Rome Easter 2025 · 5 tips and tricks for Easter in Rome

For pilgrims and tourists, Easter in Rome is not just a church festivity. You can enjoy the pleasant climate, nature, art and good food.

St. Peter’s Basilica and Dome

Admission to St. Peter’s Basilica is free. Unfortunately, there is currently no option for priority skip the line entry and so you can expect long waits at the security checkpoint. There are short waits in the early morning just after opening at 7:00.

St. Peter’s Basilica, dome and grottoes are closed during the Pope’s masses and audiences. You can find details in the calendar below.

Guided tours

At Easter, many guided tours are also booked up early. You can book a variety of tours with our partner Getyourguide. Rome Tours at Getyourguide

Shopping

All shops are open on Good Friday. Good Friday is a normal working day in Rome. Easter Sunday and Easter Monday are similarly high holidays in Rome as Christmas. Easter Sunday – Pasqua – is a family day, on Easter Monday – Pasquetta – the Romans visit friends and have lunch together. The shopping centers and many shops in the center and all shops in the periphery are closed. The shops in Termini Central Station and individual small fruit and grocery stores in the center are open. The luxury supermarket with restaurants Eataly is open. It is behind the Pyramide / Ostiense train station metro B, tram 3.

The Porta Portese flea market is also open on Easter Sunday. Here you will find everything from junk to antiques. Be careful of pickpockets! Tram 3 + 8 8 – 13

The so-called minimarkets are also open. There, however, you pay very high prices.

Eating out

Sweet Easter bread, Easter eggs, boiled eggs and Easter pizza are part of the Roman tradition of Easter breakfast. The Romans are not used to an extensive breakfast, but it must be at Easter.

Many also combine a late breakfast with lunch for a brunch lasting several hours. Artichokes are still in season until the end of April and are prepared in a variety of ways. Pickled as “Carciofi alla Romana” or fried as “Carciofi alla Giudia”, in pancakes “Frittata” or with offal “Coratella con Carciofi” are just a few of the preparation options.

Furthermore, it includes a selection of antipasti, cheese and cold cuts, savory pastries, a soup. This is followed by a first course of pasta and potato gnocchi and then, obligatory, the lamb “Agnello” or “Abbacchio”. Finally there is the classic “Colomba”, a yeast pastry with candied fruit and almonds in the shape of a pigeon, desserts of the Neapolitan tradition and all kinds of dessert variations.

As some restaurants may be closed on Easter Sunday and Easter Monday, a reservation is recommended. Many Romans go to the sea and therefore you won’t find a table in Ostia without a reservation.

Roman cuisine can be found in the ghetto, and on the Tiber island at Sora Lella. Also in Trastevere you will find a variety of trattorie and restaurants.

For brunch and lunch on Easter holidays, we have gathered some ideas for you. We also recommend our article Brunch in Rome. In any case, you should make a reservation.

In the heart of Trastevere, Via Natale del Grande 52, you will find Eggs. The name is program with egg dishes and variations of Carbonara. On Easter Sunday and Easter Monday you will get a classic Roman Easter breakfast here.

In the Pigneto district you will find a lunch menu in the Bistrot Pigneto 1870, Via del Pigneto 25. Bus 81, local train RMG from Termini, departure at the exit of the regional train station, opposite the hotel Radisson Blu, until the stop Ponte Casilino.

Brunch is available at Rosti in Pigneto, there is also a garden. Via Bartolomeo d’Alviano 65, Metro C Station Pigneto.

You get an organic brunch in the Testaccio district at the Ketumbar, via Galvani 24, Metro B station Piramide.

Near the metro station Cipro is the Bistrot Secondo Tradizione, in via Rialto 39. Here you will find Roman cuisine.

Between the Parliament and the Pantheon in Piazza Capranica is the wine bar Collegio. The family owns a well-known winery in the region. Here too you will find traditional cuisine.

At the end of the market Porta Portese, at Lungotevere Portuense 200, you will find the restaurant Pasticcio on the 5th floor Pasticcio. Here you can enjoy a well-kept brunch with a view.

A popular bistro with organic products is Vivi Bistrot in the Villa Pamphili, just the thing for the holiday in the parks of Rome. There are now several branches, in Palazzo Braschi at Piazza Navona, in Via della Mercede 50 in the center and in the Rinascente department store in Via del Tritone.

For a trip to the countryside we propose you the Via Appia Antica. You simply take bus 118 from Piazza Venezia and get off at the Calixtus Catacombs or at the Catacombs of St. Sebastian. It’s about a two miles walk from the Circus Maximus on Via di Porta San Sebastiano. By bus 218 from San Giovanni you can get off at Quo Vadis or at Ardeatina / San Sebastiano. More about the Catacombs>

A noble and well known place is the L’Archeologia opposite St. Sebastian. Opposite the mausoleum of Cecilia Metella is the nice and simple garden restaurant Il Giardino di Giulia e Fratelli. Right next to it you will find the top location Hostaria Antica Roma, which is owned by the same family.