Easter in Rome: what to know, what to do… and what to eat!

A smaller affair than Christmas, Easter celebrations are still a momentous occasion for Italians around the world, and Rome is especially invested in this holiday. This year’s festivities, re-calculated according to the Catholic calendar (it must be the first Sunday after the Easter full moon, which is the first full moon on or after March 21), fall on the weekend of Sunday, April 10.

When is Easter celebrated?

When we say that Easter is a smaller affair, we’re mostly referring to its length: while the preparation for Easter Sunday lasts seven weeks, Italians start celebrating Easter on the Sunday before the event (Palm Sunday), if they’re religious.

The main Easter events take place on the Friday (Good Friday) before Easter Sunday itself, when the faithful take part in the Via Crucis, the great procession commemorating the martyrdom of Jesus. This is not a holiday in itself, and shops and attractions are open as usual, just as they are on Saturday.

The real celebration is on the Sunday (this year’s on April 9th), with a special Holy Mass for those who follow the rites (the whole Catholic celebration includes other Masses on Saturday and Monday).

Unlike other countries, Italy also celebrates Easter on the Monday, or Clean Monday, April 10th: this is the day when most changes to daily life occur, at least from the point of view of a foreign visitor who may not be used to the fact that it is actually a public holiday here. Shops will be closed or open with reduced hours, restaurants may be fully booked or closed altogether and attractions will decide individually whether to open or not: remember that Rome is the home of public, private and foreign institutions and there is no common policy for this, so do your research on official websites to avoid disappointment.

What is Easter like in Rome?

Each city or area in Italy has specific Easter traditions, but those that are common throughout the country include the chocolate Easter egg, which is given to children and always contains a surprise, along with the Colomba, a sweet type of cake that can be considered, oversimplifying, as the seasonal version of a panettone.

In Rome, seasonal foods include a savory type of breakfast (“Colazione di Pasqua”), which includes a type of salame (cured meat) called Corallina, hard-boiled eggs, and a type of bread/pizza specific to the holiday called “Pizza di Pasqua“, which is comparable to a cheesy type of bread.

Other typical foods eaten at Easter, but at lunch rather than breakfast, include lamb, which can be cooked in a variety of ways, vignarola (a side dish made with fava beans, among other ingredients), artichokes (again, in a variety of ways), and coratella (lamb offal stew).

The Catholic celebrations

In Rome, the presence of the Vatican makes the rites impossible to miss: the area around St. Peter’s Basilica will be crowded throughout the Easter weekend for every major celebration, but Romans know that the procession of the Via Crucis means crowds in another area: that of the Colosseum. Led by the Pope (if his health allows it this year), the procession will include the temporary closure of the Colosseo subway stop and disruptions to the circulation of buses and trams alike in the area, so if you’re going in the hope of seeing the Pope in person, know that tens of thousands of people will have had the same idea, and make plans in advance if you’re commuting from another neighborhood. This particular event will begin at around 9:15 p.m. on April 7th from outside the Colosseum, but keep in mind that there may be delays.

As for the Holy Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, know that there are no more tickets available to book attendance there: those in the know try to book them even six months in advance. This year, Pope Francis won’t be celebrating himself, but he will be present.

Other things to know about Easter in Rome

If you notice fewer people around on Monday, it’s probably because Italians are leaving town for their Pasquetta celebration: “Pasquetta,” which means “little Easter,” means going out of town for a picnic or a big lunch at a restaurant. Many Romans who cannot leave the city will probably go to some of the city’s parks, if you want to do what they do!

Because the Monday after Easter is a local holiday, you may notice fewer buses or subway trains around: their schedules will be the same as on a Sunday, so keep that in mind if you need them to continue your Italian travels (or to leave the country altogether!).