When planning a Italy vacation for the Easter Holiday be sure to consider ItalianTourism.us all inclusive Spring Italy tours. The benefits of an all-inclusive Italy tour are many including skipping all the lines at the museums. All your accommodations will be planned out as will sightseeing. This has many benefits when planning an Italy vacation around what is a time of celebration and vacation for locals too.
Good Friday Italy Holiday Traditions
Easter Italy Holiday Traditions
The Easter holiday week, Settimana Santa, is a very popular time for an Italy vacation. Families, couples, Trains, buses, and other transportation systems will be on what are called “ferie” schedules (holiday schedules), which mean everything runs less frequently. They still run, you’ll just have to wait a bit longer. Not only that, because there are fewer trains or buses running, they’re often more crowded when they arrive.honeymooners and Pilgrims from all over the world travel to Italy for spring break coupled with the Easter holiday. Don’t get caught in the crowds during your Easter Italy Holiday. Plan your Italy Easter vacation with an all-inclusive Italy vacation and you’ll tour Italy for Easter worry- and stress-free.
Palm Sunday begins the Easter Italy Holiday week. Following Palm Sunday additional holidays during Easter week include Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and “La Pasquetta” aka Easter Monday. Shops, banks, and businesses are closed Easter Sunday and La Pasquetta Easter Monday. Most will also close Good Friday.
Trains, buses, and other transportation systems will be on what are called “ferie” schedules (holiday schedules), which mean everything runs less frequently. Because there are fewer trains or buses running, they’re often more crowded.
Every church throughout the country will be open for services on Easter weekend. If your Easter Italy vacation itinerary includes a small town you’ll find the services charming.
Whatever your Easter Italy vacation itinerary there is no questions that traveling to Italy during a national celebration is a fabulous and unforgettable experience. Your Italy vacation will be full of colorful memories that include experiencing the Italian culture at its very best.
Palm Sunday
If your Italy vacation includes Palm Sunday you’ll be treated to processions all over Italy’s cities and towns. Considering one of the most important days in the Church calendar, you’ll also find plenty of people selling palms. Bring one back to your hotel and carry along for your Easter week vacation in Italy.
Good Friday
In Italy Good Friday is called “Venerdi Santo” or Holy Friday. This is the most solemn day in the catholic calendar because it is remembered as the day Christ was crucified by the Romans.
If your family Easter Italy vacation includes young children then find a park and enjoy the day playing. The rituals are not child friendly and most other activities are closed. You will find that restaurants are open. The Italian tradition is to eat fish on Good Friday. Of course, you’ll find plenty of pasta and pizza available everywhere too.
Good Friday in Rome
In Rome you’ll find all the crosses and statues inside the churches are covered in purple or black. They remain covered until Easter Sunday.
There is no mass on Good Friday. At St. Peter’s Basilica at 5PM the Pope does celebrate the Liturgy of the Passion. In order to attend you do need tickets, which are always free. If you decide to attend this event we suggest arriving at the Vatican no later than 2PM.
Later at about 9PM begins the “Stations of the Cross” or the “Via Crucis”. The Pope leads a torchlight procession 
from the Colosseum to the Palantine Hill. There are fourteen “stations,” each signifying a part of Christ’s passion and death.
The Stations of the Cross does not require tickets. It begins inside the Colosseum and then walks its way through each station. It seems like all of Rome shows up for this event so it is unlikely you’ll see the Pope.
If you plan to arrive really early then you’ll witness a spectacular view. Outside the Colosseum a giant cross is lit by
hundreds of flare lights. It creates a gorgeous golden glow on the ancient Colosseum stones. Find a spot where you can see the canopy under which the Pope will stand. It’s directly over the pathway leading from the Colosseum. Here if you bring binoculars you’ll be able to see the Pope’s address.
At the conclusion of the stations the Pope blesses the crowd.
Easter Sunday
Easter Sunday is a great time to plan a Italy vacation. Spring is in the air. The Italian people are out enjoying their cities and towns. The flowers and trees are blooming. There is excitement in the air and families are celebrating together.
Easter Sunday in Rome
Easter celebrations in Rome begin on Holy Saturday (‘Sabato Santo’) night, with the Easter Vigil held inside St Peter’s Basilica. The Pope presides over this event. It begins with the Basilica in more or less complete darkness. The Pope then lights a large ‘Paschal’ (Easter) candle, from which thousands of other, smaller candles, are lit until the whole church is flooded with candlelight. During the service, converts to the Catholic faith are baptised by the Pope, symbolising their ‘birth’ into the Catholic church. This service typically begins at 9PM. Tickets are required for entry into the Basilica and are free.
After the solemnity of the days between Palm Sunday and Holy (Good) Friday, Easter Sunday signifying the resurrection of Christ includes much song, colorful flowers, and general joy. On Easter Sunday St. Peter’s Square is full of Romans and travelers to Italy who’ve come to hear the Pope’s Easter Sunday mass. This typically begins at 10AM. After mass inside the Basilica the Pope will go to his balcony to greet and bless the crowd. Again tickets which are free are required to enter the square. It is not uncommon for tickets to sellout months before Easter so do apply as soon as you know you’ll be in Rome for Easter.
After Easter Sunday Mass take part in the passeggiata, a time-honored Italian tradition of strolling through the city enjoying the great atmosphere, flowers, and spring weather. Vacationing families and friends and locals mingle together in Rome’s beautiful piazzas and squares. Piazza Popolo, the Borghese Gardens, and the Spanish Steps is the epicenter of all the outdoor celebrating. Spend your Easter Sunday holiday late afternoon in a restaurant. Traditional Easter foods in Italy include eggs, artichokes, roasted lamb, sweet bread called “Colomba” (which means dove, and it’s made in the shape of a dove) and chocolate eggs, which almost always are hollow and have a special prize inside.
La Pasquetta
Easter Monday, known as ‘La Pasquetta’ or ‘Little Easter’, is also an important day in Italian culture. It is a national holiday. While most families are together on Easter Sunday, Easter Monday friends get together to enjoy the outdoors and country. With the spring weather you’ll find families and friends spending the day having picnics, enjoying a passeggiata and otherwise celebrating the arrival of Spring in Italy. As it is a holiday public transportation is limited. Banks and shops are closed on Easter Monday too.
Italy Easter Celebrations
Some cities will hold special events on Easter Monday, too, including concerts and games. Games often involve eggs, like the egg races held in the town of Tredozio. In the Umbrian town of Panicale giant wheels of cheese are rolled around the city walls. The one who rolls it in the quickest time using the least strokes wins! You’ll certainly have no problem having a fabulous Easter Italy Vacation.
