I would appreciate hearing anyone's experience or expertise on things that may be available to do on Easter Sunday in Florence. I have heard about the Scopio de Carro (sp?) but haven't found any information on time, etc.<BR><BR>Any input will be much appreciated.<BR><BR>Thanks<BR>Betsy

Part 1<BR><BR>Betsy--<BR><BR>As I was trying to mentally organize a coherent description of our amazing experience in Florence on Easter Sunday 1999, I looked up scopio del carro--and learned that that's what it was!<BR><BR>Our hotelier had advised us to attend the late morning Mass (11 am?) at the Duomo and we set out with plenty of time to walk and find seating, we thought. As we got closer, the people in the street became more numerous. Seeing the crowd in the square, I swept to the right, headed for a side door that enters near the main altar.<BR><BR>My husband continued into the square to see why there was such a crowd. He would use the main door and we would meet in the section of the cathedral where we had attended Good Friday services.<BR><BR>Upon entering the cathedral I saw that the main aisle had been barricaded so you couldn't get from one side to the other and I also saw that it would be impossible to find a seat. So I positioned myself near a pillar just behind the heavy roping keeping the crowd from the open space around the main altar. I had a fine view of the altar and of the pageantry of the entrance procession of city officials and their families, seminarians, priests, bishops, and the cardinal. <BR>

<BR>Part 2<BR><BR>The Mass began. At the Gloria (which had not been sung throughout the forty days of Lent), the glorious sound of the organ, the combined choirs and the pealing bells filled the duomo with the exuberance of praise. A mechanical bird was released from its place on a tall structure before the altar and RACED along a wire the length of the main aisle, out the main door and ignited the cart of fireworks in the square!!!<BR><BR>The choirs! The organ! The bells! The fireworks! What an Easter celebration! <BR><BR>The crowd inside strained to see the spectacle outside but were unable to rush into the aisle because of the barricade. From my place so far from the main door, I could see the smoke and the glare of the fireworks.<BR><BR>As for my husband, caught in the crowd, he was unable to enter the cathedral until the Mass was over. He did see some of the entrance procession and the arrival of the cart drawn by oxen-and, of course, the fireworks!<BR><BR>http://italian.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.arca.net%2Fdb%2F events%2Fscoppio.htm<BR><BR>I hope you'll have the chance to enjoy Easter in Florence, Betsy!

Thanks! We will definitely try to see the scoppio de carro. Did you find that most restraunts and atractions were closed on Easter?<BR><BR>Thanks

On Easter 2000 I stumbled upon a flag throwing event around 10:00 a.m. in - I think it was - the P. della Republica. They were all dressed up in medieval jousters' costumes, some on horses. That was fun to watch. Very colorful. Of course, I didn't have my camera with me because I thought it would be confiscated on the way into the Uffizi, which was open. The only place I noticed that was closed that day was the laundramat I was looking for.

I have a similar post about Easter day in Rome. Does anyone have advice or ideas of how to spend the day (like what will be open!) It is the last day of my seven day trip, and I would like to make the most of it. Thanks for any input.

Wow! Great information.<BR><BR>Are celebrations as grand in Venice on Easter Sunday?