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WHAT CHANGES IN ITALY

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

From a Meloni-Biden White House summit to free B&B stays and free museum openings, here’s what to expect in Italy this week.

Published: 26 February 2024 08:58 CET
Roman statue, Pompeii
A Roman sculpture at the Antiquarium museum, part of the Pompeii archaeological site. Photo by Andreas SOLARO / AFP

Monday 

Italian farmers’ associations to stage demo in Brussels

Representatives from a number of Italian farmers’ associations, including Coldiretti and Confagricoltura, are expected to stage a demonstration in Brussels on Monday, February 26th. 

The demo, which should unfold at the same time as a planned EU agriculture ministers summit, will follow a series of Europe-wide marches and road blockades held in protest against farming policies and high taxation across the bloc.

Earlier this month Italian PM Giorgia Meloni reinstated an income tax break for farmers on low incomes following a protest by Rome’s Colosseum, but Coldiretti president Ettore Prandini said shortly afterwards that protests will continue until Italian producers get “exhaustive answers” to their needs.

Italy unveils 5-euro collector coin

A special 5-euro collector coin dedicated to the city of Pesaro, Marche, will be officially unveiled in the Pesaro Ducal Palace on Monday.

The coin, which celebrates Pesaro’s status as Italy’s 2024 Culture Capital, was designed by renowned Italian medalist Uliana Pernazza, and pictures the city’s iconic Rocca Costanza fortress on the obverse and the city’s Ducal Palace on the reverse.

The piece is already available for purchase on the Italian Mint website.

Friday

PM Meloni to meet US President Biden

Italian PM Giorgia Meloni is set to meet US President Joe Biden in Washington on Friday, March 1st in what will be her second official visit to the States since she first took office in October 2022.

Meloni and Biden, 2023

US President Joe Biden and Italian PM Giorgia Meloni engaged in conversation at the White House in July 2023. Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a note last Friday that the two leaders will discuss “shared approaches to address global challenges”, including their commitment to continue supporting Ukraine, the delivery of aid to people in Gaza and relations with China and African partners. 

Following her meeting with Biden, Meloni will fly to Toronto, where she’s scheduled to meet Canadian PM Justin Trudeau on Saturday.

ITA Airways reopens Rome-Tel Aviv route

Italy’s flag carrier ITA Airways will resume services between Rome Fiumicino and Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport on Friday after temporarily shutting the route in early October following the outbreak of war in Gaza.

Services to and from Tel Aviv will run three times a week (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays) for a total of six weekly flights (three headed for Rome, three bound for Tel Aviv).

Other major airlines have restored services to Israel in recent weeks, including Lufthansa and Air France. UK carrier British Airways plans to resume flights from April.

Saturday

Free B&B stays

Dozens of bed and breakfast structures around the country will offer free accommodation on Saturday, March 2nd as part of the 2024 edition of Italy’s B&B day – an annual event celebrating the B&B sector organised by booking platform Bed-and-Breakfast.it.

The offer will apply to stays of at least two days in any of the B&Bs taking part in the event.

Sunday

Free museum openings

People around Italy will be able to visit state-run museums and archaeological sites free of charge on Sunday, March 3rd 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 out more 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

From a nationwide public transport strike to talks over a contested electoral reform, here’s what to expect in Italy this week.

Published: 5 May 2024 10:23 CEST
On the agenda: What's happening in Italy this week

Monday

Nationwide public transport strike 

Commuters in Italy may face delays and/or cancellations on Monday, May 6th as staff at public transport operators around the country plan to strike for 24 hours. 

The protest, which is backed by some of Italy’s largest transport unions, may affect the normal operation of bus, subway and tram services but shouldn’t impact scheduled interregional and long-distance train journeys. 

The level of disruption caused by the walkout will vary from city to city, with services in large metropolitan areas currently expected to be among the most heavily affected. 

READ ALSO: The transport strikes that will hit travel in Italy in May 2024

All public transport operators in Italy are required to provide a number of ‘minimum services’ (servizi minimi) during strikes, but their exact times will vary by city and operator. 

Rai journalists’ 24-hour strike 

Scheduled TV and radio programmes from Italy’s state network Rai may be subject to changes at the start of this week as journalists with the broadcaster plan to take part in a 24-hour strike starting at 5.30pm on Monday, May 6th and ending at 5.30pm on Tuesday, May 7th. 

The walkout was called by reporters’ trade union Usigrai in late April in protest against “the suffocating control” exerted over their work by the current right-wing administration and recent attempts “to reduce Rai to a megaphone for the government”, the union said.

Tennis fever in Rome

The 2024 edition of the Internazionali d’Italia – Italy’s most prestigious tennis tournament – will unfold at Rome’s Foro Italico venue from Monday, May 6th to Sunday, May 19th.

Rome’s city council has estimated that some 350,000 fans will attend this year’s tournament.

A general view of the Nicola Pietrangeli court during the Internazionali di Roma tennis tournament

A view of the Nicola Pietrangeli court during the Internazionali di Roma tennis tournament in May 2023. Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP

Wednesday

Senate to discuss plan for direct election of PM

Italy’s upper chamber of parliament will on Wednesday, May 8th, discuss a contested draft law proposing an overhaul of the country’s electoral system.

The planned reform would change article 92 of the Italian Constitution, allowing voters to directly elect the prime minister, creating a system which critics say isn’t found in any other democratic nation in the world.

Thursday

Turin’s International Book Fair

The Salone Internazionale del Libro – Italy’s largest book fair – will return to Turin’s Lingotto Fiere exhibition space on Thursday, May 9th.

As usual, the festival will feature a variety of talks, shows and workshops, with Vita Immaginaria (‘Imaginary Life’) being the central theme of this year’s edition.

Further info on the event can be found here.

Sunday

Air traffic controllers’ strike at Milan’s Malpensa airport

Passengers flying to or from Milan’s Malpensa airport may face disruption on Sunday, May 12th as staff at air traffic control agency Enav plan to strike from 1pm to 5pm.

At the time of writing, no airline had announced changes to the departure or arrival time of scheduled flights to or from Malpensa on Sunday, but potential delays or cancellations couldn’t be ruled out. 

All passengers planning to fly to or from Malpensa on May 12th are advised to check the status of their journey with the relevant airline before setting off.

An interior view of Terminal 1 at Milan's Malpensa Airport

An interior view of Terminal 1 at Milan’s Malpensa Airport in March 2008. Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE / AFP

Mother’s Day

Sunday, May 12th will mark Italy’s Mother’s Day (or Festa della Mamma in Italian).

Formally established in 1958, Italy’s Mother’s Day originally fell on May 8th but was moved to the second Sunday of May in 2000 to align the Italian calendar with the American one.

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