For most Brits Easter represents little more than a couple of bank holidays and the chance to stuff our faces, but in many European countries Easter is still celebrated with colour, verve and religious fervour. We invite Canvas Holidays to relay their favourite Easter traditions on the continent…

For those of us living in the UK, Easter celebrations mean a few things. First, that there will be chocolate eggs – and lots of them – and second, that the period of Lent will be over.

Of course, not everyone shares the same traditions. Travel abroad this Easter and you may find that the holiday is marked very differently indeed…

Fall silent in France

Despite normally ringing loud and proud, French churches fall silent the day before Good Friday and remain so until Easter morning. The idea is that this should prompt remembrance of Jesus and you’ll see plenty of affectionate hugs and kisses when the bells are heard once again.

Paris is a great place to experience Easter, but for a more traditionally French experience we recommend visiting the South West or Royan. Our campsite in Drogone (Yelloh! Village Château de Fonrives, Rives) is an excellent choice for accommodation.

Embrace religion in Italy

Home of the Vatican, Italy’s Easter celebrations are as religious as they get. Palm Sunday (Domenica delle Palme) involves an elaborate church ceremony where the doors of the church are closed to represent the gates of Jerusalem. The priest must then knock three times before entering to much applause – a symbol of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem.

Similarly, Holy Friday (Giovedi Santo) sees a re-enactment of the washing of the feet in the altar while Easter itself (La Pasqua) is celebrated with a big feast following morning mass. Roasted baby lamb (agnellino) is the central dish eaten and, as in France, church bells fall silent over the Easter weekend.

Rome is an obvious choice of destination for an Easter break in Italy and our Camping Fabulous resort in Rome, Lazio, is a great place to stay.

Get spooky in Spain

Although Easter is a holy festival that marks the death and resurrection of Christ, not many traditions focus on the potentially morbid connotations of this. The town of Verges in Spain however, is an exception to that rule; on Holy Thursday you’ll be able to witness a traditional ‘death dance’ (dansa de la mort) in the streets.

Starting at midnight and running for three hours, it’s an impressive sight that ends with spooky skeleton figures carrying boxes of ashes. For those staying in our Camping Internacional de Calonge resort, it’s less than a 40 minute drive away.

Light fires in Germany

The burning of old Christmas trees in the Easter fire is a unique German tradition which symbolises the end of winter and the welcoming of spring. More religious celebrations also occur – such as in the town of Oberammergau, where a ‘passion play’ (lasting six hours) is performed, which retells the Easter story.

Our German campsite in Steinach (Campingplatz Kinzigtal) may be a little far away to catch the play, with travel times of 3-5 hours or more, but there may be plenty of other local customs for you to experience instead.

Travelling for Easter

If you want to experience any of these fantastic Easter traditions first-hand, why not book yourself on an Easter break? Canvas Holidays offer accommodation in all these destinations with great deals available to help you cut costs – you might say it’s ‘eggs-actly’ what you need.