Easter is among the best times of year to visit the Italian capital. The city is busy, bustling and at its vibrant best, with pilgrims, tourists, and locals colouring the city with life.

Contrary to popular belief, Easter Weekend is not the busiest period in Rome. People instead tend to incorporate the weekends before or after into their vacation plans. But the triduum (the Latin term for the three days between Holy Thursday and Easter Sunday) does come with its own challenges, not least the closures that affect many of the city’s sites.

That’s why we’ve written this article—to help you get the most out of visiting Rome at Easter, and to make sure you don’t miss anything or turn up to find the site you want to see is closed!

Spending Easter Friday in Rome

Visit the Vatican Museums

Good Friday is the first major worship day in the lead-up to Easter (Pasqua, in Italian). And while Christian tradition maintains that no mass can be held on this day, Easter Friday is the best day to visit the Vatican Museums.

By far the best way to visit the Vatican Museums is through a small-group guided tour. Exploring with an expert, licensed guide means you get all the context and content you need to bring its great artworks to life – from the stunning frescoes of the Raphael Rooms to Michelangelo’s world-famous Sistine Chapel.

Double-check the official site of the Vatican Museums for their opening times.