Pink and yellow flowers decorate an arch April 10, 2025, at the Easter market in the old town square in Prague, Czech Republic. (iStock)
Easter Sunday is fast approaching, and the closer it gets, the greater the options for celebrating this holiest of Christian holidays. From colorful markets selling spot-on solutions for spring spruce-ups to solemn religious processions, there’s plenty happening in the run-up to Easter across Europe.
Markets
Austria: Vienna is home to many Easter markets, including one with an exceptionally pretty backdrop: the Schönbrunn Palace. In addition to stalls selling handicrafts and décor, there’s a special zone where younger kids will find amusements such as a maze, carousel, Ferris wheel and mini-golf course. The Easter Market on the Freyung Square, centered around a tower crafted of 40,000 painted eggs, offers a more old-fashioned flair. Here visitors can sample tastes of the season from roasted lamb to sweet breads as young visitors are entertained by puppet shows and creative workshops. Schönbrunn’s market is open from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. daily through April 19. Online: ostermarkt-schoenbrunn.at
Czech Republic: Prague is awash in Easter markets, known locally as Velikonoční trhy, with the two largest taking place at the Old Town and Wenceslas Squares. From dozens of festively decorated wooden huts, vendors offer their brightly painted eggs, wicker baskets, whips adorned with ribbons and other seasonal décor. Music and folkloric performances are offered on a stage, and a specially erected observation bridge allows visitors to enjoy a bird’s eye view of the hustle and bustle below. At times, craftsmen will be on site to demonstrate their skills. Foods to sample on site range from giant spit-roasted hams to sweet dumplings, perhaps washed down with mead or a hot apple punch. The Old Town market remains open through April 12. Online: tinyurl.com/bducfdhb
France: With its canals, overflowing window boxes and half-timbered houses, Alsace’s charming city of Colmar is worth a visit anytime, but never more so than near Easter, when two markets, one at the Place des Dominicains and the other at the Place de l’Ancienne Douane, do a lively trade in plants, beauty products, jewelry, toys, tableware, ceramics, local specialities such as fine wines, charcuterie, cheeses and not least Lamala, a traditional cake in a lamb-shaped mold. The markets run 10 a.m.-7 p.m. daily from April 2-26. Online: tinyurl.com/29tcxzey
Germany: The Nuremberg Easter Market can trace its history as far back as 1424, when a market known as the “Häferlesmarkt” saw a lively trade in pottery and ceramics, goods that can still be procured here. Nowadays, mugs and jugs are joined by the likes of textiles, floral arrangements, handicrafts made of natural materials such as wicker and straw, and plenty of prettily decorated eggs. The market’s some 100 stalls await visitors 10 a.m.-7 p.m. daily through April 6. Online: tinyurl.com/ye2aj89b
The town of St. Goarshausen perches directly on the Rhine; high above it is found the Loreley plateau, the site of a stage for major concerts throughout the summer season and from April 4-6, a Knight’s Tournament and Easter Market. In addition to the jousting tournaments that take place daily, visitors can take in live music and theater. Jesters, maidens and other costumed characters wander among the 60 stands selling jewelry, leatherware, stones and other eyecatchers. Entry costs 15 euros for adults (10 euros for those who turn up in convincing costumes) and 8 euros for school-age children. Online: tinyurl.com/2s3jh5b8
Italy’s unique traditions
Florence celebrates Easter Sunday with a literal bang, as the Scoppio del Carro, a ritual dating back some nine centuries, once again unfolds. Crowds gather round the Piazza del Duomo to watch the arrival of an elaborate wagon standing three stories tall, pulled by a pair of white oxen draped in garlands and accompanied by costumed drummers, flag throwers and civil and church officials. Inside the cathedral, the Archbishop sets a dove-shaped rocket alight, which in turn flies down a wire to collide with the wagon, which has been rigged with fireworks. When the arsenal goes up in smoke as planned, Florence’s citizens can breathe a little easier, as luck and a good harvest are sure to follow. The ritual gets underway from 10 a.m. Online: tinyurl.com/2uwhhv6d
The city of Trapani on the west coast of Sicily marks Good Friday with a procession that gets underway at 2 p.m. and ends a full day later. In this ritual known as the Mysteries of Trapani, 20 centuries-old statues representing the Passion and Death of Christ are adorned with floral arrangements and silver finery and placed atop wooden bases. Teams of ten men, their pace set by the musicians in their midst, then carry these sculptures throughout the city streets before returning to home base, the baroque Church of Purgatory. Online: tinyurl.com/272s3faw
Belgium’s Easter Parade
Herve, a town near Liège, in Belgium’s Walloon Region, always celebrates Easter Mondays in a big way, and the 148th edition of its annual Cavalcade promises to be no exception. The parade’s lineup includes folk groups, musical ensembles, brass bands, effigies of giants, three equestrian groups and 120 draft horses tasked with pulling the numerous decorated wagons. The procession sets off from Place Albert at 2:30 p.m. on April 6. Access to the town center at this time costs 4 euros. Online: cavalcadeherve.be
