Easter in Puglia

08-03-2022

Easter is a rebirth, and everything that surrounds us expresses it: the warmth of the sun, the earth beginning to bear fruit, the flowers starting to bloom. Everything comes back to life and the symbolic value of this holiday becomes even more because we are witnessing when nature awakens after the long winter.

Easter celebrations around the world share this concept and in Puglia, the rituals are associated with typical dishes that can only be tasted during this period!

Where to go and what to eat

Easter in Puglia

Puglia is a region rich in traditions and folklore, which reaches its maximum expression during the Easter period. From Bari to Taranto, passing through Noicattaro and Andria, one can witness processions and rituals full of pathos, suffering, and faith.

In old Bari, the oldest area, two processions are organized by two Confraternities on Good Friday.

Taranto becomes the set for the famous procession of the “Forgiveness”: hooded and barefoot people who walk in pairs, following a path that leads them to visit all the tombs on their path. They walk very slowly with an exasperating rocking, searching for forgiveness and bowing when they cross paths with other pairs of religious brothers. The pardons are all on Holy Thursday and return to the Church of the Carmine by midnight. Thus, starting the procession of Our Lady of Sorrows which will last until 5 PM the following day, when having returned to the Church of the Carmine, a new procession of the “Mysteries” starts. You will see the statues parade, representing the passion of Jesus, and will last until 7 the next morning when the troccolante will knock three times on the church door, marking the end of the rite.

In Ginosa you can witness the Living Passion in the spectacular scenery of the ravine. In Andria, you will experience intense moments during the Procession of the Mysteries. In Canosa di Puglia the Desolata, and in Noicattaro the barefoot cruciferous who have chains on their feet drag a very heavy cross - these are all rituals that make the historic centers even more fascinating and full of emotions.

Organize your holiday in Puglia

Puglian Easter sweets

Easter in Puglia is also celebrated at the table, aromas, and flavors that only flood the air during this period and provoke the palate! At this time of year, there are many Easter desserts that the Apulians love to eat, and that mothers and grandmothers are busy cooking in every home.

The Apulian cuisine is very rich but for Easter, the desserts are the main delicacy:

- Scarcella is the typical Easter sweet and is prepared during Holy Week. It is a shortcrust pastry of different shapes, usually a dove or bunny or a basket but also a heart, decorated with hard-boiled eggs, chocolate eggs or silver beads.

- Sweet Easter taralli are also part of the tradition, they are the traditional taralli but covered with “naspro”, a deliciously sweet glaze.

- Lamb of almond paste is found in the homes of the most capable cooks because it requires many steps and skills in the kitchen, but represents a traditional dessert thanks to the shape of a lamb and its unique taste.

- Apulian Lenten biscuits are made with almonds that are both inside, whole and pulverized. They are sweets that are made throughout the period of Lent in all Apulian families.

Easter in Puglia: where to go

Puglia is an inexhaustible source of emotions: the sea, the history, the trulli, the folklore, and the cuisine are only a tiny part of everything that this splendid region can offer!

During the Easter period in Puglia, we always suggest participating in at least one of the rituals that tradition offers: Taranto, Bari, Andria or Noicattaro will allow you to experience something unique that is worth living.

Puglia offers experiences for all tastes and throughout the year. We have selected 5 places not to be missed during your holiday in Puglia.

Easter in Puglia with children

Easter is a party and children are always the main characters, so why not organize a very special day in contact with nature and animals? A day at the zoo safari can be an unforgettable experience for the little ones, and something that adults will also appreciate very much.

The safari by car allows you to meet a tiger, hear the roar of the lion and understand how long a giraffe's neck can be by observing them in full freedom and up close! You will then be able to see gorillas, seals, hippos, bears and all the animals that children have often seen only in photos.