Monday
School starts
Children in Italy’s northern Bolzano province will be the first to return to school this year as they’re expected back at their desks on Monday, September 8th.
Schools in Italy are managed by regional authorities, which is why return dates vary from region to region.
Here is this year’s back-to-school calendar by region:
- September 8th: Bolzano province
- September 10th: Trento province, Piedmont, Veneto, Aosta Valley
- September 11th: Friuli Venezia Giulia
- September 12th: Lombardy
- September 15th: Abruzzo, Basilicata, Campania, Emilia Romagna, Lazio, Liguria, Marche, Molise, Sardinia, Sicily, Tuscany, Umbria
- September 16th: Calabria, Puglia
24-hour public transport strike in three Sicilian cities
Public transport services in the Sicilian cities of Enna, Palermo and Catania are set to be hit by a 24-hour strike on Monday, September 8th.
Services operated by Segesta, Autolinee Russo, Etna Trasporti and Interbus may experience delays or cancellations due to the strike, according to the Italian transport ministry.
READ ALSO: KEY DATES: The transport strikes to expect in Italy in September 2025
People planning to travel by public transport in these cities on Monday are advised to allow extra time for their journeys and check the service status of the relevant operator before leaving.
Giorgio Armani's funeral
Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani will be buried in a private ceremony in the village of Rivalta, south of Milan, on Monday, September 8th.
Armani died at the age of 91 on Thursday following months of fragile health.
Thousands of mourners paid their respects to the designer over the weekend, as his casket was put on public display at the Armani Group’s Milan headquarters.
“Armani's private funeral will be held in the small church of San Martino, in the medieval village of Rivalta," the Association of Castles of the Duchy of Parma, Piacenza and Pontremoli said on Sunday.
The surrounding area will be closed "for security reasons and to ensure the privacy of the funeral,” the association added.
Tuesday
Parliament reopens after summer recess
Italy’s parliament is set to reopen on Tuesday, September 9th, after a nearly five-week break.
According to Italian media reports, a long-planned reform of the country’s electoral system will be at the top of MPs’ agenda this month.
Under the reform, which was first proposed by the Forza Italia party in October 2023, prime ministers would be directly elected by voters as opposed to being appointed by Italy’s president after their party wins the largest share of the vote, as is currently the case.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has long argued that direct elections would grant the country political stability, but critics have said that the proposed system, which doesn't exist in any other democratic nation in the world, would dangerously undermine the president’s powers.
British Overseas Voters Forum holds first European meeting in Milan
The British Overseas Voters Forum (BOVF), a non-partisan group campaigning for the rights of British nationals living abroad, is set to hold its first European meeting at the All Saints’ Anglican Church in Milan on Tuesday, September 9th.
The group was founded after a contested rule that had barred tens of thousands of Brits living overseas from voting in UK elections was scrapped under a landmark law change in 2024.
BOVF told The Local in August it was formed with the aim of "galvanising UK citizens abroad to register to vote and [...] start to have real influence in the UK."
It cited spouse and family visas, access to UK bank accounts and an improved postal voting system as being among its core issues.
For more info about the meeting and bookings, see here.
Thursday
Expo Chianti Classico
The Expo Chianti Classico, one of Tuscany’s most famous wine fairs, will run from Thursday, September 11th, to Sunday, September 14th, this year.
The event will offer visitors a chance to meet Chianti Classico producers and sample their wine in the picturesque town of Greve in Chianti, south of Florence.
READ ALSO: What's on in Italy: 11 of the best events to look forward to this September
Most events don’t require booking (unless you’re looking for a guided tasting session, which must be booked here).
The fair will also feature food stands, live music performances and a charity tombola.
Saturday
Venice Glass Week
Venice Glass Week, an annual festival celebrating the artistry and heritage of Venetian glassmaking, will take place at multiple locations across Venice, Mestre and Murano from Saturday, September 13th, to Saturday, September 21st.
The festival, which attracts hundreds of glassmakers, collectors and visitors from around the world every year, will feature open-air exhibitions and installations, glassmaking workshops and guided tours of some of Venice's most famous vetrerie (glass factories).
You can find the full programme of the 2025 edition here.
Giostra della Quintana
The Giostra della Quintana – one of Italy’s most famous jousting tournaments – will be held in Foligno, Umbria, on Sunday, September 14th.
The contest, which is believed to date back to at least the early 16th century, takes place twice a year, with the Sfida (Challenge) held on the second or third Saturday of June, and the Rivincita (Rematch) held on the second or third Sunday of September.
The Giostra sees 'knights' chosen from each of the city's ten districts compete to ride their horse around a treacherous racetrack and insert their lance through a ring hanging from the arm of a statue of god Mars.
The city goes all out to celebrate, with townsfolk dressing up in baroque costumes, and taverns serving traditional fare in the weeks leading up to the tournament.
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