Easter, known as Pasqua in il bel paese, is a well-known holiday worldwide. But, have you heard of the Italian holiday of Pasquetta?

Pasquetta (literally “Little Easter”) occurs the Monday after Easter Sunday – a holiday in its own right. It’s celebrated in well over 100 countries but, as you can imagine, Italy has its own unique tradition.

There is a popular saying in Italy that goes, “Natale con i tuoi, Pasqua con chi vuoi” – Christmas with your family, Easter with whomever you want – but whether you choose to spend Pasquetta with family or friends, it’s about spending the day outdoors – and, of course, eating.

For those along the coast, such as the Costa del Cilento in Salerno, the day may be spent at the beach. In the mountainous Abruzzo and Molise regions, it’s all about finding the perfect hilltop spot. Italians who live farther north take advantage of the many beautiful lakeside parks and shorelines. Even if you simply head to the nearest backyard, garden or rooftop, it’s an unspoken rule that you must spend the day outside.

However, there is no hard and fast rule about what is eaten on Pasquetta, except that it should be easily portable. The menu varies not only from region to region, but from family to family as well. While Easter is a sit-down feast of epic proportions, Pasquetta is all about portability – whether it’s panini, pizze or what Italian Americans fondly call “Easter pie” (a covered pastry that Nonna used to make, filled with cheeses, meats and eggs and can be sliced for easy eating. Mmmm!)

Natale con i tuoi, Pasqua con chi vuoi

Easter pie has many names, as you can imagine – pizza piena, pizza ripiena, pizzachino, pasqualina, pastiera, torta di Pasqua and pizza di Pasqua, not to mention the names that are purely in dialect, such as pizza chiena in the Naples area.

So, if you want to live La Dolce Vita like the Italians do, be sure to celebrate Pasquetta this year – outside, of course! As for me, I’ll be celebrating it as a board a plane for the Old Country – heading to the Italian office as we prepare for the 2009 travel season with our custom Heritage Tours.

Buona Pasqua a tutti – and Buona Pasquetta as well!