Flag bearers at the Palio in Siena || creative commons photo by David Barrie
There’s nothing quite like visiting a place when it’s in the midst of a celebration of some sort. Luckily for those of you planning a trip to Italy, the Italians always seem to be celebrating something.
Whether you’re trying to plan your Italy itinerary around a festival or holiday you want to see, or you’re trying to avoid the chaos and transportation gridlock associated with them, it’s a good idea to consult a calender of Italian holidays while you’re figuring out your plans.
The list on this page includes both Italian national public holidays, national holidays that aren’t officially public holidays but are still widely recognized, and some of the more well-known local festivals that draw attention from travelers. This is not, however, even close to a complete list of the festivals, events, and holidays in Italy during a given year. Also keep in mind that I do my best to get updated information for each festival, but some of them are sort of cagey about their dates until the festival itself is closer – so if it’s one of the festivals or holidays that changes its date each year, be sure to double-check official city or festival websites as part of your planning process.
Here’s your guide on reading the list below:
- bold = national holidays (banks, businesses, attractions typically closed all day or part of the day)
- italics = legal Italian holidays, but not widely celebrated
- regular text = events/festivals/things to do, not national holidays & often localized/regional
- [brackets] = Italian name for holiday
- * = specific non-moveable dates each year
Here are some seasonal overview articles, too, for reference:
2018 Calendar of Holidays & Events in Italy
January in Italy
1 – New Year’s Day [Capodanno]*
6 – Epiphany [Epifania]*
7 – Flag Day [Festa del Tricolore]*
27 – International Holocaust Remembrance Day [Giorno della Memoria]*
Jan 27-Feb 13 – Venice Carnival [Carnevale]
Jan-Feb – Winter Sales Season (the dates vary by region and city)
February in Italy
Jan 27-Feb 13 – Venice Carnival [Carnevale]
6-10 – Sanremo Music Festival
8-13 – Ivrea Carnival’s Battle of the Oranges [Carnevale d’Ivrea]
11 – The Lateran Pacts [Patti Lateranensi]*
14 – Valentine’s Day*
Jan-Feb – Winter Sales Season (the dates vary by region and city)
March in Italy
3-11 – Almond Blossom Festival in Agrigento [Sagra del Mandorlo in Fiore]
8 – International Women’s Day [Festa della Donna]*
19 – Saint Joseph’s Day [Festa di San Giuseppe]*
25 – Pisan New Year*
25 – Palm Sunday
25-26 – Open Monuments Weekend [Giornate FAI di Primavera]
30 – Good Friday
April in Italy
1 – Easter Sunday [Pasqua]
1 – April Fool’s Day [Pesce d’Aprile]*
2 – Easter Monday [Pasquetta]
7 – Rome Marathon [Maratona di Roma]
8 – Milan Marathon [Maratona di Milano]
15-18 – Vinitaly Conference in Verona
21 – Anniversary of the Founding of Rome*
25 – Liberation Day [Festa della Liberazione]*
25 – Feast Day for Saint Mark (also known as the “Rosebud Festival”) in Venice*
May in Italy
1 – International Workers’ Day [Festa dei Lavoratori]*
4-27 – Tour of Italy Bicycle Race [Giro d’Italia]
9 – Europe Day [Giorno Europeo]*
15 – Race of Candles in Gubbio [Corsa dei Ceri]*
18-20 – Flower Carpet Festival in Noto [Infiorata di Noto]
20 – Vogalonga in Venice
26 – Moonlight Half-Marathon in Venice
June in Italy
2 – Republic Day [Festa della Repubblica]*
3 – Corpus Christi Flower Carpet Festivals [Infiorata del Corpus Domini] in Spello, Orvieto, Genzano di Roma, Bolsena
15-16 – Quintana Joust in Foligno [Giostra della Quintana di Foligno]
16 – Festival of St. Ranieri in Pisa [Luminaria e Regata di San Ranieri]*
Jun 22-Sep 1 – Verona Opera Festival
23 – Saracen Joust in Arezzo [Giostra del Saracino]
24 – Historic “Soccer” Match in Florence [Calcio Storico]*
24 – Feast Day for Saint John the Baptist in Turin, Genoa, & Florence*
29 – Feast Day for Saints Peter & Paul in Rome*
Jun 29-Jul 15 – Festival of Two Worlds in Spoleto [Festival dei Due Mondi]
30 – Battle of the Bridge in Pisa [Il Gioco del Ponte]
July in Italy
Jun 22-Sep 1 – Verona Opera Festival
Jun 29-Jul 15 – Festival of Two Worlds in Spoleto [Festival dei Due Mondi]
2 – Palio in Siena*
14 – Quintana Joust in Ascoli-Piceno [Giostra della Quintana]
15 – Feast Day for Saint Rosalia in Palermo*
14-15 – Feast of the Redeemer in Venice [Il Redentore]
Jul-Aug – Summer Sales Season (the dates vary by region and city)
August in Italy
Jun 22-Sep 1 – Verona Opera Festival
5 – Quintana Joust in Ascoli-Piceno [Giostra della Quintana]
5 – Regional Boat Race in La Spezia [Palio del Golfo]
15 – Assumption Day [Ferragosto]*
16 – Palio in Siena*
29 – Feast of the Redeemer in Nuoro [Sagra del Redentore]*
Aug 31-Sep 2 – Palio in Asti [Palio di Asti]
Jul-Aug – Summer Sales Season (the dates vary by region and city)
September in Italy
Jun 22-Sep 1 – Verona Opera Festival
Aug 31-Sep 2 – Palio in Asti [Palio di Asti]
2-12 – Venice International Film Festival
?? – Prosciutto Festival in Parma [Festival del Prosciutto di Parma]
2 – Saracen Joust in Arezzo [Giostra del Saracino]
2 – Historic Regatta in Venice [Regata Storica]
7 – Paper Lantern Festival in Florence [Festa della Rificolona]*
7-9 – Living Chess Match in Marostica [La Partita a Scacchi di Marostica] (this only takes place in even-numbered years)
16 – Juliet’s Birthday in Verona*
15-16 – Quintana Joust in Foligno [Giostra della Quintana di Foligno]
19 – Feast Day for Saint Gennaro in Naples*
October in Italy
4 – Feast Day for Saint Petronius in Bologna*
Oct ?-Nov ? (weekends only) – White Truffle Festival in Alba [Fiera Internazionale del Tartufo Bianco d’Alba]
19-28 – EuroChocolate in Perugia
28 – Venice Marathon [Maratona di Venezia]
30 – Feast Day for Saint Saturnino in Cagliari*
31 – Halloween*
November in Italy
Oct ?-Nov ? (weekends only) – White Truffle Festival in Alba [Fiera Internazionale del Tartufo Bianco d’Alba]
1 – All Saints Day [Ognissanti or Tutti i Santi]*
2 – Day of the Dead [Giorno dei Morti]*
3 – Feast Day for Saint Giusto in Trieste*
18 – Palermo Marathon [Maratona di Palermo]
21 – Festival of the Madonna of Good Health in Venice [Festa della Madonna della Salute]*
25 – Florence Marathon [Maratona di Firenze]
December in Italy
6 – Feast Day for Saint Nicola in Bari*
7 – Feast Day for Saint Ambrose in Milan*
8 – Immaculate Conception [Immacolata Concezione]*
16 – Pisa Marathon [Maratona di Pisa]
25 – Christmas Day [Natale]*
26 – Saint Stephen’s Day [Santo Stefano]*
31 – Feast Day for Saint Sylvester [Festa di San Silvestro] (also New Year’s Eve)*
