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WHAT CHANGES IN ITALY

On the agenda: What’s happening in Italy this week

A farmers protest in Rome, the Sanremo music festival and nationwide carnival celebrations – here’s what to expect in Italy this week.

Published: 5 February 2024 09:02 CET
Farmers, Protest, Italy
Italian farmers drive their tractors through Milan’s city centre during a protest held on February 1st 2024. Photo by GABRIEL BOUYS / AFP

Monday

Italian farmers plan protest in Rome

Italian farmers protesting against EU agricultural policies and high taxation are expected to stage a demonstration in Rome this week.

Though the exact date and details of the rally haven’t been announced yet, farmers’ representative Danilo Calvani said on Friday that he expected “thousands from all over Italy to take part”.

“In the coming days we will gather the tractors outside the city. There won’t be any blockade, but there definitely will be disruption,” Calvani added.

This week’s protest will follow a series of smaller demonstrations held in recent days, with impromptu blockades temporarily halting traffic in multiple locations around the country. 

Similar blockades are currently being staged elsewhere in Europe, including France, Germany and Belgium.

Tuesday

Sanremo music festival starts 

The Sanremo music festival – Italy’s most famous song competition– will return on Tuesday, February 6th.

READ ALSO: Why is the Sanremo music festival so important to Italians?

Considered by many as Italy’s answer to the Eurovision contest, Sanremo is a key date in the country’s cultural calendar as every year the event drums up excitement among broadcasters, journalists and viewers alike.

The contest will once again be held in the historic Ariston Theatre in the Ligurian town of Sanremo, with 30 artists vying for the winning spot over five nights. The grand finale will be held on Saturday, February 10th.

Sanremo

Italian actor Roberto Benigni arrives at Sanremo’s Ariston Theatre on horseback in February 2011. Photo by TIZIANA FABI / AFP

Thursday

Italy amps up carnival celebrations

Carnival celebrations all around the country will be at their peak from Thursday, February 8th, also known as giovedì grasso (literally, ‘fat Thursday’) in Italy.

Over the following six days, people across Italy can expect to see bright parades of floats roll through city centres and confetti (or coriandoli) line the sides of the busiest streets.

READ ALSO: Beyond Venice: Eight other carnivals to visit in Italy in February 2024

This will also be the perfect time to sample some of Italy’s traditional carnival sweets.

Celebrations will end on Shrove Tuesday for much of the country but will continue until Saturday, February 17th for Milan residents as the northern city follows the Ambrosian liturgical calendar as opposed to the Roman one.

Friday

Baggage handlers’ strike at Linate and Malpensa airports

Passengers flying to or from Milan Linate and Milan Malpensa may experience disruption on Friday, February 9th as baggage handlers at both airports plan to take part in a 24-hour strike.

There were no details available at the time of writing as to how the walkout may impact air travel, though ground operations such as check-ins and baggage collection may experience delays.

READ ALSO: What are my rights in Italy if a flight is cancelled or delayed?

Potential changes to outbound flights’ scheduled departure times cannot be ruled out.

Malpensa airport

A passenger walks inside Terminal 1 of Milan’s Malpensa Airport in March 2008. Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE / AFP

Saturday

National remembrance day of the Foibe massacres 

Italy will commemorate the victims of the Foibe massacres – a series of mass killings perpetrated in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Istria and Dalmatia by Yugoslav forces both during and after World War II – on Saturday, February 10th. 

The exact number of Foibe victims is disputed to this day, though some historians estimate that as many as 15,000 civilians may have been killed during the massacres, with a further 250,000 Italians forced to leave their homes in what’s known as the Istrian-Dalmatian exodus.

This year’s Foibe remembrance day will come little over a week after PM Giorgia Meloni’s cabinet approved the creation of a new museum in Rome in memory of the attacks.

Sunday

Argentine President Javier Milei to visit Italy

New Argentine President Javier Milei will reportedly make an official visit to Italy on Sunday, February 11th.

Though the reasons behind the trip aren’t fully clear yet, Argentina’s Foreign Affairs Minister Diana Mondino said last Friday that “Italy can give us a lot” and “can be a gateway to the bloc, with all that that entails”.

Milei – a right-wing libertarian known for his flamboyant personality – took office on December 10th 2023 after defeating centre-left rival Sergio Massa in the November general election.

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For members

WHAT CHANGES IN ITALY

On the agenda: What’s happening in Italy this week

From Labour Day celebrations to free museum openings, here’s what to expect in Italy this week.

Published: 28 April 2024 09:32 CEST
On the agenda: What’s happening in Italy this week

Monday

Italy celebrates its patron saint

Italians will celebrate Catherine of Siena – one of the country’s two patron saints together with Francis of Assisi – on Monday, April 29th.

Saint Catherine’s feast day will be a special occasion for many around Italy, particularly for people in the saint’s hometown of Siena, Tuscany, where the observance will be marked by a number of events and religious functions spread over the entire week.

Tuesday

Airbnb bans indoor surveillance cameras

Surveillance cameras will no longer be allowed inside Airbnb rentals from Tuesday, April 30th, under a new company-wide policy that will affect hosts and customers globally, including in Italy.

Until now, Airbnb has allowed hosts to install security cameras in common spaces such as hallways and living rooms provided that they were clearly visible and mentioned in the listing. But reports of guests finding hidden cameras in private spaces has led the company to ban indoor video surveillance altogether. 

Hosts will still be able to install outdoor cameras after Tuesday, but will have to clearly specify where they are stationed.

Wednesday 

Labour Day celebrations

Wednesday, May 1st will mark Italy’s Labour Day (or Festa del Lavoro in Italian).

First established in 1890 to celebrate workers’ rights and trade unions’ achievements, Labour Day is a national public holiday, which means a day off for many around the country. 

People enjoy a sunny day at Rome's Villa Ada park

People enjoy a sunny day at Rome’s Villa Ada park on May 1st 2014. Photo by ANDREAS SOLARO / AFP

Offices and schools will be closed on the day, while most state-run museum and archaeological sites will remain open.

READ ALSO: What’s open and what’s closed in Italy on May 1st 2024

Rail and public transport operators tend to operate a number of ‘holiday services’ (servizi or orari festivi) on national holidays, including Labour Day. 

However, these services may experience delays and/or cancellations this year due to a 24-hour general strike that will involve staff from both public and private transport operators around the country.

May 1st concert in Rome

The traditional Labour Day concert (known as concertone, or ‘the big concert’, in Italy) will return to Rome on Wednesday, May 1st.

The event, which is the largest free live music concert in Europe, will take place at the Circus Maximus venue, with performances from some of the most popular Italian artists set to start as early as 3pm.

All acts will be free of charge. No advance booking is required, but access to the square will be denied after full capacity is reached.

Friday 

Nationwide rail maintenance staff strike

Train passengers around the country may experience disruption on Friday, May 3rd as rail maintenance staff at Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (RFI), which owns and manages all of Italy’s railway network, plan to strike for 24 hours. 

The protest, which is backed by some of Italy’s largest trade unions, may affect the normal operation of both regional trains and long-distance services operated by Trenitalia and Italo.

Further information about the protest and its impact on rail travel is expected to become available closer to the date of the walkout. You can keep up with all the latest updates in our strike news section. 

Saturday

Giro d’Italia gets underway

The 2024 edition of the Giro d’Italia – one of the world’s most prestigious bicycle races – will run from Saturday, May 4th to Sunday, May 26th. 

This year’s Giro will start in Venaria Reale, just north of Turin, and end right by Rome’s iconic Fori Imperiali, passing through cities, lakes and mountain ranges all over northern and southern Italy on the way.

READ ALSO: A quick guide to understanding the Giro d’Italia

French rider Alex Baudin pictured during the 20th stage of the Giro d'Italia race in May 2023

French rider Alex Baudin pictured during the 20th stage of the Giro d’Italia race in May 2023. Photo by Luca BETTINI / AFP

If you’re in Genoa on May 8th, Naples on the 12th, Padua on the 23rd, or Rome on the 26th, you’ll have the opportunity to see a leg of the race in person. More information is available here.

Sunday

Free museum openings

People around Italy will be able to visit state-run museums and archaeological sites free of charge on Sunday, May 5th under the popular Domenica al Museo or ‘free museum Sundays’ national scheme.

The initiative applies to hundreds of sites, including world-famous attractions like the Colosseum, Pompeii, Florence’s Galleria dell’Accademia, the Reggia di Caserta and Trieste’s Miramare Castle. 

Find more information about how it works in our article.

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