France-Italy high-speed rail link reopens
Italy’s state-owned operator Trenitalia will resume popular high-speed rail services linking Paris with the northern Italian city of Milan on Tuesday, April 1st, following a 19-month closure forced by a landslide in France’s Maurienne Valley.
Trenitalia will operate two daily trips in each direction, with scheduled services set to have a total travel time of approximately seven hours.
Milan-bound services will depart from Paris’s Gare de Lyon at 7.30am and 3.18pm, whereas Paris-bound services will depart from Milano Centrale at 6.25am and 3.53pm.
Trains will make the following stops between Paris and Milan: Lyon, Chambéry, Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne, Modane, Oulx and Turin.
You can find further details about the Paris-Milan high-speed line here. Tickets can be purchased on Trenitalia’s website.
April Fool's Day
While April 1st is known as April Fool’s Day in English-speaking countries, the date is known as Pesce d’Aprile (literally, ‘April’s fish’) in Italy.
Though you may think that the expression is in some way related to the act of ‘baiting’ people, it more likely comes from a common prank that involves sticking a drawing of a fish onto the back of an unsuspecting victim and then asking them if they've seen 'April’s fish'.
Transport strikes
Transport strikes are something of a regular occurrence in Italy, as most months of the year count at least two to three nationwide walkouts and dozens of smaller regional or city protests.
April will be no exception, as Italian unions have already announced three national strikes affecting air, rail and public transport passengers.
You can find further details about the upcoming protests HERE.
UK extends ETA visa waiver scheme to EU/EFTA nationals
Citizens of EU and EFTA countries (Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein) including Italian nationals will need an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) to travel to the UK from Wednesday, April 2nd.
The ETA is a £10 visa waiver that visa-free travellers need to apply for online in advance of their trip to the UK.
Once granted, it lasts two years, allowing multiple entries during its validity period.
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The requirement to hold an ETA has been in place for non-EU, non-EFTA nationals travelling to the UK since January 8th.
Holders of a British or Irish passport are exempt from the requirement, as are UK visa holders and people with residency status in the UK (for instance EU nationals with Settled or Pre-Settled Status).
Find further details about the UK’s ETA scheme here.
Time to switch to summer tyres
Motorists in Italy have from Tuesday, April 15th to Thursday, May 15th to 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 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.
EasyJet launches new London-Rimini route
British budget airline EasyJet will launch a new direct route connecting London Gatwick with Rimini’s Federico Fellini airport on Wednesday, April 16th.
Located in Italy’s northeastern Emilia-Romagna region, Rimini is a popular seaside resort known for its beaches and vibrant nightlife.
Flights in either direction will run twice a week – on Wednesdays and Sundays – with a travel time of around two hours and 15 minutes.
Tickets are available on EasyJet’s website.
UK flag carrier British Airways will also launch a new direct route to Rimini this year. Flights between London Heathrow and Rimini Federico Fellini are set to start on May 15th.
Venice brings back contested entry fee scheme
Venice is set to reintroduce a contested entry fee system for day trippers this April after the scheme underwent its first trial phase in 2024.
The entry fee, which is aimed at managing tourist numbers amid efforts to preserve the city's fragile artistic heritage, will be operative on a total of 54 dates in 2025, starting from Friday, April 18th.
READ ALSO: CALENDAR: When will you need to pay a fee to visit Venice in 2025?
The Venice fee will also double for ‘late’ bookings this year. Visitors who book their tickets at least four days in advance will pay an entry fee of €5, whereas those who book within three days of their visit will face a €10 charge.
You can see a full list of dates and further details on this year’s entry fee HERE.
Easter holidays
Unlike in other European countries, Good Friday (or Venerdì Santo) is not a national holiday in Italy, which means that you’ll only get time off work on Easter Sunday (Pasqua) and Easter Monday (Pasquetta), falling on April 20th and April 21st respectively.
READ ALSO: Calendar: Find out which days you'll get off work in Italy in 2025
Pupils and teachers will get a longer break, as this year’s Easter holidays at public schools are set to go from Thursday, April 17th to Tuesday, April 22nd.
Dates might differ for private institutions.
Bella Ciao and a day off: Italy marks Liberation Day
April 25th is Italy’s Liberation Day (or Festa della Liberazione), which celebrates the end of the Italian Civil War and the liberation from Nazi occupation in the latter phase of World War II.
The yearly event marks the day in 1945 when Italy’s National Liberation Committee – a member of the Italian Resistance movement – incited a popular insurrection against Nazi and Fascist forces.
The uprising eventually resulted in the liberation of all Nazi-occupied territories and the capture and subsequent execution of Mussolini in Milan’s Piazza Loreto.
READ ALSO: How Italy marks Liberation Day on April 25th
Liberation Day is a national public holiday in Italy, meaning that public offices, schools and most shops will be closed on that date.
The event is traditionally marked by a number of official ceremonies honouring the women and men who fought in the Italian Resistance, as well as marches featuring renditions of the Bella Ciao anthem.
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