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Easter 2016 in Rome

Posted by on

Hello:

We will be going on our honeymoon to Italy (Venice, Florence, Rome) and it just so happens that it falls around Easter.

We will be arriving in Rome on Saturday afternoon the 26th (day before Easter) and I am starting to worry that it will be so crowded that we will not be able to do much.

We have nothing planned on Sunday and Monday. We are staying near the Spanish Steps so I am hoping that area will not be too crazy to allow us to walk around and sight-see and hopefully there will be some restaurants open.

I did book a Pristine Sistine Tour (8 a.m.) with Walks of Italy on Tuesday the 29th as I anticipated that there will be more people than usual doing the Vatican tours that day; We have an early Colosseum tour as well on Wednesday as well (leaving on Thursday the 31st).

My question is whether anyone has experienced Easter in Rome? I had heard that it is usually the busiest just before Easter Sunday and right after but I would really like to enjoy our prime location in the Spanish Steps area without worrying about a bombardment of tourists. We will also be in Florence from March 23-26 so I don't know how crowded it will be there as well.

Thank you

Posted by
616 posts

For sure, there will be restaurants open.
It is also children's holidays, so yes there will be plenty of people, specially in Rome but also in Florence. Try to book your restaurant for the Sunday and Easter Monday to make sure you do not have to wait.
Check also opening hours for museums.
Hotel prices should be highest in Rome.

Posted by
616 posts

Your location near the Spanish steps is wonderful.
Hope you found something nice in Florence.

Posted by
2026 posts

We were in Rome a few years ago over Easter, though not by design ( still cursing the calendar I used that had Easter on the wrong Sunday! ). All I can say is that we expected the entire city to be locked down on Sunday and were rather surprised to see many, many shops and restuarants open as we strolled around. We planned no religious activity and struck churches from our sights that day; we might have gone to the Barberini on Easter but I really don't recall. The only real mob we encountered was at Termini when we tried to board the metro Sunday morning around 9:00am. I mean shoulder to shoulder twenty abreast inching along. We turned tails and walked. I had also read that it is customary for Romans to travel "outside the walls" on Easter Monday so we scratched plans to attempt a daytrip and remained in the city. Not sure if that was necessary, but we had plenty to see in Rome and the sortie to Termini the previous day was enough. We had a fine visit but we had never harbored any thought that Rome would be empty of tourists over Easter. Congratulations and safe travels!

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