Have you ever heard of the ‘egg palio‘? The Sagra e Palio dell’Uovo di Tredozio (Tredozio Egg Festival and Palio) is a unique event taking place on Easter Sunday and Monday when the men’s and women’s teams of the town’s districts compete in enthralling contests, featuring the very symbol of Easter celebrations – eggs. In addition to the palio, the programme includes the sfogline (dough makers) championships and various shows including the boiled egg eating contest.

Let’s remain in the Romagna hills between Forlì and Cesena to discover another very evocative Easter tradition of Emilia-Romagna. We are talking about the Via Crucis (Way of the Cross) in Civitella di Romagna, which stages the last hours of Christ’s life through a living representation, animated by no less than 120 participants.

That of Civitella is not the only Easter reenactment you can see in Romagna. Indeed, you can find three other processions planned for Good Friday: the Procession of the Dead Christ in Portico and San Benedetto (FC), the Procession of Montefiore Conca, and the Procession of the Jews in Pennabilli in the Rimini area, with costumed participants and the villages illuminated by torchlight.

PIACENZA

Being able to admire a work of art up close is always exciting, especially in the place where it was intended.

In Piacenza there are two very special opportunities to do so: you can both climb up the dome of the Basilica of Santa Maria di Campagna, decorated by Pordenone, and the dome of the cathedral, which houses magnificent frescoes by Guercino. An experience not to be missed, available with a single ticket.

PARMA

The spring exhibition programme in Parma includes Van Gogh Multimedia and the Secret Room, set up at Palazzo Dalla Rosa Prati, a total immersion in the life and works of Vincent Van Gogh by means of videos, projections and other digital content (27 January – 23 June 2024).

The Magnani-Rocca Foundation presents a journey into Bruno Munari’s creative universe with the exhibition called Bruno Munari.Tutto, open from 16 March to 30 June.

The exhibition explores the 70-year career of the “inventor” through art, design, graphics, pedagogy and his many other interests.

BOLOGNA E PROVINCIA

If you are looking for an exhibition to visit over Easter in Bologna, you will certainly not be left empty-handed.

From 27 January to 21 July, Palazzo Belloni hosts the Museum of Illusions, an itinerary between art and science that includes over 70 installations and photographs with the aim of investigating the mechanisms of perception and deception.

Palazzo Pallavicini displays the world of witchcraft and the occult with Witchcraft – Iconography, facts and scandals of history’s subversives, on show from 17 February to 16 June 2024. The exhibition opens with the reenactment of a witchcraft trial that actually took place in 1539.

Moving a few kilometres further South towards Imola, you can visit Magic – Ayrton Senna, a collection of 94 unpublished portraits of the unforgettable driver on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of his death. On show at the San Domenico Museum in Imola, from 21 March to 2 June 2024.

FERRARA

The art of Escher, the great Dutch master known for his works inspired by geometric theorems and paradoxes of logic, will be on display in the marvellous Palazzo dei Diamanti in Ferrara between 23 March and 21 July 2024.

RAVENNA

The Mar – Museo d’Arte della Città di Ravenna (Ravenna City Art Museum) hosts the shots of Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado, on display from 22 March to 2 June.

The Exodus – Humanity on the Move exhibition retraces Salgado’s journey across four continents in the footsteps of peoples on the move, between departures, arrivals and refugee camps.

FORLÌ

Preraphaelites. A Modern Renaissance is the title of the exhibition at the Museo Civico di San Domenico in Forlì, open from 24 February to 30 June.

The exhibition displays works by great artists such as Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Ford Madox Brown alongside Italian artworks of the late 19th century that were inspired by them, as well as the models that influenced the development of the artistic current, in an unusual and fascinating key.

RICCIONE

Among the exhibitions in Emilia-Romagna not to be missed at Easter, we finally recommend Robert Capa. Retrospective, a collection of over 100 black and white images by the famous photoreporter and founder of the Magnum Photos agency.

The shots on show at Villa Mussolini in Riccione investigate in particular the great wars of the 20th century, which Capa witnessed first-hand.

See all exhibitions in Emilia-Romagna

Easter in Emilia-Romagna is also about events and outdoor activities. Here are a few examples: stroll among thousands of colourful tulips and create your own personalised bouquet at the Tulipark – the Festival of Blooming Tulips in Bologna, or join the traditional Easter Monday walk along the Bregoli path that leads from Casalecchio di Reno to the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca, followed by a snack.

The beginning of spring also marks the tours season in the Po Delta Park. So treat yourself to the thrill of observing flamingos in their natural habitat with the Flamingo Bike Tour at the NatuRA Museum, a 12-kilometre flat bike ride in the Southern Valleys of Comacchio, or enjoy the atmosphere of the salt marshes at sunset with a bike ride and food tasting at the Cervia Salt Pan.

Mountain lover? For your Easter Monday outing you could go for a ring-route hike starting from Monteacuto delle Alpi, in the Bolognese Apennines, and a lunch in a refuge, or join one of the snowshoe hikes under the stars to Lake Scaffaiolo, in the Corno alle Scale and Frignano Regional Park.

If you can’t wait for the days to get longer to put on your hiking boots or get on your bike, these tips are for you!

Among the many itineraries you can follow over the Easter holidays, we first recommend a breathtaking cycle path. It’s called the ‘Argine degli Angeli’ and it separates Valle Furlana from Valle Lido di Magnavacca in the southern valleys of Comacchio.

Cycling (or walking) along this route gives you the feeling of gliding on water, surrounded by the magical atmosphere of the Po Delta Park.

A typical feature of the Ferrara and Ravenna coasts, the fishing huts are another good idea for a hike or bike ride among nature and ancient traditions.

Speaking of itineraries along waterways, did you know that it is possible to go from Piacenza to Reggio Emilia along the right bank of the Po? The tour is divided into 10 stages, and here too it can be tackled either on two wheels or on foot.

Going up from the plains towards the mountains, we recommend an enchanting hike that leads straight to the Secchia River springs, inside the Parco Nazionale dell’Appennino Tosco Emiliano.

Also not to be missed is a visit to the Labante Caves of Castel d’Aiano, in the Bolognese Apennines, and their small waterfall.

Finally, two themed and unusual tours. The first one takes you to the 19 big benches of Emilia-Romagna, unique observation points as well as good opportunities for a nice hike, while the second one is dedicated to the volcanoes of Emilia-Romagna, from the burning fountain of Tredozio to the mud volcanoes located between Modena, Reggio Emilia and Parma.

Let us now take a look at some ideas for spending Easter in Emilia-Romagna among small villages and cities of art. Let’s start immediately with two gems of the Trebbia Valley (Piacenza): Bobbio and Brugnello, perfect destinations for those who love the quiet and enchanted atmosphere of mediaeval villages.

From the top of the rock on which Brugnello stands you can appreciate the magnificent view of the Trebbia River, while in Bobbio – one of the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy – you can cross the famous Devil’s Bridge and admire the Abbey of San Colombano.

Speaking of abbeys and other places steeped in history, the area between Modena and Bologna also has plenty to offer. With a trip out of town a short distance from Bologna you can visit the Rocca di Vignola fortress, with its 16th-century spiral staircase designed by Jacopo Barozzi, the Romanesque Abbey of Monteveglio and many other interesting spots.

But the hills of Romagna are certainly not to be outdone. Why not decide to spend a weekend in the hill towns of Cesena or in the Conca Valley, discovering the fascinating hinterland of Rimini?

If you are planning a family trip, the opportunities are many and range from Piacenza to Rimini. Do great feats of chivalry and star-crossed lovers fascinate you? With our tour of the villages and castles of Parma and Piacenza in Emilia, you’ll have plenty to look forward to.

If you prefer to stay in the city, a tour between Bologna and Modena will give you the chance to have fun with the little ones with the ‘wireless telephone’ under the vault of the Palazzo del Podestà, admire Gino Pellegrini’s trompe l’oeil murals in San Giovanni in Persiceto, visit the Museo della Figurina and much more.

Another good idea for your Easter in Italy with the kids is a trip to Romagna, a land of seaside villages and amusement parks.

You can explore it on a three-day tour from Cesenatico to Riccione, or with a two-day trip to Rimini and its surroundings, in search of the splendid villages perched on the hills of the Marecchia Valley.