Germany celebrates Easter big time, with Easter egg hunts, Easter bonfires, concerts, and some special events around the country. For a lovely Easter weekend outting, you might want to consider one of these special Easter events or pilgramages.
On Easter Monday every year the people of Leutesdorf on the
Rhine follow an old tradition with
the Walk to Emmaus. Hike through the vineyards and enjoy regional foods and wines along the way in rustic country settings.
EGG RACE ON THE RHINE
The
"Festival of the Flying Bridge" takes place on both sides of the
Rhine in St. Goar and St. Goarshausen. Starting at 2 pm, the St. Goar Egg Run starts and festivities go on all day with markets in the town centers. Remember to tip the ferryman (the ferry is the "flying bridge") with an egg as they did in the 16th century.
In the Lausitz in eastern Germany,
the Easter Ride on Easter Sunday every year is the highlight of the festivities with more than 1,000 costumed
riders carrying church
flags, crosses and statues will ride
in nine processions through
areas of Hoyerswerda, Bautzen and
Kamenz, singing loudly of the
resurrection of Christ. <p>The area is well known for its beautiful Easter egg decoration techniques with etching, wax and other techniques. Make sure you visit one of the Easter Egg markets to pick up a few of these unique little pieces of art.
The Jacob's Trail, follows various branches
throughout Europe to its destination
in Santiago de Compostela in Spain, part of the trail runs through the Palatinate, beginning at Speyer's Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site and ending at Hornback Cloister, you meander through Rhine meadows, vineyards and forests and you can take one of two routes to capture the ambiance of the area and celebrate the Easter holidays in a truly special way.
The Cloister Route runs more than 60
miles through the Northern Black
Forest connecting the Benedictine
Abbeys at Hirsau and Alpirsbach with
the Maulbronn Cistercian Cloister,a UNESCO World Heritage site. You can take a three day package tour for as little as 110 euros per person in a double room or explore the area on your own. The area is rich in scenery and the Cloisters and Abbey are works of major historical significance.
