Here’s your Italy 2026 holiday and festivals planner because… planning a trip to Italy isn’t just about where you go—it’s about when you go.
Festivals, public holidays, food fairs, and major events can completely change what your trip feels like. Some dates mean packed cities and higher prices. Others bring quieter streets, local traditions, and unforgettable experiences.
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This post and free download at the end of the post break down Italy’s most significant events in 2026, month by month, so you can plan smarter and travel better. If you’re traveling to Tuscany or Umbria, we have this information and tons more in our travel guidebooks:
Travel Guidebooks
These are not your typical guidebooks. We include festivals for each town and tons more information!
Italy 2026 Holidays and Festivals
January
New Year’s Day – January 1
Italy’s first public holiday of the year is quiet. Most of the celebrating happens the night before, so January 1 is more about sleeping in, long lunches, and empty streets.
Epiphany & La Befana – January 6
Epiphany marks the official end of the Christmas season. It’s also the day of La Befana, the beloved (and slightly scruffy) good witch who delivers candy to well-behaved kids—and coal to the rest.
Feast of Saint Anthony Abbot – January 16–17
Bonfires light up towns across Italy, especially in the south, to honor the patron saint of animals. Expect fires, processions, and local rituals that feel very old-school Italy.
February
Carnival (Carnevale)
Carnevale season runs from late January into mid-February, with Venice stealing the spotlight from January 31 to February 17, 2026. Masks, costumes, and crowds take over the city. Viareggio’s massive papier-mâché floats are another standout.
Winter Olympics – Milan & Cortina – February 6–22
Italy hosts the Winter Olympics, with Milan as the hub for ice events and Cortina d’Ampezzo hosting women’s alpine skiing and sliding sports. Expect packed hotels and a big international buzz.
Sanremo Music Festival – February 24–28
Italy’s most-watched music event takes over the Riviera. New artists and big names compete with original songs, and the winner goes on to represent Italy at Eurovision.
March
Winter Paralympics – March 6–15
The Paralympic Winter Games continue in northern Italy, following the Olympic events.
National Unity Day – March 17
Not a public holiday, but an important one. Italy marks the founding of the Kingdom of Italy with ceremonies, events, and the occasional parade.
Rome Marathon – March 22
Runners race past some of Rome’s most iconic landmarks, including Piazza di Spagna, Castel Sant’Angelo, and Vatican City.
Disclaimer: We have made every effort to make sure these dates are accurate. But as with anything in Italy, things can change. Always double-check ahead of time.
April
Easter Weekend (Pasqua)
Easter is a big deal in Italy. Good Friday brings Via Crucis processions (the most famous in Rome). Easter Sunday means Mass and a long family lunch. Easter Monday—Pasquetta—is for picnics and short trips out of town.
Rome’s Birthday – April 21
Known as Il Natale di Roma, the city celebrates its legendary founding with parades, gladiator reenactments, and plenty of Ancient Roman costumes around Circus Maximus.
Liberation Day – April 25
A national holiday marking the end of WWII in Italy. Expect marches, ceremonies, and political events, especially in Rome and Milan.
May
Labor Day – May 1
A public holiday with two moods: activism and concerts. Rome hosts Italy’s biggest free concert in Piazza San Giovanni.
Giro d’Italia – May 8–31
Italy’s most famous cycling race begins in Bulgaria this year and finishes in Rome. Even if you’re not a cycling fan, it’s fun to stumble upon a stage in a small town.
Venice Biennale Begins – May 9
The world-famous contemporary art exhibition opens across the Giardini and the Arsenale.
Infiorata di Noto – May 15–19
One of Italy’s most beautiful floral festivals. Streets are covered in intricate flower carpets. Other infiorate also pop up in towns like Spello and Genzano.
June
Republic Day – June 2
A national holiday celebrating the birth of the Italian Republic. Rome hosts a military parade and a flyover by the Frecce Tricolori.
Summer Opera Festivals Begin
The Verona Arena season opens June 12 with opera under the stars. Rome’s Caracalla Festival follows shortly after, set among ancient ruins.
July
Palio di Siena – July 2
Siena’s famous bareback horse race pits city neighborhoods against each other in a fast, chaotic sprint around Piazza del Campo.
Umbria Jazz – Perugia – July 3–12
One of Europe’s top jazz festivals, with big-name acts and free outdoor concerts.
Feast of the Redeemer – Venice
Held the third weekend of July. Locals celebrate with dinner boats, fireworks over the lagoon, and a floating bridge to the Redentore church.
Feast of Saint Rosalia – Palermo – July 14–15
Palermo celebrates its patron saint with a huge parade, fireworks, and a citywide party.
August
Ferragosto – August 15
The heart of summer. Cities empty out as Italians escape to the beach, lakes, or mountains. Many shops and restaurants close.
September
Sagre (Food Festivals)
Autumn means food festivals celebrating everything from mushrooms to chestnuts to wine. These range from tiny village events to full weekend feasts.
Venice Historical Regatta
Held the first Sunday of September, this traditional rowing event celebrates Venice’s maritime history.
Paper Lantern Festival – Florence – September 7
The Festa della Rificolona fills Florence’s streets with colorful paper lanterns after dark.
Feast of San Gennaro – Naples
Naples watches for the liquefaction of the saint’s blood during a cathedral Mass—an event locals take very seriously.
October
Barcolana Regatta – Trieste
The world’s largest sailing regatta fills the Gulf of Trieste with thousands of boats.
Alba White Truffle Fair – from October 10
A must for food lovers. Truffles, tastings, cooking demos, and fall festivals take over Piedmont through early December.
Lucca Comics & Games – October 28–November 1
One of Europe’s biggest pop culture festivals, right here in Lucca. Expect costumes everywhere and a packed historic center.
November
Rome Jazz Festival
Multiple venues host jazz performances over several weeks. Dates are announced later in the year.
Eurochocolate – Perugia – November 13–22
One of Europe’s largest chocolate festivals. Expect tastings, displays, and plenty of crowds.
December
Christmas Markets & Nativity Scenes
Italy goes all in for Christmas. Living nativity scenes shine in places like Greccio and Matera, while northern cities host cozy Christmas markets.
Krampus Parades
In northern, German-speaking regions, scary Krampus figures parade through towns in early December.
Feast of Saint Ambrose – Milan – December 7
Milan celebrates its patron saint with local festivities, the opening of the Oh Bej! Oh Bej! market, and the new La Scala opera season.
Feast of Saint Lucy – December 13
Celebrated across Italy, especially in Syracuse, Sicily. In parts of the north, Saint Lucy brings gifts to children—Santa has competition here.
Hope you found this post helpful with your planning!
Free Downloadable Festivals, Holidays & Travel Planning Guide
This guide helps you choose when to go, not just where—using Italy’s biggest holidays, festivals, and events. Use it to: catch Italy at its best, plan around crowds, and avoid surprise closures
Thanks for this list!
As we travel around Italy, it’s good to note the holidays of the cities you’ll visit.
I’d spent a long weekend in Florence and then headed to Naples to take the aliscafo to Ischia.
When I arrived in Naples, it was calmer than usual, and the taxi fare was higher than usual.
Then it hit me: it was the Festa di San Gennaro! Not a holiday in Tuscany, but it’s a big one in Naples.
Excellent add on about San Gennaro. There are so many that it truly is difficult to create one list! Thanks, Dawn!!