With Easter holidays and Anzac Day within three days apart, Aussies could spare a few leaves to take advantage of the break. It’s no surprise that nearly one-in-two Australians have taken the opportunity of this, with some even scoring themselves a one-and-a-half week holiday!
While this could be a time for both rest and relaxation, what better way to spend some extended free time than to travel and explore the world (or even the great outback)!
That's why we compiled a list of recommended easter holiday destinations for you to consider. Bring your family or your buddies along!
1. Australia
What better time to explore the rest of the continent than mid-April? The weather's nice, the breaks are long, and the sights are beautiful. May we suggest going off the beaten path? Launceston (Tasmania), Barossa Valley (SA), or Alice Springs & Uluru (NT).
2. Japan
The very iconic cherry blossoms are in full bloom this time of the month! After checking out the more popular locations like Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, you can watch the air turn pink in Kanto, Chubu, Tohoku, and Hokkaido!
3. USA
In the US of A, Easter is celebrated from the East to the West coast. You can take part of the Easter Egg Roll at the White House in DC, watch the Union Street Easter Parade in San Francisco, attend a mass at the prominent St. Patrick's Cathedral in the Big Apple, or participate in a city-wide Easter Egg Hunt in Asheville, North Carolina.
4. Spain
In April, almost all of Spain commemorates Easter all-week long. They call this Semana Santa. And being a predominantly Roman Catholic nation, there are plenty of events scatted across Spain. May we suggest a visit to Seville, Malaga, Madrid, Barcelona, and Cordoba.
5. England
April is the perfect time to see the vast countrysides of England. Visit one of over 250 National Trust properties, tour the sights of London, experience Springtime in the Kew Gardens, or indulge your sweet tooth in various tea shops around England!
6. Vatican
The seat of power in the Roman Catholic faith lies within the Vatican, a city-state surrounded by Rome--which is always a great destination on an Easter holiday! There are a lot of museums to visit, historical art and architecture to behold, and rich stories to hear. Then, after you've had your fun, might as well take a tour around Rome.
7. New Zealand
New Zealand is a great place to be immersed in this mid-year holiday break. The country is still warm enough in some parts to relax in, like the Northland, Otago, Canterbury, and Coromandel. Foodies will love Marlborough.
8. Scotland
Springtime is perhaps the best time to visit Scotland. Main attractions that close over the winter months begin to re-open and a range of fantastic events and festivals take place. Dumfries & Galloway is a good spot to start. Celebrate their Whisky by visiting their distilleries, and be one with nature in Glenmore Forest Park and Three Lochs Way.
9. Germany
On the Easter holiday, you can land on any of Germany's cities and you'll see that every one does almost the same thing on Easter: decorate "Easter trees" and gather around huge bonfires, sometimes built with the wood of old Christmas trees. Depending on the region, you might notice stuff straw into a large wooden wheel, set it on fire and roll it down a hill at night. This is called the Osterräderlauf - Easter wheel run. The burning wheel is supposed to bring a good harvest if all wheels released roll straight down the hill.
10. Ireland
Celebrating Easter is ingrained in Irish history and traditions, even before the Christian influence came. Easter is usually the day that heralds spring when plant life blooms and flourishes after the winter. Newgrange, a place you can visit, was once used to calculate the date of movable feasts such as Easter. Newgrange is a prehistoric monument in County Meath. Older than Stonehenge and the Egyptian Pyramids, its entrance is aligned with the rising sun on the winter solstice--signifying the arrival of spring.
On a totally related note, you can fix a quick, last-minute Easter travel plan without breaking the bank. Honolulu, Hawaii and New Delhi have the biggest price drops on travel and lodging over the Easter holidays, so you might want to consider those places as well.