Know Before You Go: Visiting Rome During Easter
Rome is a top European destination for the Easter holidays, thanks to its balmy spring temperatures and the religious draw of Vatican City, seat of the Roman Catholic Church. Tens of thousands of travelers from across the globe participate in Easter Mass in Rome—as well as other Rome Easter events—and also visit the city’s blockbuster sights during their stay.
Because of these holiday crowds, visiting at this time can be tricky, and you have to make sure to book tickets and tours in advance to experience the ancient sites, museums, and cultural activities during Easter in Rome. Read on for all our insider tips about Easter travel to Rome.
What are the main Easter events in Rome?
Religious services and events are the highlight of Rome’s Easter celebrations.
Easter, or Pasqua in Italian, is the culmination of Holy Week (Settimana Santa), one of the most sacred dates on the Christian calendar. In Rome, the Vatican takes center stage during this period, hosting solemn services during the week in St. Peter’s Basilica and a special Sunday Easter Mass followed by the traditional Urbi et Orbi public blessing, which is led by the pope in St. Peter’s Square and attended by a massive crowd of visitors and pilgrims.
On Good Friday (Venerdì Santo), the pope also leads the torchlit Via Crucis procession from the Colosseum to the Roman Forum; this reenactment of the Passion of Christ is a spectacular event and is free and open to the public.
Insider tip: Tickets to the Easter Mass at the Vatican are free and can be reserved by emailing or faxing the Prefecture of the Papal Household at least a month in advance, but demand for these spots is sky-high. Skip the hassle by joining an Easter Mass tour that includes both tickets and round-trip transportation.
What should I wear during Easter celebrations in Rome?
Dress modestly on Easter Sunday in Vatican City.
Visitors to St. Peter’s Basilica must wear clothing that covers their shoulders, knees, and midriff, so dress conservatively if you're planning on attending Holy Week services—or even if you’re simply visiting the church. This same dress code applies to the outdoor Easter Mass and the Urbi et Orbi public blessing in St. Peter’s Square, and the Vatican guards at the entrances will turn away attendees who are not suitably dressed.
Keep in mind that you will also be subject to the whims of Rome’s spring weather during the open-air service, so bring extra layers and a waterproof jacket so you’re prepared for unexpected drops in temperature or sudden showers.
Insider tip: All Mass attendees are required to pass through a security screening; visitors are not allowed to enter with large bags or backpacks, pocketknives, scissors, or other sharp implements.
Can I visit the Colosseum and other attractions during Easter?
Yes, most sights are open during Holy Week, but some may be closed on Easter Sunday.
Most visitors exploring Rome for Easter pair religious services with lots of sightseeing, which means that A-list sights such as the Colosseum and the Vatican Museums are packed with crowds on the days before and after Easter Sunday. (Though keep in mind that the Colosseum is usually closed for all or part of Good Friday in preparation for the Via Crucis, which takes place there after dark.)
Some sights—including the Colosseum and Capitoline Museums—are open on Easter Sunday, but attractions located inside Vatican City such as the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel are closed on both Easter Sunday and Easter Monday (a national holiday in Italy known as Pasquetta).
Insider tip: Tickets to top sights including the Colosseum and the Vatican Museums sell out for the Easter holidays, but you can avoid disappointment by booking a tour that includes admission to these hot spots in advance.
What other attractions and events are recommended during Easter week?
Explore Rome’s quieter museums and neighborhoods to avoid the holiday throngs.
Top attractions such as the Colosseum and Vatican Museums are overrun with visitors during Easter week, so this is an ideal time to get off the tourist track and explore the city’s many lesser-known gems.
Options include the Centrale Montemartini in the Ostiense neighborhood, Palazzo Spada near the Campo de’ Fiori market, and MAXXI in the Flaminio district. You can also tour hidden treasures such as Villa Torlonia and the art nouveau buildings in Coppedè, explore historic neighborhoods including Parione, or delve into the city’s vibrant street art scene.
Insider tip: Rome’s Easter events are largely religious, but there are often unrelated concerts, exhibitions, and other cultural offerings happening during the Easter holiday, as well. Check the Turismo Roma website for an updated calendar of events.
Are restaurants and shops open during Easter in Rome?
Restaurants generally stay open on Easter Sunday and Easter Monday, but many shops close.
Rome’s dining scene is in full swing during the busy Holy Week, which ends with Easter Monday, and restaurants burst with patrons. Many shops, however, are only open through Holy Friday and Saturday, then close on Easter Sunday and Monday. This is especially true for small, independent businesses, as families attend religious services on Easter Sunday and then take day trips to the countryside on Easter Monday—one of the most beloved Easter traditions in Italy.
Did you know?: Easter Monday is a national holiday that's just as important as Easter Sunday. Italians traditionally head home after Mass on Sunday and feast on an elaborate lunch, while they spend Monday enjoying a day of rest and relaxation in the countryside or in quiet rural hill towns.
Related: 9 Quintessentially Roman Dishes and Where To Eat Them in the Eternal City
Should I book accommodations in advance for Easter in Rome?
Yes, Easter is one of the busiest times to visit Rome and accommodations sell out months in advance.
Rome begins to fill with visitors about a week before Easter Sunday, and the crowds don’t subside until after Easter Monday. Hotels, B&Bs, rental apartments, and even hostels are generally fully booked far in advance of the holiday, so you should arrange accommodation weeks or months ahead of time, when there are still a wide range of options to choose from.
This is especially true if you are looking for a base near the Vatican or anywhere in Rome’s historic center; accommodations located on the city outskirts are less desirable because the logistics of traveling into downtown Rome each day to explore can be tricky.
Insider tip: Always check the public transportation options when booking accommodations outside of Rome’s city center. The public bus system is notoriously unreliable, but the metro is a solid option for traveling around Rome.
Are there any special Easter foods or dishes to try in Rome?
Roman Easter menus burst with delicious specialties, from roasted lamb to rich colomba cake.
No Rome Easter travel guide would be complete without a mention of the city’s Easter dishes, most of which feature seasonal delicacies grown or produced in the Lazio hills surrounding the city. Some of the most popular dishes include antipasto plates of hard-boiled eggs, corallina salami, and pecorino cheese; pasta tossed with wild asparagus, spring mushrooms, or heirloom artichokes; and roasted or grilled abbacchio lamb with rich coratella (offal), spring fava beans, and crunchy puntarelle (chicory stems) on the side.
Most Easter meals end with a sweet colomba—a dove-shaped cake—and ornately wrapped, hollow chocolate eggs with a small trinket inside. If you’re not too full after these specialties, take a Rome food tour that will let you try more of the city’s classics first-hand.
Insider tip: Many Roman restaurants serve a fixed menu for Easter lunch, and tables at the most popular eateries are generally reserved weeks in advance. You can find some Easter menus posted on restaurant’s websites or social media accounts if you want to check the courses and prices before reserving.
Are there family-friendly activities during Easter in Rome?
Yes, there is plenty to do for young visitors to Italy’s capital city.
Rome’s crowd-pleasing sights such as the Colosseum and Vatican are open during the Easter holidays, and a family-friendly tour is an ideal way to engage children with the art and history at these fabulous sites. Older kids may enjoy the thrill of the famous Easter Mass at St. Peter’s Square (book admission with a guide who can lead you to the best viewing spot, so they can have a better chance of glimpsing the pope) and the drama of the Via Crucis procession by night.
Though the Easter Bunny is not part of Italian holiday lore, Easter egg hunts are sometimes held in select public gardens and amusement parks, most famously Luneur Park in the EUR district; there is generally a charge for admission.
Insider tip: Rome’s mild spring temperatures are often nice enough to allow families to enjoy the city’s parks and gardens as early as March. For a particularly family-friendly spot, head to Villa Borghese, which boasts extensive walking trails, grassy expenses, and a rowing pond and is also home to the city’s zoo.
Are Rome’s Easter events accessible to wheelchair users?
St. Peter’s Square and Basilica are accessible, but the Via Crucis can be a challenge.
Both St. Peter’s Square and the Basilica have ramps to allow wheelchair access. There are also dedicated areas for wheelchair users so that Mass attendees can get an unobstructed view of the services; guards will usher wheelchair users and their companions to reserved spots along the aisles. The Via Crucis, however, is a public event, and the crowds can make securing a spot with visibility almost impossible.
In fact, the best place for unobstructed views of the Via Crucis is the Giardinetto del Monte Oppio, a small garden located on the hillside just behind the Colosseo metro station. However, to get a spot right along the front perimeter of the park that faces the Colosseum, so no one will be standing in front of you, you’ll need to stake your claim hours before the event.
Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about visiting Rome during Easter.
What's the weather like in Rome during Easter? The date of Easter Sunday changes each year, but the holiday always falls between late March and early to mid-April. The weather in Rome is mild during this time of year—with the daytime temps as high as 70°F (20°C)—but sudden showers often roll through.
How crowded does Rome get during Easter? Easter is one of the busiest periods of the year in Rome, and almost 400,000 people come to the city for at least one night. Top events such as the Via Crucis and Easter Mass are attended by tens of thousands of visitors and pilgrims, and hotels and restaurants are almost completely booked.
What public transportation options are available during Easter? Rome’s bus and metro lines run on a normal schedule during Holy Week, but they’re on a holiday schedule on Easter Sunday and Easter Monday. Taxis are also available, though it can be a challenge to find one with the high holiday demand.
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