Now that the Christmas holidays have passed, we look forward to the next big celebration – Easter! We want to present you our suggestions for an exciting and colourful Easter holiday in Europe!
See the Pope at the Vatican
One of the biggest holidays in the Italian calendar, Easter or “Pasqua” is elaborately celebrated in the Eternal City. Settimana Santa or Holy Week is naturally a special time to be in Rome thanks to the chance to see the Vatican and attend mass held by the Pope. Despite the big crowds of tourists who come to take part in one of the most important religious events, occurring every year in Rome and the Vatican, spending the holiday in this remarkable city is a unique experience for everyone.
Honoring this big holiday in St. Peter’s Basilica, meters away from the Pope, has a special significance for every Catholic. But Vatican City is not limited to the Basilica. The small neighborhood churches with their distinctive charm can also offer a magnificent atmosphere to the visitors.
Easter celebration in Rome is complemented by the delicious Italian food. Traditional dishes include lamb or goat dishes and special Easter breads such as the famous Pannetone and the dove-shaped Colomba.
Italians also have one more reason to rejoice this time of the year. “Pasquetta” or “the little Easter” is a sort of continuation of the holy celebration and a national holiday held on the Monday after Easter, when people usually spend time with friends, go to picnics, or drive into the countryside to enjoy the nature.
Fireworks in Florence
Florence is the host of one of the most dramatic spectacles, which attracts thousands of visitors from around the world – Scoppio del Carro (the explosion of the cart). On Easter Sunday, a 30-foot tall antique cart dating back 500 years is hauled by a team of white oxen from Porta al Prato to the Piazza del Duomo and accompanied by 150 soldiers, musicians and revellers costumed in 15th century costumes. The cart is loaded with fireworks and has a wire that stretches all the way to the altar inside the Duomo. The archbishop lights a fuse, connected to that wire, which ignites the fireworks and initiates a 20-minute fire show that is supposed to guarantee a good harvest and good business for the upcoming year. The parade is in honour of the Florentine knight Pazzino, who was the first man to plant the banner of the cross at the battle of Jerusalem in the first Crusade of 1096.
So if you are a fan of colourful fireworks spectacles, make sure you visit Florence this Easter!
Greek Orthodox Easter
Easter in Orthodox Europe tends to coincide with the holiday in the Catholic calendar about once every four years. This year, the two holidays are going to be on the same date, which is why considering going to Greece is a good idea.
Every church in the sunny country hosts church services on Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday and there are lots of special celebrations throughout the country. One of the most interesting events is the balloon festival in Leonidio on the Peloponnese, where hundreds of handmade balloon-lanterns light up the sky on Holy Saturday. Another one of our favourites is the clay pot crashing in Corfu – on Holy Saturday morning, people throw pots full of water from their balconies – a tradition that delivers a loud message that death has been beaten by the Resurrection of Christ.
Who would turn down a sunny and warm Easter, which involves lots of spectacular clay pot crashing?
Sunny holiday in Malta
Being one of the most religious Catholic countries in the world, Malta hosts all kinds of parades and celebrations during this time of the year. This makes it one of the most suitable and interesting destinations to spend Easter. And let’s not forget the warm and sunny weather which makes Malta a very good choice for an Easter destination.
The most important and passionately celebrated days of the holiday for Maltese people are Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday. On Maundy Thursday the streets of Malta host traditional events one of which is visiting the “seven churches”. On the next day, Maltese people recreate biblical scenes and organize various parades like the Roman soldiers’ spectacles or processions, where participants, dressed in white robes, walk with metal chains tied to their ankles and carry wooden crosses. The most significant day of the holiday is Easter Sunday which carries atmosphere of joy and festivity for Maltese people. Families spend time together and gather around the table, which is covered with delicious traditional dishes. The most popular Maltese Easter sweet is the figolla – a sweet baked pastry filled with almonds.
If you’ve had enough with the cold weather, visit sunny Malta for an exciting and delicious Easter celebrations!
Whether you want to spend a classic Easter and see the Pope at the Vatican, or you want to celebrate the holiday in a not-so-traditional manner by throwing clay pots full of water, we’ve got the perfect suggestion for you!
