April 2027. The list comes straight from our UK events calendar and updates automatically as organisers confirm their plans, with up to six events shown for each destination — click a destination name for its full listings.

Plan your trip

Book accommodation early. Easter is the first peak weekend of the year, and cottages and seaside hotels often ask for a minimum three- or four-night stay.
Check the trains. Bank holiday weekends are often used for railway engineering work. Look up your route before booking non-refundable rooms.
Pack for every season. Late March can bring warm sunshine, cold winds or even snow on higher ground. Take layers, waterproofs and footwear that copes with mud.
Confirm opening dates. Not every seasonal attraction, café or ferry service is running by the end of March, especially on the islands and in the far north.
Pre-book the popular things. Egg trails, steam trains and timed-entry gardens can sell out for Easter Sunday and Monday.

For more ideas, browse the UK events calendar or our A–Z of visitor guides. If you fancy somewhere quieter, try our UK island escapes.

Browse all UK travel guides →

Easter 2027 in the UK: events and days out