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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

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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