February
Carnival
February is carnevale season in Italy, and the most famous events of all are held in Venice, with celebrations set to run from January 31st to February 17th 2026.
But Venice is not the only part of Italy famous for its carnival celebrations; there’s the famous parade of papier-mâché floats and political caricatures in Viareggio and an annual orange fight in Ivrea, among others.
READ ALSO: Beyond Venice: 10 other carnivals to visit in Italy this year
Winter Olympics – Milan
The XXV Olympic Winter Games will be hosted in Italy from February 6th to 22nd. Milan will be the centre of ice-based competitions, while Cortina d’Ampezzo will take centre stage for women’s alpine skiing on the legendary Olympia delle Tofane slope, as well as for curling and the high-speed sliding sports.
READ ALSO: A quick guide to Italy’s 2026 Winter Olympics
Sanremo Music Festival
February is the month for Italy’s hottest musical event: the Sanremo musical contest. From February 24th to 28th 2026, both established Italian artists and newcomers will perform their own original songs, battling it out for the golden lion trophy (and the opportunity to represent Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest).
READ ALSO: Why is the Sanremo music festival so important to Italians?
March
Winter Paralympics – Milan
The Olympic Games continue dominating the north of Italy through March, with the Paralympic Winter Games scheduled from March 6th to 15th. Get more information on the official website.
National Unity Day
Though it isn’t an official holiday, March 17th is one of the most patriotic days of the year as Italy celebrates the Day of National Unity (Giornata dell’Unità Nazionale), when the Kingdom of Italy was officially founded. Official ceremonies are held every year to mark the occasion, so look out for announcements of marches and special events as the date nears.
READ ALSO: Why does Italy celebrate National Unity Day on March 17th?
Rome Marathon
Taking place on March 22nd, the annual Rome Marathon will see participants run some of the capital’s most instantly recognizable sites, from Piazza di Spagna to Castel Sant’Angelo and the Vatican.
April
Easter weekend
Easter (Pasqua) is one of the most important yearly celebrations in Italy, with celebrations extending from Good Friday to Easter Monday.
Cities and towns around the country will hold Via Crucis processions on Good Friday, most famously the one led by the pope in Rome. Easter Sunday is usually marked by Mass followed by a large family lunch. On Monday (known as Pasquetta), most people go for a picnic or on a trip out of town (gita fuori porta) with friends and family.
Rome’s birthday
Rome celebrates its birthday – il Natale di Roma – on April 21st, which marks the date on which the city was allegedly founded. Some of the annual celebrations include gladiator performances at the Circus Maximus and a parade of locals dressed in Ancient Roman garb.
Liberation Day
Italy celebrates Liberation Day on April 25th, known as Il Giorno della Liberazione or La Festa della Resistenza (Celebration of the Resistance). Most years, Italian cities hold marches and parades, and political rallies often take place in Rome and Milan.
READ ALSO: Bella Ciao and a day off: How Italy marks Liberation Day on April 25th
May
Labour Day
Labour Day (May 1st) is one of the most important holidays in Italy's spring calendar, mixing ancient traditions with modern celebrations.
Some may choose to spend the day participating in social activism, while others enjoy open-air concerts. The largest of these is held every year in Rome’s Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano, where some of Italy's most popular singers put on a free show.
READ ALSO: Music, parades and picnics: How Italy celebrates Labour Day on May 1st
Giro d’Italia
The Giro d’Italia is one of the world’s premier cycling competitions and one of the biggest events in the Italian sports calendar. In 2026, the race will kick off in Bulgaria on May 8th, concluding on May 31st in Rome.
READ ALSO: A quick guide to understanding the Giro d’Italia
Venice Biennale begins
Venice’s 61st International Art Exhibition will open on May 9th 2026. Displays will be spread across two venues: the Central Pavilion at the Biennale Gardens and the Arsenal complex. More information is available here.
Infiorata di Noto – Sicily
This Italian floral festival falls at the peak of spring, when flowers are at their most colourful. The Infiorata di Noto, scheduled for May 15th to 19th 2026, is one of the most celebrated in all of Italy. Other notable infiorate include those in Rome, Spello and Genzano, which also take place in May or June.
June
Republic Day
June 2nd is Italy’s Republic Day – a national public holiday commemorating the birth of the Italian Republic as we know it today.
The bulk of official Republic Day celebrations will take place in the capital, including a military parade and a display by Italy’s Frecce Tricolori air force unit.
Summer opera festivals begin – Rome and Verona
Two major summer opera festivals begin every year in June, both in iconic settings.
On June 12th 2026, Italy's most celebrated summer opera festival kicks off at the Verona Arena, an ancient Roman amphitheatre. In the capital, the Caracalla opera festival is held at the eponymous public bath complexes from Ancient Rome. The exact dates for this year's edition haven't been confirmed yet.
July
Siena Palio horse race
The Palio di Siena is a twice-annual festival that sees the Tuscan city's various districts compete in a bareback horse race. It takes place every year on July 2nd and August 16th.
Umbria Jazz – Perugia
One of Europe's leading jazz festivals, Umbria Jazz has both a summer and a winter edition. The 2026 summer edition is set to run from July 3rd to 12th.
Feast of the Redeemer – Venice
Held every year on the third Sunday of July, Venice's Festa del Redentore (Feast of the Redeemer) commemorates the end of a plague that devastated Venice. Celebrations traditionally begin on Saturday afternoon, punctuated by a 40-minute fireworks display over the lagoon’s waters at around 11.30pm.
Feast of Saint Rosalia – Palermo
On July 14th–15th, Sicily's capital will celebrate its patron saint, Santa Rosalia, with the traditional Festino di Santa Rosalia, with a boisterous parade and fireworks on the 14th and a more somber procession the day following.
August
Ferragosto
August 15th is the height of summer. It’s traditional to use the Ferragosto long weekend to take a trip out of the city, usually escaping the heat at the seaside, lakes or mountains.
READ ALSO: Ferragosto: Why is August 15th a public holiday in Italy?
September
Food festivals (sagre) begin
One of the best things about being in Italy in autumn is having the chance to attend a sagra – a harvest festival or fair centred around one particular food item local to the town hosting it.
A sagra could last for several weeks or one day, and might consist of anything from lively celebrations with music and dancing to relaxed tasting experiences. All festivals, however, are centred on eating (or drinking) fresh local produce and products.
READ ALSO: 10 ways to make the most of autumn in Italy
Venice’s historical regatta
Held every year on the first Sunday of September, Venice's historical regatta (or Regata Storica) is one of the lagoon's oldest traditions, commemorating the Venetian Republic's glorious past.
Paper Lantern Festival – Florence
Florence's Festa della Rificolona is one of Italy's most iconic festivals, featuring an after-dark parade of colourful paper lanterns that wind their way around the historic centre's labyrinthine streets. It's held every year on September 7th – the eve of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary.
Feast of Saint Januarius – Naples
The feast day of Naples' patron saint, San Gennaro, is observed with a morning mass in the city's cathedral. A vial of the saint's dried blood is brought out to liquefy before onlookers – the so-called 'Miracle of San Gennaro'.
October
Barcolona – Trieste
The second week of every October is always marked on sailors’ calendars: it’s the annual Barcolona in the Gulf of Trieste – the largest sailing regatta in the world. The international event, put on since 1969, holds the world record for the largest number of racing sailboats.
Alba White Truffle Fair begins – Piedmont
One of the world's best-known truffle festivals, the Alba White Truffle Fair is held every year in the northwestern region of Piedmont. The 2026 edition will begin on October 10th, wrapping up in early December. At the festival's heart is the White Truffle World Market, where buyers have the opportunity to sample and buy the iconic truffle directly from traders. There are also cooking shows and classes, as well as costumed parades and reenactments, among other activities.
Lucca Comics and Games festival – Tuscany
The Lucca Comics & Games festival is one of Europe’s major events dedicated to comic books, board and role-playing games, and fantasy imagery. In 2026, the event beloved by fans of comics, video games and animated films will take place from October 28th to November 1st.
November
Rome Jazz Festival
For longtime jazz lovers and curious newcomers, the Rome Jazz Festival is an unmissable event in late autumn, with events taking place in multiple locations across Rome over the space of nearly three weeks. The dates and program will be released later in the year.
Eurochocolate fest – Perugia
Eurochocolate – one of Europe’s biggest chocolate festivals – will return to the city of Perugia, Umbria, in November 2026 from the 13th to the 22nd. First established in 1993, the event attracts thousands of international visitors every year, offering the chance to sample prestigious varieties of chocolate from both Italy and abroad.
December
Christmas displays and markets
Italy goes all out for Christmas, as dozens of spectacular displays pop up all around the country in the lead up to the holidays.
Several cities in the south, including Greccio, Lazio, and Matera, Basilicata, are famous for their living nativity scenes, while the north of the country offers a number of cozy Christmas markets (mercatini di Natale) offering plenty of artisanal food products and handcrafted items.
READ ALSO: Italy's best 'presepi': 11 Christmas nativity scenes you need to see
Krampus parades
If you're travelling to Italy's German-speaking areas in December, you might encounter one of Europe's most distinctive Christmas traditions: the Krampus runs. Many towns and cities hold a Krampuslauf – Krampus run – where performers in scary costumes parade through the streets.
READ ALSO: The parts of Italy where you can see Krampus in December
Feast of Saint Ambrose – Milan
Milan commemorates its beloved patron Saint Ambrose on December 7th. The Festa di Sant’Ambrogio is one of the city’s most anticipated local festivals.
The holiday also marks the unofficial beginning of the holiday and winter season in Milan, with the famous ‘Oh Bej!’ Christmas market opening and a new La Scala opera house season premiering around this time.
Feast of Saint Lucy
The feast day of Santa Lucia, December 13th, is often marked with fireworks or bonfires, especially in the south of the country. There’s a special celebration – including processions of her statue to her namesake basilica – in Syracuse (Sicily), the saint’s hometown and where she reigns as the city’s patron saint.
In parts of the north, the saint has become a sort of Father Christmas figure, visiting in the night to bring children gifts. Many towns and cities will put on a special Christmas market on this date.
READ ALSO: How and why Italy celebrates Santa Lucia on December 13th
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