Before or After Easter in Rome
 

Are hotels crowded and more expensive before or after Easter. My 3 week vacation fall around Easter time and would like to know if it's better to arrive the week before or the week after Easter week.

I don't know but going on websites would answer your questins about prices. Don't imagine there is much difference. Do be aware that the Monday after Easter is a holiday in Italy.

Very many Italians travel at Easter and, as a result, on many hotel and agriturismo Web sites I have seen that they charge high-season rates for the immediate pre- and post-Easter period. If you can plan to arrive on the Wednesday after Easter, you can probably avoid the higher Easter rates.

That said, rates in March (before Easter) may be slightly lower than in April (after Easter). I would still prefer to go to Italy in April rather than March in the hope of finding warmer and better weather.

Yes, hotels are more expensive and crowded the week before Easter (Holy Week), when many pilgrims come to Rome beginning with the weekend preceding Palm Sunday. (Palm Sunday---the Sunday before Easter---is World Youth Day at the Vatican and it draws huge crowds.)

As Eloise mentioned, Easter Monday is a national holiday and many Italians head "south" for a holiday week.

You will find Rome less crowded immediately following Easter Sunday