Pick your best destination from these Easter treats!

Edinburgh

Edinburgh is an excellent option if you are looking for an active spring city break. Especially children, and the young at heart, will be spoilt for choice with festivals, egg hunts, and other outdoorsy fun. One of the most significant events is at the Conifox Adventure Park, where the Easter Festival has an adventure Easter trail, egg foot golf, and a vast area filled with bouncy castles. For more traditional fun, try Dalkeith Country Park. Their Easter includes egg and cookie decorating and candle making, for example. 

Even if you are travelling with grown-ups, you will not get bored. One of the best things to do is have a long, relaxed brunch. Some of the top places you might want to book a table at Brown's, which also does a proper British Easter roast, and the Ivy, a classic spot that serves fantastic eggs benedict. Remember to get some chocolate to have afterwards from Chocolatiers Edward & Irwyn.

Amsterdam

If you are a flower lover, you are in luck to visit the Netherlands around Easter, as the country will be in full bloom. Amsterdam itself will have sprawling displays of flowers, but if you want to see something spectacular, head to the countryside and see flower fields in the Flower Strip region. Within the city, the botanical gardens Hortus Botanicus are a great place to visit.

If you travel with children, you should visit the petting zoos dotted around the city. Some of them even have egg hunts on Easter, and of course, there are the obligatory bunnies and chicks – and other animals – to admire. The nearest petting zoo to the city centre is De Dierencapel. 

Also, make sure you enjoy the local seasonal treats; one of the Dutch favourites is a rich cinnamon and raisin-flavoured bread, Paasbrood. Dutch children always have a chocolate Easter egg hunt too. To buy the best chocolate eggs, or any other form of chocolate, visit Chco.Company or Chocolaterie Pierre.

Milan

Even if you are not religious, attending some Catholic Italian Easter traditions can be very interesting. The celebrations stretch over a longer period of time, starting with Carnevale, a vibrant carnival on the day before Lent. Depending on when you travel, there are different festivities on offer, from the more sombre religious progressions to joyful outdoor picnics.

Take advantage of the incredible bounty of food on offer. Traditionally the main meat around Easter is lamb, often roasted with rosemary. A fantastic seasonal dish is a savoury egg and artichoke tart Torta Pasqualina, which has 33 layers of pastry to represent the life of Christ. As a sweet treat, Italians love a Colomba Pasquale, a dove-shaped version of Panettone. The best ones are sold in a legendary bakery called Martesana. 

Dubrovnik

Easter in Croatia means many religious events; the country is devoutly Catholic. The main event in Dubrovnik is the Easter procession on the evening of Good Friday around the old town. Another highlight is the chiming of church bells everywhere on Easter Sunday morning. Masses and other celebrations are organised in different churches throughout the Holy Week, though.

We suggest you could also visit the city's traditional Easter fair. Stalls are set up around the old town, and local artisans sell decorations and treats, such as beautifully coloured eggs. Also, the lovely marketplaces around the city come alive in the spring. If you want to do some cooking, visit Gunduliceva Poljana Market for delicious fruit and homemade wine or Gruž for fresh ingredients.

Unlike most countries, Croatians still think the best Easter egg is a real egg, not a chocolate egg. Decorated eggs are given as presents and eaten hard-boiled during Easter. If you crave a sweet treat, you should opt for a Pinca. It is a sweet bun made of rich dough and sometimes dotted with raisins.