march-2012

Celebrate
Spring
Spring is in the air, so why not welcome
its long-awaited arrival by joining a
celebration in one of our fabulous
destinations? From street parades to
Easter-egg hunts and dazzling fi rework
shows to endless streams of sherry,
these great cities each see in the new
season in their own unique style.
PARIS
Famed the world over for its beauty
in the springtime and, of course, its
delicious chocolate, Paris is a great
location for families looking for an
Easter break. On Easter Sunday and
Monday, (8–9 April), the Château Vaux
Le Vicomte, less than an hour’s drive
south of the city, hosts giant Easteregg
hunts in its beautiful gardens,
with face painting and free workshops
in chocolate making and origami
also taking place. Also worth a visit is
Fauchon, Paris’s premier chocolate
boutique, full of spectacular and
delicious Easter treats, including eggs,
chickens and bells, all sure to impress
those at home. If, that is, you can resist
eating them yourself! We fl y to Paris
from Bristol, Liverpool, London Luton,
Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow and
Belfast from £35.49 one way*.
FLORENCE (fl y to Pisa)
As the most important feast in the
Catholic calendar, Easter Sunday is
greatly honoured all across Italy. But
while Rome swells with thousands of
pilgrims all keen to hear the Pope’s
Easter address, an important ceremony
is also taking place in the beautiful
Tuscan city of Florence. Every Easter
morning, crowds gather outside
the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore
Cathedral for the annual Scoppio
del Carro, translating in English to
the Explosion of the Cart, an age-old
Florentine tradition going back to the
Crusades. A wooden cart is laden with
fi reworks and pulled from the Porta al
Prato to Piazza Del Duomo by a team
of beautifully decorated white oxen.
Then, at 11am (and with the oxes safely
removed) a mechanical dove becomes
part of the Cathedral’s mass as it leaves
the cart, travels by wire to the altar and
is lit by the Archbishop. The dove then
returns to the cart and a 20-minute
fi rework display begins as bells ring out
across the city in thanks for the return
of spring and in hopes of an ample
autumn harvest. The Scoppio del Carro
procession starts at 10am on Easter
Sunday, 8 April. We fl y to Pisa from
Bristol, London Gatwick and Luton from
£44.49 one way*.
REYKJAVIK
After very little daylight during the long
Icelandic winter, it’s no surprise that the
fi rst day of summer is a national holiday
on this fascinating and bewitching
island. Throughout Reykjavik and
beyond, parades, open-air festivals and
good old-fashioned dancing in the
streets mark the arrival of this
much-anticipated season, in a fun
and family-friendly fashion. It’s well
worth sticking around after the party
has fi nished too – although you’ll
probably be a little too late to witness the
celebrated Aurora Borealis (Northern
Lights), you will be able to enjoy some
of Iceland’s many other highlights,
including a trip around the Golden
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Circle, a dip in the thermal waters of the
Blue Lagoon or even fi t in the famous
Reykjavik rúntur (pub crawl). The fi rst
day of summer 2012 is celebrated on
19 April. We fl y to Reykjavik from London
Luton from £65.49 one way*.
SEVILLE
For a spring fi esta like no other, head to
the Feria de Abril (as pictured above), in
the stunning Spanish city of Seville. This
spectacular fi ve-day party begins when
the town’s mayor turns on 22,000 lights
and ends with an awesome fi rework
show. Locals give it their all by dressing
in fl amboyant costumes – the men
sporting majestic short jackets and
high-waisted trousers and the ladies
adorned in beautiful fl amenco dresses
in a range of bright colours. Spain’s
most famous dance forms a big part
of the celebrations, with plenty of
fl amenco shows and competitions
taking place, along with lessons for
those wanting to give it a whirl on the
dance fl oor. Also popular are the sherry
tents that keep the much-loved local
tipple fl owing right the way through this
fabulous fi esta, which runs from 24-29
April. Olé!
We fl y to Seville from London Gatwick
from £45.49 one way*.
*Prices one way per person based on 2 people travelling on the same booking. Price correct as at 25 January 2012. For travel from 1 April to 27 October 2012. Additional credit card & baggage fees apply. See easyJet.com for details.
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