10 Best Destinations to Celebrate Easter in 2025

• Easter Sunday: At Westminster Abbey, the Easter Sunday service takes place. 
• Egg Hunts: Easter egg hunts for the kids are organized in parks where people hunt for hidden chocolate eggs. 
• Open-Air Performances: The Passion of Jesus by Wintershall Players is performed to recreate crucifixion. 

• Lindt Gold Bunny Hunt: Go to Hampton Court Palace and look for hidden gold bunny statues. The winner gets delicious chocolate treats. 
• Zoonormous Egg Hunt: Visit London Zoo and walk past monkeys, lions, and giraffes to look for hidden chocolate eggs. 
• Musical: Watch a musical performance related to Easter in London with your family. 

• St Paul's Cathedral 
• Corpus Christi Catholic Church 
• Westminster Cathedral 

• Kahani, Belgravia: Try tandoori lamb chops with charred edges, or look for the special Easter menu if you’re vegetarian/vegan. 
• The George, Fitzrovia: Slow-roasted lamb served with garlic and herb sauce is the perfect Easter dish. 
• Quo Vadis, Soho: Pink lamb and eel sandwich cannot be missed! 
  
  

• Workshops: Children engage in Easter egg painting workshops. 
• Egg Hunt: Decorated eggs are first hidden and then searched for in family parks. 
• Easter Bread: Markets are filled with local food items like Folar de Páscoa (Easter bread).  

• Bolhão Market: Watch the first Easter Fair in Bolhão Market. 
• Confeitaria Ateneia: Try the famous Pão-de-Ló at this renowned bakery and coffee shop. 
• Mercearia do Bolhão: Get your Folar from here to celebrate Easter.  

• Wine Tasting: Try pairing Portuguese cheese with port wine. 
• Attend Exhibitions: Attend some of the several events or exhibitions related to Easter.  
• Witness Traditions: Several Portuguese traditions can be seen during your time here.  

• Nossa Senhora da Esperanca Church 
• Sé do Porto Cathedral 
• The Church of São Francisco 
• Igreja da Trindade 
• Igreja e Tueste dos Clérigos 

• Zwanzgerle: Every Easter Monday, adults are challenged by children to break their Easter eggs. Adults attempt to break eggs by throwing coins. In case an egg breaks, the adult gets it.  
• Eiertütsche: The German-speaking Switzerland celebrates this custom, which involves hitting two Easter eggs against one another to see which person has better technique or which egg has a harder shell. 
• Easter Egg Hunt: Parents hide small Easter cakes, chocolates eggs, and chocolates bunnies in the house or garden for the kids to find.  
• Egg Decoration: Flowers and leaves for decoration and onion skin for color are used for traditional egg decoration. 

• Château-d'Œx: Visit Château-d'Œx to participate in Easter egg hunt. 
• Holy Week: Take part in Holy Week processions in Gstaad.  
• Exhibitions: Attend Easter exhibitions that take place across the town.  

• St. Peter's Anglican Church 
• St. Mauritius Church Saanen 
• Parish St. Josef 

• Holy Week: Religious rituals and processions take place throughout the week. 
• Easter Mass: Occurs at Notre Dame, which truly moves a person. 
• Church Bells Belief: Children believe that the church bells fly to the Vatican on Thursday and on Easter Sunday, they come dropping chocolates.  

• Sacré-Cœur Basilica: Visit Sacré-Cœur Basilica to enjoy Easter in the Parisien style.  
• Patisserie: Visit renowned French patisseries and chocolatiers like Patrick Roger and Pierre Hermé for chocolate-filled Easter bunnies and eggs.  
• Tourist Attractions: Visit tourist attractions like La Tour Eiffel and Le Louvre at Easter since they’re all open.  

• Notre-Dame de Paris 
• Saint-Sulpice 
• Saint-Eustache 

• Ritz: Enjoy the luxurious festive brunch at Ritz, where kids can also participate in the Easter egg hunt. 
• Molitor: With the weekend being completely dedicated to chocolate, Molitor is hosting an Easter brunch buffet. It will feature special dishes like the "tout choco" cocktail, chocolate ravioli with cremone mustard, and grand veneur beef chuck confit. 
• The Sofitel Le Scribe Paris Opéra: Expect delicious viennoiserie, Brioche French toast with red berries and Chantilly cream, chocolate and hazelnut pancakes, a lamb dish, and much more.  
  
  

• The Vatican Tale: The French belief of bells flying to the Vatican shared above is also believed by children in Rome since the bells are believed to come to get blessed by the Pope in Rome. This is why there are several bell-shaped chocolates here. 
• Palm Sunday: The Palm Sunday Mass occurs in St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City. 
• Colomba: Colomba is the Easter Italian sweet dish, which is a cake that is somewhat like a panettone.  
  
  

• St. Peter’s Basilica: Visit St. Peter’s Basilica on Easter.  
• The Colosseum: Go to the Colosseum on Good Friday where the Way of Cross occurs.  
• St. Peter’s Square: Go to this place on Easter. It is the heart of all Easter celebrations in Rome.  
  
  

• St. Peter's Basilica 
• Santa Maria in Aracoeli 
• Santa Sabina 
• Santa Maria del Popolo 
• Pantheon 

• Ristorante Pagliaccio: Enjoy your Easter meal at this Michelin-starred restaurant in Italy.  
• La Ciambella Bar à Vin con Cucina: Get ready for the restaurant’s modern take on Roman dishes. You will also be served a surprise Easter dessert. 
• Osteria Fratelli Mori: Looking for Roman home-cooked food? This place will give you exactly the vibe of a home-cooked Easter meal.  

• Holy Fire: Flown by a chartered plane from Jerusalem, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch uses it for lighting 33 candles on Good Friday. 
• Services: Midnight Resurrection Services are held at churches like Metropolitan Cathedral. 
• Easter Sunday: Fireworks and midnight feast are the key highlights of Easter Sunday’s Midnight Mass. 
  
  

• Central Market: Visit a market like Varvakios and buy Easter-related stuff. You'll find people buying lamb all around. 
• Church: Visit a church in Athens to attend prayers and celebrate Easter. 
  
  

• Panagia Kapnikarea  
• The Metropolis Cathedral of Athens 

• Agora Select: The restaurant is popular for its Saturday Resurrection Dinner and Sunday’s Easter Lunch. Enjoy the specially curated menu by the expert chef.  
• Mappemonde Rooftop Restaurant Bar & Lounge: Located on the 10th floor of the Athens Capital Hotel, this restaurant offers scenic views of the Lycabettus Hill and Acropolis. Enjoy the spit-roasted lamb along with other Easter delicacies here. 
• Taverna 37: The restaurant is located at a beachfront hotel, which already makes the experience special. Besides, it hosts Easter Sunday every year to celebrate the festival in a traditional manner.  

• La Burreta: On Palm Sunday, a religious procession takes place that commemorates Jesus’s arrival in Jerusalem. People put palm or olive oil leaves outside their doors to protect their homes from evil. 
• Catalan Dance: At plazas and streets in Barcelona, people perform the Catalan folk dance to symbolize community spirit and unity. 
• Easter Mona (Mona de Pasqua): A cake popular in Barcelona, Easter Mona is a decorated and colorful cake that marks the beginning of the spring season.  

Best Places to Celebrate Easter 

• Easter Sunday Mass: At Sagrada Família, Easter Sunday Mass begins at 9 AM. Remember to reach there by 8:30 AM so you don’t miss anything. 
• Barri Gòtic: Visit this neighborhood to witness processions that involve scenes from the Passion of Christ and traditional music.  

• Basilica of Santa María del Mar  
• Sagrada Família 
• Barcelona Cathedral 
• Special Easter Dishes  

• Torrijas: Similar to French toast, torrijas are thick pieces of bread served with sugar and honey. They are soaked in egg and milk and fried in olive oil.  
• Buñuelos: These are cream-filled balls of dough eaten on Easter and Halloween.  
• Bacalao: A salt cod, this dish is served with potatoes or in a stew, depending on the place. 
  
  

Easter Traditions 

• Palm Sunday: People tend to carry palm branches in a procession commemorating Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem. 
• Maundy Thursday: This day is focused on the Last Supper during a special church service and places emphasis on Jesus washing the feet of his disciples.  
• Good Friday: Catholics fast on this day and attend a service focused on the crucifixion of Jesus.  

• Newbridge House & Farm: Participate in the Color Me Farm Easter Competition and get your pictures displayed there throughout the holidays. You might even get a hamper full of mouthwatering treats.  
• Malahide Castle: If you’re traveling with kids, don’t skip this place. The Easter Fun Family Day here includes arts and crafts, games, face painting, and much more. 
• Clonfert Pet Farm: Enjoy a disco, treasure hunt, and a fun fair at the Easter Festival here.  

• St. Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Marlborough St 
• St. Theresa's Church, Clarendon Street 
• University Church, St. Stephen's Green 

• Lunch Buffet: Enjoy Eggstravagent Afternoon Tea Delights as well as lunch on Easter Sunday at The Court Yard Hotel. Savor seasonal vegetables, a carvery with roast meats, and much more.  
• Hot Cross Buns: Try these delicious pastries that have a cross on the top symbolizing Jesus’s crucifixion. In Dublin, these are usually eaten on Good Friday.  
• Lamb: The Lamb used to be considered a symbol of spring. Today, eating lamb at Easter is mainly to commemorate the death as well as the resurrection of God.  
• Simnel Cake: Topped with 11 balls representing apostles, Simnel cake is made of marzipan and dried fruits.  

• Union Street Easter Parade: The world-famous parade consists of family entertainment options, festive foods, and holiday activities. 
• Easter in the Park: Hosted for free by The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, this event includes the Hunky Jesus Contest and Easter celebration for children.  
• Easter Egg Hunts: Several Easter egg hunts are organized where children look for hidden eggs. They usually tend to roam around with baskets filled with eggs.  

• Historic Angel Island Tram Tour: Take a tram tour, hike, or rent a bike to take the historic Angel Island tour. You will have a great time on Easter here.  
• Easter Bunny Photo-Hop: Register yourself in advance to meet the Easter Bunny and engage in a hunt for eggs.  
• Bon Air Easter Bunny Burrow: Visit this outdoor marketplace where you will get to meet Easter Bunny as well as enjoy jellybeans and much more. 

• St. Dominic’s Catholic Church 
• St. Paul’s Catholic Church 
• St. Ignatius Church 

• The Laurel Court Restaurant & Bar: Celebrate Easter Sunday by indulging yourself in a special brunch here. Also, enjoy the Easter Bunny photoshoot, live music, and egg hunt.  
• Ghirardelli Square: At Ghirardelli Chocolate Company, buy Easter special chocolates of various flavors, including fruit, nuts, mint, caramel, and much more. After all, it’s Easter! 
• Lazy Bear: Delicious lamb dishes on Easter at Lazy Bear San Francisco.  

• Keukenhof Tulip Gardens: Visit the largest flower expo in the world, Keukenhof. The flowers are blooming around Easter.  
• The Albert Cuypmarkt: This market is open on Friday and Saturday. Visit the place to get the festive vibe of Easter. You can also buy paasstol (the almond and dried fruit bread) and colored eggs.  
• Church: Attend an Easter church service. You can even ask for a special English church service, which almost all churches provide on Easter. 

• Oude Kerk 
• De Krijtberg 
• Westerkerk   

• Pannenkoekenboot: Pannenkoekenboot or Pancake Boat is popular for hosting Easter cruises and brunches. Eat as many pancakes as you want with whichever garnishing you like! 
• Hotel Okura: From chocolate eggs to desserts and pastries, indulge yourself in a once-in-a-lifetime experience at a Michelin-starred restaurant.  
• Amstel Intercontinental Hotel: Black truffle, white asparagus, hollandaise, and moist sponge cake – some of the delicacies you’ll be enjoying during your Easter brunch here.