Easter Week in Florence and Italy

Susan, your exact dates for Rome and Florence would be helpful. When are you arriving/departing? What else beside Easter events are you interested in seeing? Have you made pre-reservations for any of the other attractions in either city?

I thought I had already responded to this question.

It has been posted twice, Frank, but I don't see a response from you on the other one. It's her question about the train you may be thinking of?

Susan, so you're traveling to Rome on Saturday the 26th, and will only have that partial day, Easter Sunday, Monday and Tuesday to explore? Have you made your reservations at the Borghese yet? It's closed on Monday (as are pretty much all National Museums) and shows no tickets currently available for Tuesday. There appears to be availability for Saturday and Easter Sunday: I'd jump on making reservations if you haven't done so already.

Easter is Rome's busiest holiday season and what with this being a Jubilee Year, it could be even busier. It's hard to know as they've expected larger numbers of pilgrims to the Holy Door than have turned up so far.

Here's the Papal schedule for March; that will give you an idea of what/where some of the largest events will be happening:

http://www.vatican.va/various/prefettura/en/udienze_en.html

The Vatican Museums will be closed on Easter Sunday and Monday, and individual churches will have their own closures for services. Procession-wise, the only one I know of in Rome is the "Stations of the Cross" (Via Crucis) on Good Friday evening.

A little more about Rome during Easter from Rick:
https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/read/articles/easter-in-rome

These may also be helpful for an idea of how Easter is celebrated:
http://www.romewise.com/easter-in-rome.html

http://www.italymagazine.com/news/traditional-crucis-colosseum-rome-2014

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-the-way-of-the-cross-at-the-colosseum