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WHAT CHANGES IN ITALY

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

From new passport services at post offices around the country to the Day of National Unity and St Patrick's Day, here’s what to expect in Italy this week.

Published: 11 March 2024 10:36 CET
Italy, March 17th
The aerobatic unit of Italy's Air Force performs a flyover over Rome on March 17th 2013. Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP

Monday

Voter registration deadline for EU nationals in Italy

Non-Italian EU nationals living in Italy have until midnight on Monday, March 11th to register to vote in the European Parliament election next June.

Voters are required to fill out the registration form available on the Italian Interior Ministry’s website and deliver it either electronically or in person to the mayor of their comune of residence.

People who have previously voted in a European election in Italy don’t have to register as their name will already be in the electoral roll.

British nationals in Italy are excluded from voting in the EU election following Brexit.

Passport issuance and renewal available at selected post offices

As of Monday, March 11th, it’ll be possible to request a passport or renew an existing one in a number of post offices around the country as part of the government’s Polis Project – a nationwide scheme to digitalise citizen services and streamline bureaucracy. 

The new passport issuance services will be available in some 7,000 offices (thus involving a total of 16 million residents), all located in municipalities (or comuni) with up to 15,000 inhabitants. A full list of comuni involved in the initiative should be released by Poste Italiane in the coming days.

Applicants will be asked to submit the necessary documentation directly with the post office staff, who will then process it and send it to the relevant police station (Questura). Once completed, the passport will be delivered straight to the applicant’s home address. 

Wednesday

Nationwide railway maintenance staff strike

Train passengers around the country may experience disruption on Wednesday, March 13th as track maintenance staff at Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (RFI), which owns and manages all of Italy’s railway network, plan to strike for eight hours, with the start and end times of the walkout varying from region to region.

There is currently no further information on how the protest may impact train travel during the day as RFI hasn’t provided any relevant details yet.

You can keep up with the latest updates on this and other protests in March in The Local’s strike news section.

Saturday

Italy take on Wales in Six Nations’ final round

The final round of the 2024 Six Nations Championship will see Italy’s national rugby team take on Wales at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on Saturday, March 16th.

The game will be broadcast free of charge on TV8 (channel eight on most TV sets in Italy), with kickoff set for 3.15pm Italian time.

Last week Italy beat Scotland to claim their first Six Nations home win since 2013.

Sunday 

Italy’s Day of National Unity

Though it isn’t an official holiday, which means you won’t get time off work for it, March 17th is one of the most patriotic days of the year in Italy as the country celebrates the Day of National Unity, or Giornata dell’Unità Nazionale.

March 17th is the country’s birthday as the Kingdom of Italy was officially founded on March 17th 1861 (before then, the peninsula was split into multiple rival states and regions).

Official ceremonies are held every year to mark the occasion, including the laying of a laurel wreath before Rome’s Altare della Patria monument by the president.

St Patrick’s Day

Sunday, March 17th will also mark St Patrick’s Day, which commemorates Ireland’s patron saint and, more broadly, Irish culture and heritage.

Celebrations aren’t as widespread in Italy as in some other countries but most major cities will still offer a number of Paddy’s Day-themed events over the weekend.

For instance, both Rome and Milan will hold an Ireland Week this year – a full week of events including traditional Irish dance performances, live music concerts and Irish food experiences.

Rome marathon

The 2024 edition of the Rome marathon will take place on Sunday, March 17th. 

The 42-kilometre race will start and finish at the Fori Imperiali, with the start time set for 8.30am.

Two parallel events will also take place on the day: the Run4Rome relay race and a five-kilometre fun run in the Circo Massimo area. Further details can be found on the marathon’s official website.

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For members

BREAKING

Everything that changes in Italy in May 2024

From Labour Day celebrations to the start of tax filing season and a summer tyres deadline, here's what people living in Italy can expect next month.

Published: 26 April 2024 11:12 CEST
Everything that changes in Italy in May 2024

Airbnb bans indoor surveillance cameras

Surveillance cameras will no longer be allowed inside Airbnb rentals from April 30th forward 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 April 30th, but will have to clearly specify where they are stationed.

Italy’s Labour Day celebrations

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, meaning a day off work for many around Italy. 

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

People celebrate Italy's Labour Day in Rome's Piazza San Giovanni

People celebrate Italy’s Labour Day in Rome’s Piazza San Giovanni on May 1st 2013. Photo by FILIPPO MONTEFORTE / AFP

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 major 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.

You can keep up with all the latest updates in our strike news section.

May 1st ‘concertone’ in Rome

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

The event, which is the largest free live music concert in Europe, will take place in the central 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.

Tax filing season starts

May 2nd is the earliest date from which some taxpayers in Italy can begin to submit their yearly income tax returns.

There are two types of income tax declaration form in Italy: generally speaking, employees and retirees use form 730 (modello 730), whereas the self-employed, people with sources of income other than employment or pension, and taxpayers who are not legally resident in Italy use the ‘natural persons’ income form‘ (modello redditi persone fisiche).

READ ALSO: When are the deadlines for filing your Italian income tax return?

Taxpayers can submit the modello redditi persone fisiche in paper form at their local post office from May 2nd, whereas May 11th is the earliest date from which taxpayers can begin to submit the modello 730 on the Italian tax office’s website.

Cycling fever

The 2024 edition of the Giro d’Italia, one of the world’s most prestigious cycling competitions, 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.

Irish rider Sam Bennett celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the last stage of the 101st Giro d'Italia

Irish rider Sam Bennett celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the last stage of the 101st Giro d’Italia on May 27th 2018 in Rome. Photo by LUK BENIES / AFP

As usual, the contest will attract thousands of cycling enthusiasts from all around the world, with fans once again expected to crowd narrow mountain roads and camp out in fields just to get a brief glimpse of the riders. 

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.

Mother’s Day

Italy celebrates Mother’s Day (or Festa della Mamma) on the second Sunday in May, which falls on May 12th this year. 

First established in 1956, Italy’s Mother’s Day originally fell on May 8th but the festivity was moved to the second Sunday of May in 2000 to get in line with the American calendar.

Summer tyres deadline 

Motorists in Italy have until May 15th to make the switch from winter to summer tyres.

After the window to make the switch closes, drivers breaking the rules will face a fine of up to 1,731 euros plus the requirement to undergo a revisione (the Italian equivalent of a UK MOT test or a vehicle inspection in the US).

Italy’s summer tyres requirement is a frequent source of confusion as it doesn’t apply to all vehicles. See our article on the topic to find out whether or not it applies to you.

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