jgg

Heading to Italy for our fourth trip in late March. Will be visiting our daughter who will be studying in Rome. Will be going March March 22 - April 6 due to my son's spring break schedule. My parents are coming as well (we have traveled with them several times before). They have never been to Italy, so want to be sure they do the must sees, but I also want to be sure and go to one place I haven't been to, and we haven't been to the Amalfi Coast. Will probably stay in Sorrento or Positano. I am fully aware of what the weather will be like at this time of year, but aside from that, what will it be like during Easter weekend - everything closed? festive? Was thinking to head down on Thurs. for 3 nights. Would we be able to take the train back to Rome on Sunday (Easter) or would it be better to wait until Monday? Daughter may have to be back on Monday for class. Thanks!

kybourbon

I would be surprised if there is class on Monday as that is Easter Monday, a major holiday in Italy.

jgg

Oh, good I was hoping to hear that. The school, absolutely refuses to give out any detailed information on the schedule except for the start and end dates, until a few weeks before school starts which is Feb.4, so we won't be getting any details until Jan. I'm thinking they also won't have class on Good Friday. Right?

Maltesec

Right. I am sorry cannot remember if also Thursday is free, but you can be sure Friday and Monday are ok.

Just take care to book your trip well in advance, because it is a very crowded period.

A_Brit_In_Ischia

That's perhaps a private, or international school? For those in the state sector, holidays are set regionally, and - for instance - here in Campania, the senior school I've just checked is closed between Thursday 5th and Tuesday 10th, inclusive of both dates.

Good Friday isn't a holiday.. and for many people, like the Saturday, it will be an ordinary working day.

Easter Sunday is the big occasion.

Easter Monday (Pasquetta, little Easter) is an official public holiday.... and traditionally when lots of Neapolitan families spill out of the city - heading for a day's picnicking at the coast, on the islands or up in the hills!

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Easter marks the start of our season, and almost everywhere and everything should be open. Whilst Sorrento is very much a foreigners' resort, it would be the most interesting place to stay - as they stage some particularly wonderful Holy Week events. Try to arrive on the Thursday, as that's when things begin:

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Travel-...ocessions.html

http://www.processioni.com/
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One thing, if indeed choosing Sorrento: watch out for how the local Circumvesuviana trains are cut on Easter Sunday... and don't be lulled into a false sense of security by their online train finder, which only gets altered a day or two beforehand - and will fib to you until then!

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTop..._Campania.html

(The extra hydrofoils I'd mentioned there were to solve particular difficulties they'd had, and may well not reappear next Easter.. but who knows?)

So, not a good day for visiting Pompei, Herculaneum etc by train, even though those sites are usually open - and busy!

If you do have to head back to Rome on that Sunday, plan for a morning departure, or using a taxi to get to Naples?

And, with the area being so busy on the Monday, perhaps best to consider a fairly early start if leaving that day - rather than risk getting caught up in the throng returning to the city?
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Although hydrofoil/ferry routes such as Naples/Sorrento, Sorrento/Capri and Capri/Naples run all year, if wanting to see the Amalfi Coast from Sorrento, you'll probably have to go by road - as the sea links are unlikely to be operation quite so early in the season!

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTop..._Campania.html

However these people - who haven't been including Sorrento for some years, but do cover the AC itself, as well as Salerno and Capri - get going at the start of April (and may begin a few days earlier, to fit with the holiday's 2013 timing)...

http://www.coopsantandrea.com/eng/se...ervizi_eng.asp

... so hopefully you'd be OK once you'd got as far as Positano, by taxi or on the SITA bus:

http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/image/132567370

Peter

jgg

Peter - Thanks so much! Very helpful information. "as they stage some particularly wonderful Holy Week events." - just what I was hoping for! Thanks for the links.

A_Brit_In_Ischia

My pleasure!

Although it's not easy to visit from Sorrento at that time of year, the island of Procida has a "marvellous" procession early on Good Friday morning that we've enjoyed watching...

http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/procida1

I think there's something similar in or near Amalfi - but, of course, can't find anywhere online that offers them all in one single list!

Peter