Last updated: October 2026
Easter (Pasqua) in Tuscany is a big deal. Bigger than in Britain, I’d say. There are processions, blessings, a cart that explodes in front of Florence cathedral, chocolate eggs the size of a toddler, and a picnic on Monday. It’s also the start of spring, when the hills turn green and the wisteria comes out.
In 2027, Easter Sunday is 28 March.
Holy Week
The week before Easter is Settimana Santa, Holy Week.
- Palm Sunday (Domenica delle Palme): people take olive branches to church to be blessed, then take a sprig home or tuck it behind a picture for the year. Olive, not palm. This is Tuscany.
- Maundy Thursday and Good Friday: solemn services, and in many towns and villages, evening processions by candlelight through the streets.
Good Friday in Grassina
One of the best known is in Grassina, just outside Florence, in the comune of Bagno a Ripoli. On Good Friday evening, around 500 people in costume act out the Passion of Christ, a tradition that goes back generations. Moving and very atmospheric.
Blessing the houses
In the weeks before Easter, it’s an old custom in many parishes for the priest to go round blessing the houses (la benedizione delle case). If you’re staying in a village, don’t be surprised by a knock at the door, a sprinkle of holy water and a smile.
Easter Sunday in Florence: the Scoppio del Carro
The most spectacular Easter tradition in Tuscany. On Easter Sunday morning, a tall, ancient decorated cart, the Brindellone, is pulled through the streets of Florence by white oxen dressed up in garlands, with drummers and people in historic costume. It stops between the cathedral and the Baptistery.
During the Easter Mass, the archbishop lights a rocket shaped like a dove (la colombina). It whizzes out of the cathedral along a wire and sets off the cart in a great burst of fireworks, smoke and bangs. Tradition says a good, clean explosion means a good harvest.
- Get there early. The square fills up fast.
- Hold on to your bag, and your children.
- Take the train into Florence: see my Florence day trip guide.
More in my big festivals guide.
Easter food
- Colomba. A dove-shaped Easter cake, like a lighter panettone, topped with sugar and almonds.
- Chocolate eggs. Huge, wrapped in shiny paper, with a surprise inside. The bigger the egg, the smaller the surprise, in my experience.
- Schiacciata di Pasqua. The Easter sweet bread of Livorno and Pisa, tall and soft, flavoured with aniseed. Lovely with a coffee.
- Lamb. Roast lamb (agnello) is the classic Easter lunch.
- Boiled eggs are often on the table too, sometimes blessed at church first.
Pasquetta: Easter Monday
Easter Monday (Pasquetta, “little Easter”) is a public holiday, and in Italy it means one thing: a picnic or a day out with friends. Everyone heads for the hills, the beach or a trattoria in the country. In 2027 it’s on 29 March.
So expect busy roads and full restaurants. Book lunch if you want to eat out.
Tips for Easter in Tuscany
- Book early. Easter is a busy holiday weekend for Italians as well as visitors.
- Check opening times. Some museums and shops close or change hours on Easter Sunday and Pasquetta.
- Dress respectfully in churches, especially in Holy Week.
- Pack layers. Spring weather in Tuscany is changeable: sunny one hour, cold and wet the next. My packing guide can help.
- Look out for 25 April (Liberation Day) and 1 May (Labour Day). They’re public holidays too, and sometimes make a long weekend.
Buona Pasqua!
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Susan
Photo credits: The white oxen at the Scoppio del Carro, Florence (photo: Celuici, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons). All other photos are my own.
