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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
A view of Rome's Piazza San Giovanni during the traditional concert marking Italy's Labour Day
A view of Rome's Piazza San Giovanni during the traditional concert marking Italy's Labour Day on May 1st 2014. Photo by ANDREAS SOLARO / AFP

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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For members

WHAT CHANGES IN ITALY

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

A summer tyres deadline, Milan's clampdown on rowdy nightlife and potential disruption for train passengers: here's what to expect in Italy this week.

Published: 12 May 2024 08:06 CEST
On the agenda: What's happening in Italy this week

Monday

Ministers to assess university protests

University Minister Anna Maria Bernini will meet with Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi and a number of university deans on Monday, May 13th to assess the situation in campuses around the country following a series of students’ protests in recent months.

Bernini said last week she was not concerned by acts of protest in and of themselves but rather by “groups that engage in destructive actions and crime, knock down doors [and] attack police officers”.

Police forces have clashed with students multiple times in recent months. Some 13 protesters, ten of them minors, were injured during a pro-Palestine demonstration in Pisa in late February – an incident which sparked an investigation for police violence into 15 members of Pisa’s mobile police squad.

Wednesday

Summer tyres deadline 

Motorists in Italy have until Wednesday, 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 tyre requirement is a frequent source of confusion for motorists around the country as it doesn’t apply to all vehicles. See our article on the topic to find out whether or not it applies to you.

Coppa Italia final

Juventus will take on Atalanta in the final act of this year’s Coppa Italia – Italy’s second-biggest football competition after the Serie A league – on Wednesday, May 15th.

Football fans will be able to watch the final for free on Canale 5 (channel 5 on Italian TV sets) or on Mediaset’s online streaming platform Infinity. Kickoff’s set for 9pm Italian time.

Friday

Milan to clamp down on rowdy nightlife

New legislation aimed at clamping down on Milan’s rowdy nightlife and stopping crowds of revellers from keeping residents awake will come into force in 12 of the city’s most popular movida districts from Friday, May 17th. 

People pictured at a bar in southern Milan's Navigli district

People pictured at a bar in southern Milan’s Navigli district. Photo by Miguel MEDINA / AFP

There is currently little information about the upcoming measure as Milan’s city council hasn’t yet presented the decree’s final text.

That said, while initial national and international media reports said that the measure would include an overnight ban on the sale of takeaway food, including ice cream (hence the nickname of ‘gelato ban’), councillors later clarified that “ice cream is not the target” and that the rules would focus on the sale of “drinks, especially alcoholic ones.”

Genoa’s Rolli Days

Genoa’s famous Rolli Palaces will open to the general public from Friday, May 17th to Sunday, May 19th as part of the spring edition of the city’s popular Rolli Days scheme.

The Rolli Palaces are a collection of Unesco-protected buildings built between the 16th and 17th century at the behest of some of the most powerful families in the former Genoa Republic. They are generally regarded as some of the most outstanding examples of late Renaissance and Baroque architecture in Italy.

More information about the event and bookings is available here.

Emilia Romagna Grand Prix

Formula One racing will return to Imola, southeast of Bologna, this weekend after the 2023 edition of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was cancelled due to devastating floods in the region. 

Practice sessions will take place on Friday, May 17th, followed by a qualifying session on Saturday and a 63-lap race on Sunday. 

Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz pictured during the sprint race ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix

Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz pictured during the sprint race ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in April 2022. Photo by ANDREJ ISAKOVIC / AFP

Find the full weekend schedule here. Info on tickets can be found here.

Sunday

Nationwide Trenitalia strike

Train passengers around the country may face delays or cancellations on Sunday, May 19th as staff at national rail operator Trenitalia plan to take part in a 23-hour strike (from 3am on Sunday to 2am on Monday). 

The protest, which is backed by the PdM/PdB union, is expected to affect long-distance services as well as regional and local routes.

The level of disruption caused by the walkout will vary from region to region, with Trenitalia expected to release information on guaranteed services closer to the date of the strike.

Italian Open final

The 81st edition of the Internazionali d’Italia – Italy’s most prestigious tennis open – will come to an end this weekend, with the finalists of the men’s singles tournament set to square up on the Central Court of Rome’s Foro Italico on Sunday, May 19th.

Sky Sport Italia and their streaming platform Sky Go will show the match live, but you’ll need to purchase a subscription plan to access the service.

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