Rick Steves’ European Easter — Coming to Public Television in 2016

In 2007, we produced the Rick Steves’ European Christmas public television special, which has become a mainstay on the public airwaves during the holiday season. This year, we’re filming a bookend to that special: Rick Steves’ European Easter, which will air across the USA next year. Click the images below to learn more about our shoot in Italy this Holy Week.

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We’re learning that Europe celebrates Easter in ways both familiar and delightfully exotic. For example, a charming tradition in Rome is that a man will bring a small treasure for his loved one (like this necklace) to the local chocolate shop, where it will be encased in a big, decorative chocolate egg. Later, he’ll pick up his completed gift, which is certain to add cheer to someone’s Easter morning.

 

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The thought of preschoolers brightening the day of seniors in a retirement home with music, dance, and homemade gifts touches my heart. And to experience that in a different hemisphere reminds me of how much we all have in common. For our Easter special, we dropped by a senior center in Siena just in time to witness an ambush of eight-year-olds-meet-eighty-year-olds fun.

 

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Many of my friends are at the same stage of life as I am, with a surviving parent in assisted living. Seeing such joy on faces that have lived through so much history added an extra dimension to my Easter.

 

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My favorite Tuscan guide, Roberto Becchi, is our “fixer” for this Easter-in-Tuscany shoot. After a long day of blessing olive branches, filming sumptuous art telling the story of Christ’s Passion, making Easter pasta, and watching kids chop open big eggs, we drove home with dinner. I never considered “pizza to go” in Italy — from a small-town pizza chain based in Romania.

Comments

5 Replies to “Rick Steves’ European Easter — Coming to Public Television in 2016”

  1. Actually, Judy, many retirement centers and adult day cares in the States offer frequent intergenerational contact (such as pre-schoolers visiting seniors. This probably happens more often in church-sponsored centers which relate to nearby churches with pre-schools. Thanks, Rick for including the retirement home in your special. We spent Holy Week & Easter in Tuscany 2 years ago (using your guidebook) and found it delightful and spiritually uplifting.

  2. No, what I meant is they provide help with the actual senior asst living. If you don’t have an income of 3,000 to 6,000 a month in this country you have no help. And I know that because of the age of my mother and luckily she is one that can afford that. But my mother in law and other aunts and Uncle are not so lucky. That is a lot of income for that generation.

  3. I have so enjoyed watching Rick Steves’ European Christmas many times-perhaps a new one would be in order to feature other places and events? I’m very much looking forward to the Easter one!

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