Last Updated on January 31, 2022 by Cody Livingston
We are so consumed with our work and daily chores that we stop caring for our bodies and souls. Getting sufficient rest is essential for a happy and healthy life, and travelling is an effective way to do so.
Nice spring flowers, mild weather, and terrific events. Easter is a wonderful time to travel around the world. The Easter weekend in 2022 falls from April 15 to 18, making it an ideal time to witness the seasonal change. If you want to celebrate Easter away from home, now is the time to start planning. Here are the top nine most exclusive Easter destinations in this post:
1 – Vatican City
Vatican City is probably the most significant place to celebrate Easter. The Vatican City, being the seat of the Roman Catholic Church, is particularly meaningful during Easter when massive crowds gather around St. Peter’s Basilica to witness the ceremony. Thousands from all around the world gather in this holy city to celebrate the festival of resurrection. The holy city-state of Vatican City is located within Rome and attracts visitors all year for its historic architecture, which is home to a plethora of Roman statues and Renaissance art.
Read More: Where Solo Travellers should visit in 2022
2 – San Francisco, USA
San Francisco is famous for its annual Union Street Easter Parade, which attracts large people to this city every year to witness. The festival is now in its 26th year. Everyone in the city comes together on this special occasion to celebrate the parade and street fair with a variety of activities, food vendors, and entertainment. It is one of the best places to spend your Easter weekend and enjoy the festivities. Apart from the festivities, you can also take a tour of the Golden Gate Bridge and various other attractions in the cities.
Read More: 9 best International places to enjoy Ice and Snow
3 – Cusco, Peru
Easter or Semana Santa (as known locally) is traditionally observed all around Peru, thanks to the country’s pre – Columbian roots that still follow Catholic traditions. Cusco is at the centre of the festivities in Peru during Easter. A week-long schedule of processions and parties are organised all around the city. Locals and visitors from around the globe come out to experience the city’s street charm and also to sample the holiday’s distinctive delicacies.
Read More: Best Spring break Destinations around the World
4 – New York City, USA
Just like all the celebrations in New York, Easter weekend is also celebrated with great zeal and enthusiasm. The annual Easter Parade and Bonnet Festival of this city date back to the late 19th century. Started as a cultural and religious tradition in which women would dress up in their finest clothes to attend Easter celebrations at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, which has now transformed into a fashion spectacle. The streets of New York City glitters for the weekend with colourful people parading as the area surrounding St. Patrick’s Cathedral becomes the hotspot to view the festivities as it happens.
Read More: Seven Best Cities to celebrate St Patrick’s Day
5 – New Orleans, USA
New Orleans and celebrations go hand in hand, especially when it comes to religious celebrations. New Orleans is still mostly Catholic and therefore festivities start with the church services beginning at sunrise. The mood of the city changes as the day progresses, as the services are completed, the parade begins. People in their vibrant outfits march across the street dancing and celebrating the spirit of revival.
There are three parades alone in the French Quarters. New Orleanians celebrate Easter in a variety of ways, and tourists mix with them with ease. Many of the city’s most well-known restaurants have special brunches to commemorate the celebrations, and Easter egg hunts are held in various locations.
6 – Leonidio, Greece
Leonidio, Greece has to be one of the top places to visit to experience Easter. There are many traditions in this city that have been going on since the late 1800s including the night of the Resurrection (Holy Saturday) competition in which hundreds of colourful handmade hot-air balloons are released into the sky along with fireworks. The different parishes of the town compete to keep as many balloons as possible up in the air for the longest period of time.
On Holy Saturday, another Easter tradition is to burn the statue of Judas on dry twigs. On Easter Sunday, the main square is filled with music and dancing as people release hot air balloons into the sky.
7 – Florence, Italy
Yes, another city from Italy where you can celebrate Easter like nowhere else. In Florence, there is a long-standing Easter ritual dating back to the 11th century. On Easter morning, a team of elegantly painted white oxen drag a thirty-foot ancient cart (almost 500 years old) through the streets of Florence, which is known as Scoppio del Carro which means ‘the explosion of the cart’.
The cart is loaded with fireworks while a wire stretching to the altar inside the church of Santa Maria del Fiore, is connected with a mechanical dove. The fuse in the dove is burned during Easter Mass, igniting the cart and creating a spectacular explosion. According to folklore, if all falls into place and the cart explodes, the residents of Florence will have a very prosperous year.
8 – Jamaica
When it comes to Easter celebrations, Jamaica has to be at the top of the list. Celebrations here reflect authentic island character and are more lavish than those held across the world.
The Jamaica Easter Carnival is the country’s largest cultural event, with a parade that begins at sunrise and concludes with a colourful “Road March”. Furthermore, a costumed street procession with prominent local and regional bands performing calypso and reggae follows the parade. Easter events take place around the island, with parades in Ocho Rios, Montego Bay, and Negril. Another Jamaican Easter ritual is to eat cinnamon and raisin buns with cheese.
9 – Vogtaland, Germany
Vogtland during the Easter holidays is filled with lush green forests and magnificent mountains. Vogtland is a district in southwest Germany, close to Saxony. Although this town doesn’t celebrate Easter in a traditional way, thousands of tourists flock to this city during their Easter break to appreciate its picturesque surroundings. Vogtaland offers plenty of hiking trails and outdoor activities making it an ideal destination around Easter.
There are many castles and monuments around the town characterising German history, one such is the spectacular Goltzsch Valley Bridge, the world’s largest brick bridge.
Other than these destinations, you can enjoy your Easter weekend in other cities like Paris, Prague, and Los Angeles to embrace blessing traditions or embark on a weekend break to relax and recharge yourself in cities like Marrakech, Lisbon, and more.
3 thoughts on “Nine Places to Celebrate Easter in 2022”