Easter Week is a perfectly divine time to visit Rome, The Eternal City. Oh heck, almost anytime is fine for Rome but Holy Week is special for a host of reasons and here are my top 5:
1. The mass exodus – Rome is like any other major city when it comes to being crowded but not so during Holy Week. The seasonal crush of tourists has not quite started and the locals literally head for the Seven Hills come Good Friday. The roads leading out of Rome are just one big parking lot by 4pm on Good Friday but that makes the city a virtual ghost town, and oh what ghosts there are in a city where history comes alive. Therefore, single women hesitant to travel solo might just enter their comfort zone in this big city!
- Spring is perfect for a wedding in Rome!
2. Free Admission – Easter Week often coincides with Cultural Week (Settimana della Cultura) in Italy and that means free admission to the archaeological and historic sites, which can save the solo traveler a lot of money. (NOTE: in 2011 this is not the case and Culture Week does not coincide with Holy Week but instead occurs April 9 – 17th) However, admission is always free to the Roman Forum and Pantheon and there were no lines at either when I visited during Holy Week.
3. See the Pope – Holy Week is prime time for Catholics from around the world to visit Rome and the Vatican. You would think that makes it crowded but I did not find it that way. Hundreds of thousands of people crowd St. Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday to listen to the Pope’s address but insiders know that there are many other opportunities to see the Pope celebrate mass and other religious activities this week, such as the symbolic washing of the Apostles’ feet at Holy Thursday Mass and praying the Stations of the Cross inside the Colosseum on Good Friday. The Vatican’s website offers a complete schedule of activities. (Many Catholic parishes in the U.S. will tell you that the free tickets are like the Holy Grail and while an actual ticket might be hard to come by, admission is not that difficult. Just know that this is Rome and Italians do not line up, they hoard together. Therefore, if you are not claustrophobic, join in the hoard like one of the locals and push your way in…….when in Rome and all that!)
- Walking tours of Rome where history surrounds you!
4. Spa getaway – Many of the major spas, especially those located inside a hotel, are open on Easter Sunday. Therefore, take advantage of the perfect time for a Roman spa break when the crowds are gone and the spa can offer a truly relaxing experience.
5. Easter Sunday – Dining out for a holiday in Rome can be expensive and you may be tempted to splurge if you are traveling by yourself but look around. There are many fine restaurants offering up special menus for Easter lunch or dinner and don’t be afraid to eat at one of the better hotels. I tried Tazzio Brasserie in the Boscolo Exedra Hotel on the Via Veneto and was pleasantly surprised and they had a wide variety of specialties. (Tip for solo diners – if eating out alone makes you feel uncomfortable, make an early reservation, such as 1p for lunch or 5 or 6pm for dinner. Not many families or couples dine at those times and you may find it easier. However, know that this is Rome and when an Italian man/waiter sees a woman eating alone, you will get more attention if you just flirt a bit!
Buon appetito, buon viaggio e Buona Pasqua!
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Pretty good tips, I have visited the north of Italy but have never made it that far south, even though my heritage is from just outside of Rome. I think I would prefer to visit a big city like this when it is quiet so I shall be making a note of this infomation.