Easter holiday near Lake Como
Spending your Easter holiday near Lake Como is a great idea! This area gives its best during spring time, with milder temperatures and trees and flower in blossom.
You can enjoy both religious and cultural events. Among those, I chose 3 that I found particularly interesting.
The first one gives you the opportunity to discover something about the religious and historical heritage of Lake Como. The second is perfect for exploring the cities. The third will make happy children and adults.
Let’s start!
Kissing the Cross
During Easter Week an ancient crucifix is displayed in the Sanctuary of the Holy Cross in Como.
People believe that it performed many miracles.
The legend says that some pilgrims coming from North Europe picked it up in Paris and left it in Como in 1401 as a sign of gratitude towards the Celestines, a religious brotherhood that had helped the pilgrims during their stay in Florence.
The crucifix became popular after the miracle of 1529.
On the evening of Holy Thursday the members of a religious brotherhood organized a procession. When they reached a bridge they found the road blocked by two large chains, set up by the Spanish governor to protect the city from the raids of the French cavalry nearby. The captain of the guards refused to open the chains and the brothers decided to pass under them. However, when they lowered the cross, one of the chain tore, freeing the passage.
The popular devotion increased over time, especially after the Second World War when people started to believe that the crucifix had protected the city from bombing.
For all these reasons, the display of the crucifix for Easter is a real event, during which residents and visitors line up to kiss it.
On Good Friday, it is possible to admire the ancient crucifix in a procession along the streets of the city.
Easter Street Markets
Easter is a joyful celebration that coincides with the arrival of spring and the start of the tourist season.
During you Easter Holiday near Lake Como you can enjoy the mild temperatures, the blooming flowers and some lovely street markets that are held in the towns that overlook the lake.
The cities of Como, Lenno and Menaggio are just a few example.
On the stands of the markets you will surely find typical foods, wines, handcrafted souvenirs, art pieces, useful tools, books, clothes and much more.
If you are looking for nice souvenirs, the street markets are the right place.
One thing I like about street markets is that they give you the chance to blend with the local people.
Treasure hunts at the Historical Gardens
Every Easter some of the most beautiful historical gardens of Italy host special treasure hunts dedicated to children and adults. While children are having fun, adults can enjoy a walk through these wonderful locations, the colors and the scents of flowers and trees.
This year, 3 historical villas are going to open their gardens to the treasure hunts: Villa Olmo in Como, Villa Melzi d’Eril in Bellagio and Villa Carlotta in Tremezzina.
This experience will give you amazing memories of your Easter holiday near Lake Como.
Final Thoughts
I want to finish the short article talking about food!
During your Easter holiday near lake Como you can taste different typical dishes, available only in this period.
The typical treat of Easter is the chocolate egg. You can find chocolate eggs in different sizes and prices, for children or adults, made with different ingredients, wrapped in colorful paper or decorated by hand. The only thing that doesn’t change is the content: every egg hides a surprise! It’s always fun to crack a chocolate egg, find out the surprise and then share the chocolate splinters with the your loved ones.
