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WHAT CHANGES IN ITALY

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

From another strike affecting air travel to a public holiday, here’s what to expect in Italy this week.

Published: 29 May 2023 10:13 CEST
On the agenda: What’s happening in Italy this week
An air show in Rome traditionally marks Republic Day on June 2nd. (Photo by Vincenzo PINTO / AFP)

Monday

More bad weather on the way?

Summer seems to have arrived at last for most parts of Italy, but an interruption to these balmy conditions is on the way in many areas according to the latest forecasts.

Rain is expected from Monday morning in northwestern regions (Piedmont, Liguria, Aosta Valley and some areas of Lombardy)

Showers and perhaps storms are then expected later in the day for areas along the Tyrrhenian coast (parts of Lazio, Campania, Calabria and southern Tuscany) and the islands, Sicily and Sardinia, in the afternoon.

Wet conditions are expected to linger in the coming days, but should hopefully clear up before the start of the long weekend.

Tuesday

President Mattarella visits flood-hit areas

Italian President Sergio Mattarella will make an official visit to the northeastern Emilia Romagna region on Tuesday, May 30th after devastating floods killed 14 people, displaced tens of thousands and left large swathes of land submerged in mid-May.

READ ALSO: How you can help people affected by flooding in northern Italy

The castle and flooded streets in the town of Lugo, near Ravenna, on May 18, 2023, after flooding across Italy’s northern Emilia Romagna region. (Photo by Federico SCOPPA / AFP)

Martin Scorsese and world-class screenings in Rome

American director Martin Scorsese will be in Rome on Tuesday, May 30th to present Carte Blanche, a collection of five critically acclaimed titles from his extensive filmography.

The event will take place at the outdoor Ettore Scola Theatre in Villa Borghese at 9pm and will be followed by a screening of Mean Streets, one of Scorsese’s best-known works. Entry will be free of charge. 

READ ALSO: Eight things you can do in Rome for free

The entire Carte Blanche collection will be screened at the Ettore Scola Theatre from Monday, May 29th to Sunday, June 4th.

Info on show times and tickets can be found here.

Wednesday

Roma faces Sevilla in Europa League final

AS Roma will take on Spanish side Sevilla on Wednesday, May 31st in the final act of this year’s UEFA Europa League, the second-most prestigious European football competition after the Champions League.

After winning the UEFA Conference League last year, Jose Mourinho’s team will now try to secure another European title in Wednesday’s Budapest showdown.

The match will be screened on Rai1 (channel 1 on Italian TV), with kickoff scheduled for 9pm.

Rome residents can expect city-wide celebrations and late-night parties if the giallorossi win.

Venice Boat Show

TheSalone Nautico, one of Italy’s biggest boating fairs, will return to Venice on Wednesday, May 31st.

The six-day event showcases some 300 vessels from Italy and abroad within the confines of the iconic Arsenale, a complex of former military shipyards repurposed as a large-scale exhibition space.

Tickets are 15 euros each and can be bought here.

Friday

Public holiday

June 2nd is Italy’s Republic Day, or Festa della Repubblica, a national public holiday commemorating the day in 1946 when Italians voted to abolish the monarchy in favour of the current constitutional republic.

This year it’s also the start of a three-day weekend for many, as it conveniently falls on a Friday.

READ ALSO: What to expect on Italy’s Republic Day 2023

The extra day off work is traditionally an opportunity to go to the beach, so expect so see plenty of picnic bags and ombrelloni if the weather permits it.

But those aren’t the only things you may come across on June 2nd. From official celebrations to shop closures and reduced public transport, you can find out more about what happens on Republic Day here.

Sunday

Airport staff strike

Airline passengers travelling to or from Italy are once set to face disruption on Sunday, June 4th as handling staff at airports around the country plan to take part in a 24-hour walkout.

As at least four of Italy’s largest transport workers’ unions are involved in the strike, the protest is expected to cause at least some disruption at all of Italy’s major airports, especially at check-in desks and baggage collection points.

Staff from several airlines, including Volotea, American Airlines and Emirates, are also set to hold separate protests on this date, which may result in significant flight delays or cancellations.

You can find out more about the strike here.

Free museum openings

People all around Italy will be able to visit museums and archaeological sites free of charge on Sunday, June 4th under the popular Domenica al Museo or ‘free museum Sundays’ scheme.

READ ALSO: What you need to know about Italy’s free museum Sundays

The scheme applies to hundreds of state-run sites, including world-famous attractions the 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 HERE.

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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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