Is Easter Monday a holiday in Italy? Discover how Italians celebrate

While Easter Sunday brings families together in a solemn ritual of conviviality, more closely tied to the religious sphere than to the popular one, there's another date Italians await with trepidation and a hint of superstition (because it often rains!). This date is Easter Monday, commonly called Pasquetta, the day after Easter Sunday which this year falls on April 6th.

But why is Easter Monday another holiday in Italy? Is it just an extension of national public holidays, or is there something deeper that connects the Italian people to this day based on lightheartedness? Easter Monday in Italy is much more than a date on the calendar.

With this guide you'll finally find out what this day represents, why it's celebrated so passionately in Italy, and how a religious event has transformed into a national day of trips out of town, barbecues, and picnics with family and friends.

To fully understand the meaning of this day, we need to delve into the texts and myths of the Christian religious tradition, which has always been dominant in Italy. The official name of the holiday is Angel Monday, derived from the evangelical story in which Mary Magdalene, along with other women, went to Jesus' tomb and found an angel who announced the Resurrection.

Another religious term for this sacred Monday is Lunedì in Albis, from the Latin in albis vestibus (meaning, in white robes), a distinctive feature of the baptized people during the Easter Vigil. The custom requires wearing of a white tunic for an entire week, until the Sunday following Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday).

But if this explains the religious connotation of Easter Monday, where does the term Pasquetta come from? For Italians, it's an affectionate term of endearment, literally a little Easter which tones down its strictly sacred nature to make way for much more carefree and popular vibes.

Interestingly, unlike millennia-old religious holidays like Christmas, Easter Monday only became a public holiday in Italy in 1949. The reason is to be found in the Anglo-Saxon influence of the post World War II years, with the British tradition of not paying public holidays falling on a Sunday, making them up on the following Monday, thus creating a long weekend.

Why do Italians love Easter Monday so much? Perhaps because it represents the first real opportunity for freedom and outdoor fun after the cold of winter, a day that symbolizes spring finally blossoming, with the days getting longer, the sun gradually warming and the lightheartedness of summer beginning to approach again.

While Easter Sunday is typically a family celebration, Pasquetta is often the perfect holiday to spend with friends. For many Italians, the key concept of this date is the one day trip, a phrase that evokes carefreeness and images of cars loaded with baskets full of homemade food, coolers, blankets and balls, headed to the nearest towns in the countryside, the seaside, the mountains, or by the lake.

For those who live near the coast, if the weather is fortunately warm and sunny, Easter Monday is the chance for the daring ones to attempt their first swim of the season, or at least enjoy the sea breeze and the warmth of the sand as a preview of summer.

In the countryside, the popular ritual is all about picnics and outdoor barbecues, experiences strictly enjoyed sitting on the grass or on wooden benches around rustic tables with the iconic checked tablecloths. The smell of sizzling meat for many is the official aroma of Easter Monday!

However, spring weather is notoriously weird, and many Italians are superstitious about the bad weather that often hits the country on Easter Monday.

For this reason, there's always a Plan B: many families opt for indoor activities, perhaps visiting shopping malls that organize themed events and children's entertainment, as well as cinemas and theaters that offer family-friendly afternoon shows. Museums and historic villas are also often sold out, a fascinating alternative that makes Easter Monday an opportunity to rediscover Italy's artistic heritage.

The Easter Monday food tradition is a celebration of abundance. While grilled meats - with arrosticini, sausages, hamburgers, ribs and lamb - predominate at outdoor lunches, there are also some essential regional dishes that vary from North to South and have become part of the national food culture over the years.

In Campania the undisputed king is Casatiello, a rustic leavened bread enriched with lard, pepper, cheeses and cured meats, topped with whole hard-boiled eggs nestled in the crust and held in place with dough crosses. It's the perfect snack to take on a trip: hearty, flavorful, and best of all, even better the next day! Staying in Naples, you can't miss Pastiera, the most beloved Easter dessert, a delicious rustic cake made with ricotta, shortcrust pastry and candied fruit, flavored with vanilla, orange or lemon essences.

In Liguria and many other regions the protagonist is Torta Pasqualina, a refined pastry filled with chard (alternatively artichokes), eggs and ricotta. It's the queen of picnic baskets and surely will please everyone (it's also a dish suitable for completely vegan variations).

And what about sweets? Besides the inevitable leftover chocolate eggs, especially coveted by children, Colomba remains the quintessential Easter cake for many Italians, often filled with cream or simply enjoyed plain, perhaps with a sip of wine.

Traveling in Italy over the Easter long weekend is an exciting experience, but it requires careful planning, especially for those unfamiliar with local rhythms and customs. Here are some tips for experiencing Easter Monday like a local and avoiding usual tourist mistakes.

What to do:

- Book well in advance: restaurants, accommodations and transportation can sell out quickly or increase significantly in price as the holidays approach;

- Choose small villages: unlike crowded art cities, small villages are more accessible and offer folkloric experiences and a more authentic atmosphere;

- Use public transportation, if possible: traveling by car in Italy over the Easter weekend can be truly stressful, so when available it's best to opt for public transportation;

- Check out the weather forecast: spring weather is often unstable, especially between March and April, so it's a good idea to keep an eye on the forecast and be prepared to change plans if rain and wind make it impossible to spend time outdoors.

What not to do:

- Don't travel during rush hour: traffic in Italy is particularly heavy in the late morning and early evening, then if possible it's best to travel early in the morning or after lunchtime;

- Don't expect to find offices or shops open: Easter and Easter Monday are public holidays in Italy, it's highly unlikely that supermarkets or other shops selling consumer goods will be open, except for some shopping malls;

- Don't forget a packed lunch: if you're planning a trip to remote natural areas, it's a good idea to bring your own food and drinks, as not all picnic areas have open and/or free refreshment points;

- Don't underestimate museum lines: if you want to dedicate your Easter Monday to culture and perhaps visit a big museum (such as Uffizi or Vatican Museums), we recommend booking in advance and purchasing a ticket with the skip-the-line option.