Italy: holidays, events, national customs
Public holidays
There are a number of public holidays that do not have a fixed date but are based on the location of Easter. Easter takes place on the first Sunday that follows the first full moon after the beginning of spring. Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, which ends on Holy Saturday, is 46 days before Holy Saturday. The date for Pentecost is then 50 days after Easter. Corpus Christi is celebrated on the second Thursday after Pentecost. All Saints’ Day is celebrated for Orthodox Christians on the first Sunday after Pentecost, but for Catholic Christians the date is fixed on November 1st. On October 31, Protestants celebrate Reformation Day. The Halloween festival also takes place on this day. In addition to the national holidays and festivals, there are numerous regional festivities.
Date | Holiday |
January 1 | New Year |
6th January | Holy three kings |
March April | Good Friday/Easter |
April 25 | Liberation Day 1945 |
1st of May | Labor Day |
15th of August | Assumption Day |
November 1 | All Saints Day |
December 8 | Immaculate conception |
December 25-26 | Christmas |
Source: Countryaah – Italy Holidays
Cultural events
Date | Event |
January | On January 6th, instead of Santa Claus, the good witch Befana comes to give presents to the children. |
February | Historic Carnival in RomeCarnival in Venice for the last 12 days before Ash Wednesday |
March April | Urbi et Orbi, the Pope’s blessing in St. Peter’s Square in Rome |
April | Festa d’Arte in Rome (art market)On April 21, the city of Rome celebrates its birthday with concerts and fireworks |
May | Antiques fair in Rome. Beginning of the Biennale (la Biennale di Venezia), which has been taking place every two years in Venice since 1895 – an international art exhibition. The 58th Biennale took place from May 11th to November 24th, 2019. |
June | On June 2nd, the Festa della Republica in Rome is celebrated with a military parade.On June 13th, the feast of St. Anthony of Padua is celebrated with a solemn mass in Rome.
On June 24th is St. John’s Day: Folk festival of S. Giovanni at the Lateran in Rome. On June 29th the festival of the city patrons Peter and Paul is celebrated. Estate Romana: Summer festival with concerts, open-air cinema and fashion shows. In San Daniele in Friuli, the Prosciutto Festival, the ham festival, takes place from 24. -27. instead of. The Festa del Tortellino takes place in Valeggio-sul-Mincio. Valeggio-sul-Mincio: open-air stage on the former Scaliger dam with parades, meals and fireworks June to August: Opera festival in Verona The Ravenna Festival takes place in June and July at the Teatro Dante Aligheri and other venues. The Maggio Musicale Fiorentino takes place in Florence in June and July. |
July | July 15th: Festa de Noiantri, folk festival in Trastevere”Tevere Expo” fair of the Italian regions on the banks of the Tiber in Rome with music, ballet, folklore and open-air cinema
On the 3rd weekend of July: Festa del Redentore in Venice with procession and fair On the third weekend of July the Festa della Salute with a fair, parades, food and fireworks takes place in Venice. Puccini Festival in Torre del Lago north of Pisa In July and August there are festivals in the Arena of Macerata. |
August | Buskers Festival in Ferrrara with musicians and artists from all over the world |
September | Historical chess game in Marostica with a festival ofantiques fair in Rome |
December | On December 8th: Feast of the Immaculate Conception in Rome with the Pope’s mass. |
Sporting events
Date | Event |
March | On the penultimate Sunday the Rome Marathon takes place through the old town (Centro Storico). |
May | Mille Miglia: legendary car race from Brescia, through Tuscany to Rome and backOn May 27th, the race in honor of Saint George will take place in Ferrara. |
June | Calcio Storico in Florence, a soccer game with ball and wrestling, takes place every year in Florence on June 24th, the feast day of the city’s patron, John the Baptist. |
September | On the 3rd Sunday in September there is a horse race in Asti,the Regatta Storica di Venezia takes place every year on the first weekend in September on the Grand Canal.
The Regatta di Murano takes place on the second weekend in September. |
October | On the first Sunday in October there is a donkey race in Alba.The Regatta di Sant’Erasmo in Venice takes place on the first Sunday of October near Sant ‘Erasmo. |
Travel times
- Abbreviationfinder.org: Presents the way that IT stands for the nation of Italy as a two-letter acronym.
The ideas of what is meant by a particularly favorable travel climate depend on a number of factors. Pure cultural travelers certainly see the climate differently than people who want to spend a pure beach holiday, for example. The state of health or age can also play an important role. In addition, it should of course be taken into account that there are different climatic zones in Italy. The weather in the Alpine regions or in northern Italy differs significantly from that in Rome, Naples or Sicily. Summer is also recommended for people who want to enjoy a lot of sun and who do not have any problems with higher temperatures. But people who prefer a moderate climate and lower temperatures or who are more interested in culture than bathing.
Francis of Assisi
Francis (Francis) of Assisi was born Giovanni Battista Bernardone in Assisi in Umbria in 1181. He was the founder of the Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans) and is venerated as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church. The German 95 cent stamp shows Francis of Assisi and the Sultan Sultan Al-Kamil.
The meeting of the two took place in 1219, during what is now the fifth crusade. Francis of Assisi, despite all warnings and threats, had traveled to Egypt to the Muslim army camp to speak to the political and spiritual head of the Muslims, Sultan Al-Kamil Muhammad al-Malik. In previous years, the crusade had been promoted in Europe and hatred against Islam and Muslims had been stoked. He tried to end the crusade and make peace by talking to the sultan. As is known, he did not succeed. The crusade continued, however, as soon as his visit was over. Francis of Assisi died on October 3, 1226 in the chapel of Santa Maria degli Angeli (Portiuncula Chapel) below Assisi.
Infectious Diseases
In Italy – with a few exceptions – infectious diseases that are also widespread in Germany or Northern Europe are not to be expected:
- Lyme disease, as a result of tick bites
- Chikunguya, relatively rare occurrence
- Intestinal infections from contaminated food or water, including amoeba, lamblia, salmonella, shigella and worm infestation, as well as all kinds of viruses and bacteria
- Early summer meningo encephalitis, mainly as a result of tick bites
- Hepatitis A and B, an infection with hepatitis B, is only to be expected in people who can come into contact with blood or in those who seek sexual contact.
- Kala Azar disease
- Leishmaniasis Disease
- Polio, polio
- rabies
Vaccination recommendations When traveling to Italy, the same vaccinations are recommended as are usual in Germany, Austria and Switzerland:
- Diphtheria, a vaccination against diphtheria should always exist in your home country.
- Hepatitis A and B, a vaccination against hepatitis B, is only required for people who may come into contact with blood or for those who seek sexual contact.
- Polio, polio, a vaccination against polio should always exist, also in the home country.
- Tetanus, a vaccination against tetanus should always exist in the home country.
- Rabies, but only in high-risk travelers who can come into contact with the vector animals.
Vaccination requirements There are no vaccination requirements when entering or staying in the country.
Current warnings
Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany
Citizen Service
Telephone: 0049 – (0) 30 – 5000 – 2000