10 things to do in Rome in April

April is one of the most awaited months in Rome, a metropolis with thousands of things to see and do. After the cold and frost of the winter season, spring and the longed-for good weather (or almost) knock at the door of this imperial city.

Rome's Holy Week is celebrated (which is noticeable even in the palates), the parks bloom and the terraces recover their usual pulse and bustle. For you to enjoy the Eternal City to the fullest, in this article I tell you the 10 best plans you can make this month. Attention!

Living in first person the Holy Week in Rome is one of the experiences that you must have at least once in your life. Do you like the idea? Then take a look at this article in which I explain how to get tickets for Holy Week in the Eternal City and the main events taking place.

For your peace of mind, you should know that attendance to the religious events of Holy Week in Rome is completely free, however you will need to get a ticket in advance. Keep in mind that thousands of believers want to attend this unique celebration!

And if you are looking for more religious activities, I recommend you to book tickets to the Papal Audience at the Vatican. It's not usually easy, but this ticket is the easiest way to get it.

The most important religious events during Holy Week

• The celebration begins on Palm Sunday
• On Maundy Thursday the *Last Supper' of Jesus Christ is commemorated.
• On Good Friday the Way of the Cross takes place
• A day of silence and meditation on Holy Saturday.
• Easter Sunday and Christ's resurrection

Every year, on the weekend closest to April 21, the anniversary of the founding of the Italian capital is celebrated: the Natale di Roma.

At this event you will find a parade of thousands of men dressed with their spears and shields for the occasion. For their part, the women wear flattering tunics and crowns made with flowers on their heads. Not a single detail is missing!

In this celebration you will relive the wars between the Roman battalions, contemplate the spectacle of fire and historical recreations in the Circus Maximus and the Roman Forum. It's so real! In addition, the program includes dances, fireworks and shows all over the city.

Can you think of a better plan for your vacation than tasting local products? For me, as a good foodie, it doesn't get any better than this. The Romanesco Artichoke Festival has been held annually since 1950 in Ladispoli, and is a national fair dedicated to this food.

For three days, the city of Ladispoli sets up an exhibition in the streets and welcomes 100 stands between associations, producers and artists. Yes, you read that right. At this fair you will also meet artists and their works of art, such as animal sculptures, created with this unique plant.

The festival is preceded by a gastronomic event: the 'Gastronomic Bi-Week', an initiative in which the best restaurants in the town offer different menus with a fixed price based exclusively on artichokes. And if you are left wanting more you can always book a gastronomic tour of Rome

One of my favorite pastimes was to sit on the terraces of Rome and contemplate the hustle and bustle of its streets, taking advantage of the pleasant temperatures this month. That is, to give myself completely to the "dolce far niente", the pleasure of doing nothing. Does the plan sound great to you too?

My favorite neighborhood for this is the district of Trastevere, a neighborhood full of charm with lots of things to see and do. In this post I leave you a guide to eat in Trastevere based on pastas, pizzas and lots of signature food. You'll want to take the Italian nonas home!

But, in addition to relaxing, I also recommend you book a tour of Trastevere and thus know all its history and secrets.

Despite the good weather in April, it is still low season in Rome, except for Easter. Therefore, it is one of the best times to explore the Villa Borghese Gardens at your leisure and without the crowds of other more crowded periods.

The spring light envelops it in beautiful colors! It is the green heart of the metropolis and one of the largest urban parks in Europe. It is to Rome what Central Park is to New York.

In it, nature and works of art embrace to create dreamy corners. You can walk through it or book a Segway tour of Villa Borghese to go a little more agile, as the site is quite large.

Spring is the best season to visit Rome and other must-see cities in Italy. So, if you have time and are going to spend at least a week in the Italian capital in April, I recommend that you save one day of your vacation to book a trip to Florence.

Ideally, time your trip to this cradle of art to coincide with Easter Sunday, when the Scoppio del carro festival takes place. It is a tradition that has been celebrated since the 11th century in honor of Pazzini de Pazi, who dedicated himself to keeping the fire burning on a holy Saturday.

On Easter morning there is a traditional parade with a cart pulled by a pair of white oxen with garlands that leaves from Piazza del Prado escorted by soldiers and musicians until it reaches Piazza Duomo, where the fireworks on the wagon are lit, representing the sacred fire.

If you find yourself in the Eternal City at the end of April, you can attend the Liberation Day, which has been celebrated every year on April 25 since 1946 and is a national holiday in the country.

This tribute commemorates the liberation of Italy from the Fascist regime and Nazism after the Second World War. Every year since then, public events have been organized in memory of this milestone event in Italy's history.

Among the events on the program is the solemn tribute at the tomb of the unknown soldier, located at the monument to Victor Emmanuel II, where a laurel wreath is laid in memory of the fallen and the Italians missing in wars. It will make your hair stand on end!

Nuria's Traveller Tip

Be aware that as it is a national holiday, many tourist attractions and some stores may be closed to the public that day.

Piazza di Spagna is one of the most elegant and magical places in Rome. Its majestic staircase makes this corner one of the most crowded and lively epicenters of the city. Every year between March and April, depending on the year, the square is decked out to celebrate the Spring Festival.

This celebration fills the steps of the square with thousands of white azaleas, roses and violets. And if you are too tired after a day of sightseeing, you can take the elevator to the top for a breathtaking view.

Nuria's Traveller Tip

Relax in the literary café Greco, opened in 1760 and considered the oldest in the city, it is full of memorabilia of great writers, such as Maria Zambrano!

The Bompiani pastry shop (Via Largo Benedetto Bompiani, 8) every year at Easter exhibits its 'chocolate sculptures', created by its master pastry chef and chocolatier Walter Musco, an artist who fuses food and art.

The Roman pastry shop has paid tribute with its sweets, in recent years, to the most famous fashion designers of our time with a display of 50 chocolate eggs inspired by Chanel, Balenciaga, Dior, Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana, among other big names in haute couture.

You don't have to fly all the way to Japan to see the cherry blossoms in bloom. One of the most beautiful sights I immortalized in Rome in April was the scenery at EUR Lake Park, one of the best parks in the Eternal City. By the way, access is free!

From mid-March in Rome until the end of April in Rome, the Sakura, the cherry trees that were donated by Tokyo to Rome, begin to sprout in this garden. It is one of the secret corners that you can discover in the Eternal City.

In this month Mother Nature gives us her wonderful flowering and the possibility of practicing Hanami, the art of observing these trees. A good plan is to have a picnic under the Sakura trees in bloom, as in Japan, and enjoy the first rays of spring sunshine.

The best thing about spring in Rome is that there are more daylight hours and the temperatures are very pleasant, which invites you to spend more hours than in winter in Rome in the street and stroll through its picturesque neighborhoods.

In general, the highs reach up to 19°C and the lows are around 9°C. Fortunately, there are many sunny and warm days in this month.

However, the saying "Aprile non ti scoprire" (don't undress yet) is absolutely true. So I advise you, just in case, to take a thin coat and an umbrella, as it usually rains for about 8 days.

If you are a born saver, April is one of the best months to make a budget trip to Rome, in which you will enjoy milder temperatures than in winter.

In this article I tell you the keys to organize your trip to Rome and how to get super cheap flights using some tricks. I summarize them below:

• Use search engines like Skyscanner.
• If you can be flexible with your dates.
• Always use the incognito profile so you don't get a price increase.
• The best time to search for flights is lunchtime, when there is less demand. Avoid searching on weekends and evenings!