Venice begins charging seasonal entry fee
Starting on Friday, April 3rd, the contested Venice ‘tourist tax’ will once again come into force for the peak spring and summer season.
The city’s entry fee programme has been expanded to 60 days in 2026, up from 54 in 2025 and 29 in 2024.
Visitors will be charged to enter the city through July 26th, with day trippers required to pay for access to Venice’s centro storico (historical centre) between 8.30am and 4pm on peak days.
READ ALSO: New flights and entry fees: The big changes for travel in Italy for 2026
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, the most famous of which is 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.
READ ALSO: What's happening over Easter in Italy in 2026
Spring festivals
There are a number of festivals throughout the month of April as the spring season gets into full swing.
On Easter Sunday there’s the famous 'Scoppio del Carro' spectacle in Florence, and the edible Archi di Pasqua displays go up in San Biagio Platani, Sicily.
The following weekend, a long-standing artichoke festival near Rome will take place, and later on in the month there’s the Festa del Bocolo in Venice and the beginning of Calendimaggio celebrations.
READ ALSO: 11 can't-miss festivals in Italy this spring
Transport strikes throughout the month
Transport strikes are a regular occurrence in Italy, as most months of the year see at least two or three walkouts.
Several walkouts are planned for April, from a nationwide strike by air traffic controllers on Friday, April 10th, to public transport strikes in Naples, Florence and Milan.
READ ALSO: The transport strikes to expect in Italy in April 2026
Keep up with all the latest news about transport strikes, delays and disruption in Italy in The Local's strike news section.
Full operation of new EU digital border controls
The new EU-wide Entry/Exit System (EES) is scheduled to be fully operational at all external Schengen area checkpoints by Friday, April 10th.
The EES replaces passport stamps with digital records for non-EU visitors. It's being phased in now and is mostly up and running at Italian airports.
Time to switch to summer tyres
Motorists in Italy can switch from winter to summer tyres beginning Wednesday, April 15th. The deadline to do so is May 15th.
After the window to make the switch closes, drivers breaking the rules can face a fine of more than €1,700 – 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.
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
Ruling expected on citizenship by descent law change
A ruling is expected this month on the challenge to the government's 2025 restrictions on claiming Italian citizenship by descent, following a Constitutional Court hearing on March 11th.
Under the new rules, only people with a parent or grandparent born in Italy can claim automatic citizenship if they are born outside the country.
If the court rules that these changes were unconstitutional, it may be possible to appeal rejected applications submitted after March 27th, 2025.
READ ALSO: Italy's planned changes to immigration and citizenship rules in 2026
New flight route from Seattle to Rome
Alaska Airlines will begin operating a new seasonal route linking Seattle with Rome Fiumicino on Tuesday, April 28th. Flights will depart daily.
Important tax deadline
Thursday, April 30th is the annual deadline for VAT declaration for businesses and self-employed workers (partita Iva holders).
READ ALSO: The 2026 Italian tax deadlines to remember
As of 2026, this is also the deadline for employers to file the earnings of self-employed workers (partita Iva holders).
Elaine Allaby
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