The Art of Italian Easter: Lamb, Coastal Escapes and the Calcio Spirit

In Italy, Pasqua is less of a calendar date and more of a shift in the national psyche. It is the moment the country collectively exhales, shakes off the winter, and prioritises rituals with those they love.

Easter is an affair of high drama and wholesome simplicity. You have the heavy, often solemn weight of the processions, followed immediately by the chaotic joy of the scampagnata – a family picnic in the great outdoors.

To truly understand the importance of this time of year, we spoke to three locals to find out how they celebrate across the country.

The Traditions

In the central and southern regions, the religious heritage remains the backbone of the weekend. Alessandro, who was born and raised in L’Aquila (just north of Rome), told us that the traditions are hyper-specific to each town.

“In Sulmona there’s the traditional procession of Madonna che scappa (the Dashing Madonna), whilst in L’Aquila there’s a Good Friday procession,” he explained. “Across Italy, generally speaking, lamb is traditionally eaten on Easter Sunday. It’s a time of year when the weather is mild and pleasant – in an area like the Amalfi Coast, spring is just beginning to show itself.”

For Alessandro, it’s all about the “Easter pizzas” and the lamb – a culinary non-negotiable. But as you move further south to Sicily, the food takes on an even more artisanal, communal feel.

Piero, owner of the incredible seafood restaurant Trattoria Da Piero in Palermo, explains that his city treats Easter as an invitation to share. A Palermitan tradition called Pupo con l’uovo – a shortcrust pastry doll with a boiled egg encased inside, and finished off with thousands of coloured sprinkles – is a nostalgic Easter treat, once baked at home and then offered to neighbours who couldn’t afford the dessert.

The Scampagnata and the Stadium

If Easter Sunday is for the family and the church, Easter Monday (known as Pasquetta) belongs to the outdoors, and inevitably, to football. In Palermo, the locals migrate to Parco della Favorita.

“Scampagnata is the sort of picnic where people prepare the food at home – mainly pasta and bread – and then head out to open fields with the family,” Piero said. “We play football, enjoy some wine, and then we might have a barbecue with Palermo-style sausages and artichokes grilled over charcoal.”

The choice of location isn’t accidental; the park sits right in the shadow of the Stadio Renzo Barbera. In Italy, the beautiful game is never far from the dinner table, especially with Serie A and Serie B returning from the international break and games across Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

The Northern Migration

While Southerners head to the parks, the Northerners head for the water. For those in Turin or Milan, Easter is the first real opportunity to head out of the city and get back into nature.

Pier, from Turin, follows the classic Piedmontese exodus to the Ligurian coast.

“For Easter, I will go to Alassio – it’s like entering the atmosphere of summer. For the children, it is nice because you can have a relaxing time on the beach, playing football or just dipping your feet in the sea – the water is still too cold.”

Across the country, the highlight for the kids remains the uova di Pasqua – huge chocolate eggs containing a hidden gift. And for a nation obsessed with its football clubs, these aren’t just any toys.

“The children go crazy,” Pier laughs. “There is a lot of stuff from the football. We had two Juventus eggs with stickers and caps.”

A Time To Celebrate

Whether Italians are eating grilled artichokes in a Sicilian park, watching a dashing Madonna in a medieval Abruzzo square, or unwrapping a Juventus-themed egg while overlooking the Italian Riviera, Easter in Italy is all about the transition to a new season.

It’s slow, devotional, and traditional, and, providing your team wins their match, an all-round perfect weekend.