The Easter season usually prompts a debate in Ireland on whether or not pubs should be allowed to open as normal on Good Friday, but we’re not the only place where things operate differently over the Easter weekend.
Opening hours of shops, restaurants, and popular attractions also change in many of Europe’s most popular cities. If you’ve already got a break planned, or if you’re considering arranging a last-minute getaway, you may be interested in the following:
Rome/The Vatican
As you’d probably expect, things are very different in Rome and in particular in The Vatican City over the Easter weekend. The majestic Vatican Museums are closed each day from Good Friday to Easter Monday (inclusive), for example. You can also forget about strolling through St. Peter’s Square or the Basilica at your leisure at certain times, due to the throngs of thousands who attend the open-air Easter ceremonies there.
In Rome itself, most shops and restaurants will close on Easter Sunday, while on Monday, most shops and some restaurants will remain closed. The good news though is that opening hours at historic attractions are generally unaffected, apart from The Colosseum, which will close early (1 p.m.) on Good Friday to allow preparations for a procession past there later in the day.
Barcelona
If heading for Barcelona, expect most shops to be closed on Easter Sunday – but since most close every Sunday anyway, this is not an added inconvenience. Most will remain closed on Monday though, while a large number of restaurants will also either be closed or have restricted opening hours. Your best bet for finding a restaurant sticking to normal hours may well be to confine yourself to the more tourist-oriented ones around Las Ramblas.
Lisbon
In Lisbon, shop and restaurant owners like to be good to themselves – with many closing each day from Saturday right through to Monday. It’s not far to the beach at either Cascais or Estoril though, where you can expect things to be operating normally.
Paris
Opening hours in Paris are generally unaffected for Easter, and indeed, there’s actually an added attraction you could enjoy, as it’s traditional for Parisians to enjoy a picnic in any of their many parks over the Easter weekend. Pick up some seasonal chocolate treats in a patisserie of your choice, grab a few drinks, and soak in the atmosphere of a real French family tradition!
If you are going away for Easter, we hope you enjoy your trip, and that the worst that might happen will just be a bit of difficulty in finding somewhere to have dinner.
Remember though, there’s always a chance of other things going wrong when you travel too. That’s why it’s so important to take out comprehensive travel insurance for all your holidays. The peace of mind and back-up support it can provide in the event of things going awry can make all the difference between still being able to enjoy your time away from home, or it being a complete disaster.
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- Personal Liability Cover of €2,000,000
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