Where in Italy to spend Easter 2018?

Can't address the crowd question, haven't been in Roma at Easter for many years.

Have you ever taken an overnight train before? One that has to uncouple, get loaded onto a ferry, unload, recouple, and make numerous stops during the night? It's much easier to fly from Catania or Palermo to Napoli. And much faster. If one of you can't sleep well on the train, will that affect the next day's plans?

Hi Zoe, Thanks for your reply. I'm aware that night trains aren't the most efficient or comfortable way to get from Sicily to Naples, I've experienced several old night trains in Spain, but my husband has never been on a sleeper train and he's excited about it :)

Omigosh, I missed the bit about the night train on initial reading. I took that train in the opposite direction in 2015. It was a nightmare. Except I didn't sleep a wink, so I guess it was more like a day-mare. I think the problem was the rails, in which case a sleeper would still be very, very uncomfortable. I was in a couchette. The railcar jerked constantly from side to side, so it was impossible to fall asleep. My first day in Sicily was about as bad as my arrival day after flying overnight from the US (when I also didn't get any sleep).

Don't do it! Pick some other place to have the night train experience if you must, but not south of Rome.

One year, we spent Easter in Caltagirone, Sicily (talk about off the beaten track! I don't even remember how I found it or why I decided to go there). They paraded statues through the town with the municipal band playing different marches for Jesus, St. Peter and the Virgin Mary. Mary's was "The Stars and Stripes Forever"! St. Peter was HUGE - like something you'd seen in the Macy's parade. Jesus and Mary were smaller. This was the year we learned that Easter Monday is also a holiday and you can't get public transportation out of a small town like Caltagirone. Fortunately, it was also the year we were traveling without reservations, so it wasn't a problem for us to stay another night.

I will say that Sicily deserves all the time you can give it. We've spent a total of five weeks there and haven't yet been everywhere we'd enjoy going. We haven't experienced Rome at Easter, so I hope others will give you input on that.

Acraven, thanks for sharing your experience on the train... Maybe I'll talk to my husband and see if he wouldn't mind getting the night train experience some other time! I'm also heard that there is a ferry from Palermo to Naples that is overnight and quite comfortable. Otherwise, it sounds like flying would be the best way.

Janet, I have been reading about Caltagirone! My mother went there a few years ago and loved all the tiles. I think we're going to do a day trip to there from Ragusa. Its great to hear about your experiences over easter in a small town in Sicily. Also good to hear that it is hard to travel on Easter Monday.. if we stayed in Sicily over easter, we would have to somehow get ourselves to Rome by 11am on Tuesday.

I think you should let your husband experience the train, although I’d probably go for the day train at least you can see something. But yes, flying from CTA to NAP would be much more efficient.
There are a lot of pilgrims in Rome at Easter. But no matter when you go, Rome will be packed with people. I still think it’s even more crowded in June or early July. On that particular weekend however, finding accommodations may be more challenging if you don’t book ahead.
Easter Monday is a national holiday, therefore many things, including museums, may be closed.