Rome... a few days before Easter or just after?
 

I am officially kicking off planning for our April 2009 trip to Italy. The vacation days are tied to DD's school holiday so there is not much flexibility in this window unless we just go the last week of May.

We will be leaving on April 2 and returning on April 20. The critical dates for 2009 are from Good Friday, April 10 to Monday, April 14.

The high-level plan is either A:
- Rome (5 days)
- somewhere in Tuscany over Easter
- Florence
- Venice

Or B, the reverse itinerary:
- Venice
- Florence
- somewhere in Tuscany over Easter (including Monday after Easter)
- Rome

So does anyone have an idea of when will Rome be less chaotic?

Should I skip the April window and go last week of May and first two weeks of June? Would this throw me into high season already?

You're going to pay high season prices at Eastertime, so you might as well go for the better shot at consistently sunny (perhaps even hot) weather.

It is easier to be in a big city like Rome during the actual Easter feast time because more will be open. However, if you are going to a Tuscan town in the tourist belt, it will get a very lively Easter tourist trade.

To the extent that Roma gets a lot of pilgrims at Easter it is not "chaotic." They go to St. Peter's by and large. Anyway, Roma is always chaotic, more or less, with lots of pilgrims and tourists. Unless you go in mid-January, it can't be avoided.

If you do go over Easter, be aware of the holiday schedules for most public transportation. This can mightily affect one's ability to catch early morning flights! Also, many local people travel so pick up train tickets a day or so earlier than you might normally for weekday and maybe a week in advance for weekend travel. This was our impression from a previous trip-could have been a fluke? Other Fodorites??
That being said, you might enjoy the atmosphere at Easter.

Not only are you thinking of going during your daughter's spring break, but that will be thousands of other schools (US) spring breaks and it will be the European schools Easter break. If you look at a few hotel websites, you'll discover that Easter and Christmas are the highest priced times (usually more than any other time -spring/summer).

I would go in May.

No, not a fluke. You need to be keenly aware of holiday changes in schedules for transportation, and also know that you are in competition with Italians -- who love to travel domestically over Eastertime -- for train tickets, flights, car rentals and hotel rooms.

It is, or can be at least, *really* hot in Rome in early June. We were there at that time, and could only stand an hour or two outdoors before needing to retreat to cooler environs. Rome is a place where it is nice to be able to walk for extended periods and when the heat prevents that it makes some people--like me :) very cranky.

Thanks! I am inclined towards April because of my projects at work. I have researched a bit for April and May airfare and hotels and I am not seeing a lot of difference.

OTOH, May would probably bring better weather.

My plan is NOT to be in Rome over the Easter weekend. We plan to rent a car and go visit the countryside (currently Pienza and Spello are looking like good bases) so during this period I would not be dependant on public transportation or going crazy because of quirky museum opening hours.

So, regardless of the Easter factor, would May be better than April?

I have been there in March and found the weather to be OK, on the cooler side. Heat is not a problem, I live in a tropical island.

I for one have lost track of what you are asking internet posters to help you decide.

You say Easter is not a factor in your sightseeing plans, cost is not a factor, and weather is not a factor.

Your work projects are a factor?

Nobody here can help you choose about that.

You don't seem to think the Romans will want to escape the city/Easter crowds and head to Tuscany (along with Brits, Germans, Swiss, etc.) and everyone else in Europe with Easter breaks.

The Easter period would be better for me to take vacations than May. DD has two weeks vacations in April but she is out of school the third week of May. The downside is that he sport clinics should start the second week of June so that would limit the trip again to just over two weeks.

Cost is a BIG factor for this trip but I have kayak'ed, expedia'ed and venere'd and have not found dramatic differences in the hotel rates or airfare between April and May.... they are ALL high.

So if I decide to go in April, my question is: is there a difference going to Rome <i>the week before Easter</i> or <i>the week after</i>?

At this point I am thinking that the difference will be negligeable and would go to Rome first and get the chaos over with (sorry, but I always find Rome chaotic).

Thanks to all for being my soundboard! I'm thinking this through as I type.

If you always find Rome chaotic, you are not going to find it any more chaotic the week before or the week after Easter.

OK, your first question: Rome before or after Easter?

I vote AFTER for the reasons I mentioned earlier-there will be many Italians travelling: many students on break and others visiting family for Easter.

Again, watch holiday schedules for travel and get your train tickets in advance (folks will be returning from visits also!).

For going before, on the other hand, Easter decorations and bakeries will be attractive and many of the churches may be open longer. We had an awesome Easter lunch in Bellagio BTW-reserve early for those.

I also vote AFTER Easter. I was in Florence this past year for the two weeks leading up to Easter. The first week the historic center had plenty of tourists, but not so many that there were many lines to speak of or unpleasant crowding on the streets. The weekend and week before Easter, the center was packed with American tourists and school groups from many countries. After years of traveling to Florence off-season, I finally understood the complaints from travelers about how crowded and unpleasant Florence is. While Rome is more spread out than Florence, I expect the major tourist sights you would be visiting would experience the same kind of tourist crush.

The dates are set: May 22 - June 14 :D

Thanks for all the feedback!