Where can we stay in Italy to avoid crowds during the Easter week? We are not Catholic so we are pretty clueless as to what to expect. We know we do not want to be in Rome, but what day do the Easter week celebrations begin and are there some locations between Rome, Milan and Venice that would be less crowded during the holiday? We are open to any advice.
Posted by
Bromley, Kent,, UK
1829 posts
In 2011 Easter coincides with the Liberation Day holiday (25 April) and you will find most of Italy on holiday. So expect the seaside and countryside favourites (and the trains and roads to them) to be crowded, especially if the weather is good. Add to this the fact that it is the traditional start of the European holiday season and schoolholiday time. Have not been in the "must see" cities at this time but maybe you will find an absence of local Italians but the gap filled with foreign visitors and Italian tourists? ................ However, not as bad as July/August!
Posted by
St. Louis, MO USA
1976 posts
I was in Italy during Holy Week in March (the week leading up to Easter) and didn't experience any crazy crowds. I went to Venice, Florence, Rome, and a few small towns. The Duomo in Florence and St. Mark's in Venice were not crowded; St. Peter's in Rome was crowded but that was because it was Good Friday. In all churches, I think, the cross at the altar is covered during Holy Week and I'm not sure what else is done before Easter. But you have the time of year on your side - it's off season in terms of tourism so you shouldn't have to deal with crowds, for the most part.
Posted by
Orlando
166 posts
We were in Venice for Easter in 2008. St. Mark's was empty on Easter Sunday except for a hand full of Americans!! The only crowds were the usual day trippers during mid day. Evenings were wonderful and quiet.