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WHAT CHANGES IN ITALY

On the agenda: What’s happening in Italy this week

From Liberation Day celebrations to the first weekend of Venice's 'tourist tax', here’s what to expect in Italy this week.

Published: 21 April 2024 08:07 CEST
People gathered by Rome's Cestia Pyramid to celebrate Italy's Liberation Day on April 25th 2023.
People gathered by Rome's Cestia Pyramid to celebrate Italy's Liberation Day on April 25th 2023. Photo by Andreas SOLARO / AFP

Monday

Train strikes in Lombardy and Veneto

Staff at Trenord, which operates regional trains in the Lombardy region, were set to strike from 3am on Monday, April 22nd to 2am on Tuesday, April 23rd for a total of 23 hours.

Trenord stated that regional services, including airport links, may be subject to “changes and/or cancellations” but minimum services were guaranteed to operate from 6am to 9am, and from 6pm to 9pm on Monday. 

Should airport train services be cancelled, replacement buses will run the same routes, the statement said. See Trenord’s website or app for the latest updates.

Trenitalia staff in the Veneto region also planned to strike on Monday, with the walkout set to start at 9am and end at 5pm.

Both interregional and regional services headed to or departing from cities and towns in Veneto may experience delays or cancellations over the course of the strike, according to the latest media reports.

Trenitalia will operate a number of guaranteed services (servizi garantiti) during the strike. See their website for further details. 

Spring’s shooting stars

The Lyrid meteor shower, one of spring’s most fascinating celestial events, is expected to peak during the night between Monday, April 22nd and Tuesday, April 23rd, with an average of 20 meteors expected to cross the sky every hour  

The phenomenon will be visible to the naked eye, though strong lunar light may ‘conceal’ some of the weaker meteors this year.

The best way to catch the shooting stars is to find Vega, the brightest star in the Lyra constellation, which appears in the eastern section of the night sky this time of the year, and wait for the magic to happen. Should you have a hard time finding the star, the Mappa Stellare mobile app might be able to help you.

Thursday

Italy commemorates the fall of Fascism

Thursday, April 25th is Liberation Day (or Festa della Liberazione), which is when Italians celebrate the fall of the Fascist regime and the end of German occupation.

Liberation Day is a national public holiday in Italy, meaning that you’ll get a day off for it. Public offices, schools and most shops will be closed on the day, while state-run museums and archaeological sites will be open, with free admission for all visitors. 

READ ALSO: Why does Italy celebrate Liberation Day on April 25th?

The annual event marks the date in 1945 when Italy’s National Liberation Committee incited a popular insurrection against Nazi-Fascist forces. The uprising eventually resulted in the liberation of all occupied territories and in the capture and execution of Fascist leader Benito Mussolini in Milan.

Liberation Day is one of Italy’s most heartfelt national holidays and is marked by official ceremonies as well as marches featuring renditions of the Bella Ciao anthem.

Venice introduces controversial ‘tourist tax’

Venice will run the first trial of its new fee system for day trippers from Thursday, April 25th to to Sunday, May 5th.

Day trippers (or turisti giornalieri) looking to access Venice between 8.30am and 4pm on these dates will have to pay a five-euro entry fee under local authorities’ plans to regulate crowds and lessen the impact of mass tourism on the city. 

READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: How will Venice’s ‘tourist tax’ work?

Though early plans suggested day trippers would be able to pay the fee at various info points around the city, the charge can currently only be paid by registering on a new online portal.

Besides the 11-day period from April 25th to May 5th, the fee will come into force on all of the remaining weekends in May and June as well as the first two weekends of July.

Friday

Street Photo Festival in Rome

The sixth edition of Italy’s Street Photo Festival will return to Rome on Friday, April 26th, giving photography enthusiasts a chance to attend three days of workshops, photowalks, talks, and exhibitions.

Among the highlights of this year’s festival, renowned English photojournalist Martin Parr will hold a talk at 7.30pm on Saturday, with admission being free of charge. 

Further info on this and other scheduled events can be found here.

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For members

WHAT CHANGES IN ITALY

On the agenda: What’s happening in Italy this week

A summer tyres deadline, Milan's clampdown on nightlife, and potential disruption for train passengers: here's what to expect in Italy this week.

Published: 12 May 2024 08:06 CEST
On the agenda: What's happening in Italy this week

Monday

Ministers to assess university protests

University Minister Anna Maria Bernini will meet with Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi and university deans on Monday, May 13th to assess the situation in campuses around the country following a series of students’ protests in recent months.

Bernini said last week she was not concerned by acts of protest in and of themselves but rather by “groups that engage in destructive actions and crime, knock down doors [and] attack police officers”.

Police forces have clashed with students multiple times in recent months. Some 13 protesters, ten of them minors, were injured during a pro-Palestine demonstration in Pisa in late February – an incident which sparked an investigation for police violence into 15 members of Pisa’s mobile police squad.

Wednesday

Summer tyres deadline 

Motorists in Italy have until Wednesday, May 15th to make the 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 euros 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 for motorists around the country as it doesn’t apply to all vehicles. See our article on the topic to find out whether or not it applies to you.

Coppa Italia final

Juventus will take on Atalanta in the final act of this year’s Coppa Italia – Italy’s second-biggest football competition after the Serie A league – on Wednesday, May 15th.

Football fans will be able to watch the final for free on Canale 5 (channel 5 on Italian TV sets) or on Mediaset’s online streaming platform Infinity. Kickoff’s set for 9pm Italian time.

Friday

Milan to clamp down on rowdy nightlife

New legislation aimed at clamping down on Milan’s rowdy nightlife and stopping crowds of revellers from keeping residents awake will come into force in 12 of the city’s most popular movida districts from Friday, May 17th. 

There is little information available so far about the upcoming measures, as Milan’s city council hasn’t yet presented the decree’s final text.

While initial national and international media reports said that the measure would include an overnight ban on the sale of takeaway food, including ice cream (hence the ‘gelato ban’ nickname), councillors later clarified that “ice cream is not the target” and that the rules would focus on the sale of “drinks, especially alcoholic ones.”

People pictured at a bar in southern Milan's Navigli district

People pictured at a bar in southern Milan’s Navigli district. Photo by Miguel MEDINA / AFP

Genoa’s Rolli Days

Genoa’s famous Rolli Palaces will open to the general public from Friday, May 17th to Sunday, May 19th as part of the spring edition of the city’s popular Rolli Days scheme.

The Rolli Palaces are a collection of Unesco-protected buildings built between the 16th and 17th century at the behest of some of the most powerful families in the former Genoa Republic. They are generally regarded as some of the most outstanding examples of late Renaissance and Baroque architecture in Italy.

More information about the event and bookings is available here.

Emilia Romagna Grand Prix

Formula One racing will return to Imola, southeast of Bologna, this weekend after the 2023 edition of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was cancelled due to devastating floods in the region. 

Practice sessions will take place on Friday, May 17th, followed by a qualifying session on Saturday and a 63-lap race on Sunday. 

Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz pictured during the sprint race ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix

Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz pictured during the sprint race ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in April 2022. Photo by ANDREJ ISAKOVIC / AFP

Find the full weekend schedule here. Info on tickets can be found here.

Sunday

Nationwide Trenitalia strike

Train passengers around the country may face delays or cancellations on Sunday, May 19th as staff at national rail operator Trenitalia plan to take part in a 23-hour strike (from 3am on Sunday to 2am on Monday). 

The protest, which is backed by the PdM/PdB union, is expected to affect long-distance services as well as regional and local routes.

The level of disruption caused by the walkout will vary from region to region, with Trenitalia expected to release information on guaranteed services closer to the date of the strike.

Italian Open final

The 81st edition of the Internazionali d’Italia – Italy’s most prestigious tennis open – will come to an end this weekend, with the finalists of the men’s singles tournament set to square up on the Central Court of Rome’s Foro Italico on Sunday, May 19th.

Sky Sport Italia and their streaming platform Sky Go will show the match live, but you’ll need to purchase a subscription plan to access the service.

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