Easter City Break Ideas
Easter is a widely celebrated holiday but the traditions and customs for this time of the year differ in each country. We’ve gathered a few places with interesting traditions, places that are also a good fit for an Easter city break. ✈
France
France as your Ester city break destination? Yes, please. ?
Easter in France is widely celebrated. Besides the usual ceremonies and family lunches, there are a few different customs specific to the country. For example, in the Alsace region of France, Easter markets are organized with local foods and crafts, accompanied by live music and art exhibitions.
Near Paris, at the Chateaux Vaux le Vicomte children gather in the yards for an egg hunt on Easter Sunday. A special one-meter tall chocolate sculpture and chocolate eggs are hidden in the gardens of the castle, waiting to be discovered.
Haux has a 30 years tradition of making a huge omelette on Easter Monday. The over 5000 egg omelette serves 1000 people and it is tied to a legend about Napoleon. It is said that he was traveling through the city in the 17th century with his army and he ate an omelette form the people of Haux. He enjoyed it so much that he asked for another one for the entire army.
Explore France
The Alsace region, bordering Germany and Switzerland, consists of fairy tale like villages. And, it is easy to reach because it’s close to the Strasbourg airport.
One of these villages is Colmar, already renowned for its beautiful Christmas market. There is no reason to skip visiting because of the season. Colmar is full of colorful houses and beautiful flowers decorate the village as it is surrounded by picturesque canals.
Riquewihr is another small romantic village situated close to Colmar, in the Alsace region. The scenic views make this village a perfect destination for couples. The region is knows for its good wines and cheese but you can not miss the small boutiques with perfectly arranged tasty macarons.
Bermuda
Bermuda also has a special event taking place this time of the year which makes it a great destination for your Easter city break. Every Good Friday, people showcase their colorful handmade paper kites and fly them in a competition on Horseshoe Bay. These kites symbolize Christ’s rising and this tradition is beloved by the locals.
The traditional dishes for Easter in Bermuda are codfish cake, hot cross buns with potatoes and a creamy or tomato-sauce. Hot cross buns must be eaten on Good Fridays according to a legend. If the homeowner does not consume them, their house “will burn to the ground”.
Easter Sunday services take place on waterside locations too while the island is decorated with lilies and passion flowers.
The highlights of the island
Stroll along the Horseshoe beach, one of the most famous (and most photographed) beaches in the world due to its breathtaking pink sand. As Easter falls in the last month of winter you won’t be able to bath but the weather will be pleasant for a walk and photos, of course.
Among important attractions in Bermuda are the Crystal Caves. These were discovered in 1905 by two 12-year-old boys searching for a lost cricket ball. The caves are 500 m long and 62 m deep, they are made of beautiful white stalactite formations and a lake with clear blue water.
Romania
Romanians have many Easter traditions and they start preparing for the celebrations days ahead. Among the most important ones are painting the eggs, preparing the traditional meals and going to church.
Traditionally, eggs were painted with colors obtained from plants such as onion, cinnamon, sunflower seeds. When the eggs were painted, leaves were attached to them to make beautiful patterns. The most beautiful eggs are the decorated ones. Using a special stick and wax, people draw beautiful motifs on the eggs before they paint them.
Traditional meals consist of lamb, eggs, sausages, cheese and pasca (a cake baked for Easter), these are taken to the church to be blessed by the priest but only the morning after the Easter night service. During the Easter night ceremony, the holy light arrives from the Vatican and people form a column to take a light with candles and bring them home to purify the house.
Where to go in Romania?
The airport with the cheapest deals for this time of the year is in Bucharest. However, while you’re on your Easter city break in Romania, make sure to visit Transylvania as well. The region of Transylvania is the most famous from Romania due to its traditions kept alive. Among the best preserved traditional Romanian villages are Saliste, Sadu or Gura Raului.
There are several castles and fortresses in Romania which you definitely have to visit. You might have heard of Dracula, who is thought to have lived in Bran Castle in Transylvania. Also, the Peles Castle in Sinaia is renown for its architecture dating back to the 19th century.
Brasov, one of the medieval cities from Romania, is the home of the narrowest street from Europe and the largest Gothic church from the country — the Black Church. It is close to Sighisoara, another medieval town where you can visit the 14th century Clock Tower or you can head up to the Hill Chruch for a panoramic view of the city.
Germany
In Germany, people prepare for Easter by hanging colorful hand-painted eggs in trees and bushes. These, together with the bonfires which are lit on Easter Saturday, symbolize the arrival of spring.
On the Easter Saturday people visit the Easter markets where many hand crafted goods are sold, such as beautifully hand painted eggs, carved Easter decorations and also local crafts.
On Easter Sunday a lunch is held in the family consisting of traditional lamb dishes. For desert, Germans serve lamb shaped cake, chocolate bunnies and other sweets.
While you’re in Germany
Take a short trip to Cologne — one of Germany’s landmarks. Cologne’s centre has cobblestone alleys and historic houses which will lead you into a medieval atmosphere.
Cologne is well-known because of its beautiful Cathedral, the “Kolner Dom”, which is the largest Gothic church in Northern Europe. The 20th century Hohenzollern Bridge ties the Cathedral to KolnTriangle (Cologne’s skyscraper) offering a spectacular passing over the Rhine river.
United States
In the United States parades are very popular during Easter. The most popular is probably the 5th Avenue Parade in New York. Traditionally, people dress up in costumes and colorful bonnets. Even though dressing up isn’t necessary, it is highly recommended.
The Easter must have is the Egg Roll. This tradition is 130 years old and it is held by the President itself. The Easter Egg Roll takes places in Washington, at the White House. Children gather on the South Lawn to roll eggs with a large serving spoon.
Places to visit this time of the year
New York, not only because the most famous parade takes place in the city, but because New York is one of the top spring destinations. You can wander around Central Park, you can take the ferry to the Statue of Liberty. Enjoy all the events happening this time of the year such as baseball games or the Tribeca Film Festival taking place in late April.
Washington — you can’t miss to visit the White House and wander over its lawn on the only day when it is open for tourists. Besides the Egg Rolling event, you can visit the famous Government building (US Capitol, Supreme Court) or explore the world-famous Lincoln Memorial and the National Gallery of Art.
Happy Holidays!
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