If you had only one opportunity to visit a foreign country around Easter Week where would it be?
Easter Sunday in 2016 falls on March 27. Usually it comes during Passover but in 2016 thanks to the quirkiness of religious calendars, they are a month apart, giving me the opportunity to travel then.
Armenia would be my choice.
Cuba (news item today).
Ghana......
I deliberately posted under General Europe and not Beyond Europe. Anyone??
I know you've been to Spain, but if you haven't spent Semana Santa there, you should. With that early of Easter Week, I'd probably stay South (Sevilla) for the festivities; it may be cold further north.
Does Valencia change the date of their festival (Las Fallas)? It's normally in March. If not, you might be able to see both.
Easter , having the level of importance in the Russian Orthodox Church , comparable to Christmas in the Catholic Church , it would be St. Petersburg for me . Orthodox Easter doesn't coincide with Easter in the west , but a quick date check would show how close it is . To whet your interest , " Land of the Firebird - The Beauty of Old Russia " by Suzanne Massie ( 1980 ) . Specific to the subject at hand is the chapter entitled " Ice Slides and Easter Eggs : Russia Celebrates "
How about Portugal?
Armenia is in Europe and its the oldest Christian country. So I was sort of serious. Its beautiful in in the spring and the people are wonderful and churches and amazing. Of course they are orthodox so its not on the same day. http://www.armeniainfo.am/about/?section=holidays
Iceland
Wales
Romania
I couldn't pick just one. :)
This year, Rick will be filming an Easter show, and he plans to film in Spain, Italy, Slovenia, and Greece.
When I was in Chania, Crete for Orthodox Easter (May 1, 2016), it was a lovely experience, although not news-making. Locals processed through the streets on Good Friday, shops were full of whole lambs for the barbecue, a nice old lady insisted that I take a seat in the small church instead of standing in back, and a restaurant gave customers an Easter bread with red egg as a gift.
Isn't RS an atheist?
EDIT: That came out sounding tasteless. My apologies.
No, Rick is a fairly devout Lutheran.
I was serious about Cuba, but for Europe, how about Poland? A few days each in Warsaw and Kraków.
I am not interested in church services but in festivities, customs, etc. This is my single opportunity for the next few years to see Easter celebrated outside of Israel. Since this would be a "short" trip for me, 2 weeks at most, I don't want to go farther afield than Europe.
It sounds like Spain with its Semana Santa is the most interesting place to visit.
Zoe, I'm curious why you suggested Cuba at Easter.
We were in Rome over Easter 2 years ago. We stayed away from the Vatican Easter Sunday, and we hiked down 1500' from the top of a mountain to the Pagan temple called Palestrina.
I walked into a small church in Palestrina in the middle of their Easter service. There were about 25 people and 3 priests. Come to find out it was a private Catholic church for very wealthy individuals. It was a wonder I wasn't removed by security guards.
On Easter, go to Rome. There are many incredible churches in this incredible city.
