3 ways to save money on a unique Easter vacation

By Aimee Heckel

Whether you celebrate Easter religiously or not, organizing an Easter vacation can be educational and entertaining — and give you insight into culture and history.

From holy relics to holy cities to beautiful churches, here are some of our favorite travel destinations to include on your Easter getaway:

1. Visit beautiful and unique churches. 

NBC lists the 10 most beautiful churches in the world. Topping the list: The very unique and quirky Borgund Stave Church in Laerdal, Norway. This wooden church, built in 1180, is famous for being built using wooden notches and grooves instead of nails. Norway has nearly 30 Middle Age, wooden churches still standing.

Tips: Check out the exhibits in the visitors center. The church is easy to reach via bus, or for more adventure, rent a bike in Laedral and ride to your destination.

2. Plan a trip to Rome.

Of course, right? Make it an Easter you won’t forget in Vatican City. Walk through St. Peter’s Square, the Vatican Museum, the Sistine Chapel and the Catacombs and participate in Rome’s annual Good Friday procession. This Catholic tradition starts at the Colosseum and finishes at Mount Palatino, complete with a re-enactment of the stations of the cross.

Tips:

• Looking for cheap tickets to Italy? Right now, many airlines are offering discounted tickets to Europe. Check Fly.com for cheap flights to Rome — right now around $850 from New York.
• Fly.com recommends getting a map and conducting your own walking tour; there is plenty to see. Attend mass at St. Peter’s and enjoy a service in Latin.
• Check ShopAtHome for Fly.com coupons and deals.
• Looking to save money on your vacation? Don’t miss the coupon code for Priceline.com: save 5 percent off express deals, plus up to 6 percent cash back if you book through ShopAtHome.com.

3. If you are Christian or open-minded about the idea, consider a faith-based excursion. Many companies offer Christian-based tours and vacation packages. Check the Christian Travel Finder for a list of different options, such as the Footsteps of Paul tour, where you trace the footsteps of Apostle Paul throughout Greece. On this tour, you will visit Patmos Island, where Apostle John is said to have written the Book of Revelation.

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Photo of Borgund Stave Church, courtesy of commons.wikimedia.org.

About Aimee Heckel

Aimee's passion for storytelling has brought her around the world as a journalist, writing award-winning news articles about Haiti and Uganda. Aimee studied international journalism at the University of Heidelberg in Germany, and she majored in journalism and German at Colorado State University. When she's not writing stories for a Colorado newspaper, she travels and volunteers for Think Humanity, her family's nonprofit that helps refugees and disadvantaged people in Africa. She's also a mom, a wife and a furious bargain-hunter. Reach out to her at AimeeHeckel.blogspot.com, find her travel board on Pinterest, follow her on Twitter, or ping her on Google+.