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WHAT CHANGES IN ITALY

What changes in Italy in May 2024

From Labour Day celebrations to the start of tax filing season, here's what people living in Italy can expect this month.

People enjoy Rome's traditional Labour Day concert
People enjoy Rome's traditional Labour Day concert, or 'concertone', on May 1st 2008. Photo by FILIPPO MONTEFORTE / AFP

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). Established in 1890 to celebrate workers’ rights and trade union achievements, Labour Day is a national public holiday, meaning a day off work for many employees. 

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.

READ ALSO: Things to do in Rome in May 2024

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.

Depending on your tax situation, you’ll need to fill out one of Italy’s two tax forms, from either May 2nd or May 11th. See more details in a separate article.

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.

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

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

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. 

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 tyre 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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For members

WHAT CHANGES IN ITALY

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

From the start of tax filing season to a nationwide taxi drivers' strike, here's what to expect in Italy this week.

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

Monday

Start of Italy’s tax filing season

Monday, May 20th is the earliest date from which some taxpayers in Italy can begin to submit their yearly income tax returns via form 730 (or modello 730).

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

There are two types of income tax declaration form in Italy: generally speaking, employees and retirees use form 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 modello redditi persone fisiche (‘natural persons’ income form’).

You can find this year’s submission deadlines for both forms here.

Tuesday 

Nationwide taxi drivers’ strike 

Cab services around the country may be significantly limited on Tuesday, May 21st as taxi drivers plan to strike from 8am to 10pm, for a total of 14 hours.

The protest was called earlier this month in protest against a planned reform of the taxi sector aimed at resolving long-standing cab shortages and reducing waiting times for customers.

READ ALSO: Italy’s taxi drivers plan ‘biggest ever’ strike over planned industry reform

There are currently no details as to exactly how many drivers will participate in the walkout, but anyone planning to use taxi services on the day should be prepared to find alternative transportation.

Wednesday

Europa League final 

Bergamo-based team Atalanta will take on German side Bayer Leverkusen in the final act of this year’s Europa League – Europe’s second-biggest football competition after the Champions League – at the Aviva Arena in Dublin on Wednesday, May 22nd.

Football fans in Italy will be able to watch the final for free on Rai1 (channel one on Italian TV sets) or on Rai’s online streaming platform RaiPlay. Kickoff’s set for 9pm Italian time.

Thursday

32nd anniversary of Capaci bombing 

Thursday, May 23rd will mark the 32nd anniversary of the Capaci bombing (or strage di Capaci in Italian), a terror attack perpetrated by Sicily’s Cosa Nostra which killed anti-mafia magistrate Giovanni Falcone, his wife Francesca Morvillo and three police escort agents. 

Italian police officers stand in front of a memorial honouring anti-mafia judge Giovanni Falcone

Italian police officers stand in front of a memorial honouring anti-mafia judge Giovanni Falcone on the motorway leading to Palermo on May 23rd 2022. Photo by Alessandro FUCARINI / AFP

The May 1992 Capaci bombing is considered one of the darkest pages in recent Italian history but is also credited as having inspired a new generation of anti-mafia crusaders to carry on Falcone’s fight. 

A number of events including marches, talks, and special exhibitions will take place in major cities around the country on Thursday to honour the memory of those who were killed in the Capaci bombing, as well as all other mafia victims, including Falcone’s colleague and close friend Paolo Borsellino.

Friday

New trial hearing for Italian teacher held in Hungary

An Italian teacher currently held in Budapest for allegedly attacking a group of neo-Nazis in February 2023 will attend her first trial hearing after being granted house arrest on Friday, May 24th.

The case of 39-year-old Ilaria Salis, from Monza, north of Milan, has been front-page news in Italy in recent months after footage showing her in court with hands and feet shackled sparked widespread outrage in the country, with figures from both sides of the political spectrum protesting against her detention conditions. 

Salis was granted house arrest on Wednesday after her first home detention request had been denied on flight risk grounds. 

Sunday

Italy’s Giro d’Italia ends with Rome stage

The 2024 edition of the Giro d’Italia, Italy’s most prestigious cycling competition, will come to an end on Sunday, May 26th, with riders set to cross the finish line right by Rome’s monumental Fori Imperiali.

Bora Hansgrohe rider Sam Bennett celebrates as he crosses the finish line of the last stage of Italy's Giro d'Italia

Bora Hansgrohe rider Sam Bennett celebrates as he crosses the finish line of the last stage of Italy’s Giro d’Italia in May 2018 in Rome. Photo by LUK BENIES / AFP

The Rome stage of the Giro will once again attract thousands of cycling enthusiasts from all around the country, with fans expected to crowd both sides of the central Via San Gregorio just to get a glimpse of the final sprint. 

For further info about the event, see the Comune di Roma’s website and the Giro d’Italia Rome stage page.

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