Please sign in to post.

Easter Week in Italy

Posted by (Washington, DC) on

My wife and I are in the initial stages of planning a 10 day trip to Italy this Spring and--for work reasons--the week leading up to Easter happens to be the best week for us. (Easter is April 12 next year). At this point, our tentative itinerary is 3 nights in Florence, 2 to 3 nights in Siena/Tuscan hill towns, and 3 to 4 nights in Rome.

Does Easter week in Italy pose any travel problems? In other words, do museums, galleries, shops, restaurants, etc, tend to be closed that week? Or, is it in fact more crowded at that time. Also, we're flexible as to whether we fly in to Florence and out of Rome or vice versa. Any suggestions on doing Rome at the front end or back end of a 10 day trip, particularly if the back end will be the Good Friday-Easter Sunday weekend?

Thanks so much! Kevin

Posted by
35 posts

Hi Ken! Last year my husband and I traveled to Southern Italy to visit family during the Easter holiday. Easter is a very significant holiday in Italy - almost more so than Christmas. The holiday celebrations encompass Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday (Pasquetta or "little Easter"). It's big! And yes, we did experience a lot of businesses being closed during these days and some modes of public transportation also cut back on their service. As far as museums and sites, I can't say for sure but I would have to guess that they might be closed or at least run on very short schedules also.
Good luck!

Posted by
35 posts

Sorry!! KEVIN!! (not enough coffee yet!) So, so sorry!!

Posted by
19 posts

Kevin, I was in Italy in 2001 during Easter. I recommend going to Rome during Easter. Rome is a cosmopolitan city, but it seems every country is represented during this time. We did not have any trouble getting into the main sites, except maybe on Easter Sunday, but whether you're catholic or not it is truly an experience to go to St. Peter's on Easter. The only downside was we went to the Vatican museum the day before Easter and the Sistene Chapel closed after just a few minutes (and we were there early in the a.m.). You will be able to find plenty of restaurants open on Sunday without a problem. Have a wonderful time!

Posted by
319 posts

We stayed in Umbria for Easter a couple years ago. We went to Assisi. It was crazy. People shoving to get into church. Standing room only and packed in like sardines. Restraunts were open as were some sites in the area.

Posted by
1540 posts

I spent Easter week in Sorrento and there were some fabulous processions down the main street on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. All of the small towns also have a lot of religious ceremony Easter Week.
I ended up arriving in Rome on Easter Sunday - but too late for the large mass at St. Peter's Square.
I would think there is a lot of info on the internet.
Enjoy

Posted by
2186 posts

The smaller the town, the more things will be closed. We were in a small town in Sicily, where we loved the Easter processions. We were aware not to try to go anywhere on public transportation on the weekend but were surprised that we couldn't get out of town on Easter Monday either.

Posted by
87 posts

Kevin,

I was in Rome last year for Holy Week. It was fantastic. The only day things seemed to shut down in that city was Easter itself and Easter Monday. It got more crowded in the two days before Easter, but that may just have been the Vatican area where we were staying. We were able to just walk in to the Good Friday mass and be within 10 feet of the Pope as he processed out--very cool experience. My parents stayed through Easter (I left the morning of) and were able to do the same with Easter Sunday mass. It was a really cool thing that most people from the US don't have an opportunity to do. I would recommend that if you are doing Rome right at Easter weekend you hit the Vatican first and focus on classical sites, etc. on the days right before Easter to avoid those crowds, but really, it was fine.

Kim

This topic has been automatically closed due to a period of inactivity.