How to Celebrate Easter in Italy: Tips for Planning the Perfect Holy Week Travel

Easter in Italy is a major holiday—in some ways, it’s even more important than Christmas. Celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox (yes, we’re confused too), Easter is actually more than a week of celebrations.

Starting the week preceding Easter Sunday, top Holy Week events kick off with Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday, leading up to Easter Sunday and Easter Monday. The Settimana Santa week is filled with various Easter traditions, from ornate religious processions that wind their way through the streets, to midnight mass, fasting, and even a fun egg roll. And, of course, Easter in Italy wouldn’t be complete without several traditional Easter Foods such as grilled lamb, a rich, sweet egg bread called Colomba di Pasquale, and everyone’s favorite Easter treat: chocolate eggs.

If you’re going to be in Italy during the Easter holidays, here are five key things to expect. (And if you want to sound like a local, don’t call it Easter… call it Pasqua.)

St Peter’s Square is the center of Rome’s Easter celebrations.

Experience Holy Week: What is Easter Like in Italy

The cities will be full of tourists—but many Italians will be on vacation

Because it’s a long weekend, lots of Italians take the opportunity to get out of town, heading to the countryside, the sea, or the mountains. Meanwhile, a lot of foreigners are doing exactly the same thing this week—vacationing!—so sights will be crowded.

In most major cities and destinations, in fact, Easter week is the official start of high season (although don’t worry, it’s still less crowded than it will be at the season’s peak, in June and July). So plan your trip accordingly, and have a plan for how you’ll tackle lines at places like the Colosseum. And make sure to give special attention when deciding where to stay in Rome. Easter or not, Rome is chaotic and noisy so you’ll want to find a place to get some decent rest.

The Amalfi Coast is a very popular destination for Easter week.

Most major museums and sights will be open on Easter Sunday and Monday, but many shops and restaurants will be closed

The good news: Unlike most Italian national holidays, most major sights will be open during Easter week. That includes the Colosseum in Rome, the Doge’s Palace in Venice, and the Uffizi Gallery in Florence (although the Uffizi is closed every Monday, including Easter Monday). Of course, the big exception is the Vatican, whose museums (including the Sistine Chapel) will close both Sunday and Monday.

That said, because so many Italians go on vacation during Easter weekend, many of the smaller, family-run shops and restaurants will be closed. So make sure you book your meals for Sunday and Monday as far in advance as possible, as the few (good) restaurants that are open will get booked up.

The Doge’s Palace is just one sight that will be open in Italy on both Easter Sunday and Monday.

Travel Tips: How to Enjoy Italy During Easter Week

There will be lots of religious processions and festivals, including in the small towns

Easter is a great time to experience the culture of Italy, including not only some of its food traditions (more on that in a moment), but its religious traditions, too. You don’t have to be Catholic yourself to enjoy the spectacle of a procession winding through a tiny town, with seemingly everyone participating.

Restaurant menus, and bakeries, will be full of traditional Easter dishes and sweets

When it comes to food, if there’s any one major Easter tradition in Italy, it’s lamb. And it comes in two forms. The first: grilled lamb (abbacchio), which will be on pretty much every menu in any restaurant in Italy worth its salt. The second form: almond paste! Yep, that’s right. In Sicily (and Sicilian bakeries across the country), you can get a little lamb made out of marzipan.

That said, a marzipan lamb is hardly the only Easter sweet you’ll find. Chocolate eggs are popular here (especially when hollow, and with a prize inside). So is a cake called colomba di Pasqua, a cake shaped like a dove. It’s a great time to not only be in Italy… but to be eating in Italy!

Colomba di Pasquale, a traditional Easter cake in Italy.

Holy Week in Italy: Events You Can’t Miss

Want to really Easter like an Italian? Then picnic on Pasquetta

Despite the common phrase “Natale con i tuoi, Pasqua con chi vuoi” (Christmas with your family, Easter with whoever you want), Easter Sunday is usually spent with family, while Easter Monday, or “Pasquetta,” is spent with friends.

If they’re not on vacation already, most Italians will try to get out of town at least for this day, often by having a picnic somewhere with a big group of friends.

Braised or fried artichokes are very popular during Easter.

Easter in Italy FAQ

What are the top Holy Week traditions in Italy? 

Easter Processions. Good Friday and Easter Sunday Processions are by far the most anticipated events in Easter. Held in almost every Italian town, these processions can vary in terms of size. Large processions are extremely ornate, with people dressed as penitents and carrying religious statues and crosses through the streets on large wooden platforms. Other events include the Scoppio del Carro in Florence and Via Crucis in Rome.

The Easter Vigil. Held on the night of Holy Saturday, this tradition includes lighting a Paschal candle, reading biblical texts, and an overall celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Midnight Mass. This is a beautiful religious service that celebrates Easter’s arrival. Typically Rome’s Easter Midnight Mass is led by the pope at St. Peter’s Basilica from 9 pm. until midnight.

Good Friday Fasting. Many Italians fast on Good Friday, avoiding meat entirely for a day.

Egg Rolling. In some regions, families enjoy a fun Easter game called “Rotta dell’Uovo”. Children roll boiled eggs down the street to see whose egg goes furthest without breaking.

When is Easter celebrated in Italy?

Easter follows the Western Christian calendar, typically its held in March or April. The actual date changes every year because it’s scheduled for the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox.  

What are the traditional Easter foods in Italy? 

Each Italian family has their own Easter food traditions, but roasted lamb, pastiera (a type of tart or pie), Colomba di Pasquale cake, and delicious chocolate eggs.

What is Palm Sunday called in Italian? 

Known as Domenica delle Palme, Palm Sunday marks the start of Holy Week in Italy.

How busy are tourist attractions during Easter? 

Very busy, particularly in large cities such as Rome or Florence. Planning ahead is essential. And if you are planning to visit Rome during Easter, make sure to reserve your hotel ahead of time and consider booking a walking tour of Rome to make sure you see the city’s best landmarks.