Change Forum
We expect to be in the north west of Italy (Cinque Terre, Lakes region) in late April and early May. Italy has Public Holidays on Sun 25 April and Sat 1 May. Here in Australia these would typically translate into workday holidays on the Mon and perhaps Fri respectively to make long weekends.
The websites seen thus far do not make clear whether this will happen in Italy on the above occassions.
Can anyone clarify for me whether these holidays will become long weekends?
Italy Public Holidays April/May
Recent Activity
View all Europe activity »
- 1 Milos; Folegandros, Corfu advice
- 2 Romney On His Stay in France...The Thing He Remembers Most!
- 3 Adventure sports (canyon jumpimg) in the Dolomites or Tirol question
- 4 7 days in the Netherlands - Enough to do?
- 5 Bayeux accommodation, recommendations. Is this a good location?
- 6 Help me enjoy Paris! PLease
- 7 Good Summer Non Stop Airfares to Paris and how purchase.
- 8 Kefalonia off the beaten track
- 9 Itinerary for 2 weeks in Italy
- 10 Help with Tuscany and/or Umbria 10 day trip!
- 11 Heading back to Paris!!! (Itinerary)
- 12 Paris Hotels Left Bank Thread
- 13 Private driver or group trip in Florence for trip to Montalcino?
- 14 italy in the snow...photos from Rome Milan Florence and isle of Elba
- 15 train- Venice to Bologna, then to Rome
- 16
Abruzzo, Amalfi, Puglia and Rome October/November 2011 Part 2
- 17 Elounda Blu, Crete
- 18
Shimmering Paris
- 19 driving from paris to dordogne in June
- 20 San Stae Vaporetto Stop - Venice
- 21 Paris Hotels
- 22 4 countries in 21 days - Is it too much
- 23 Caucaus
- 24 Last minute trip to Rome next week! Any Fodorites?
- 25 London Hotel and other questions
Holidays are not transferred in Italy; they take place on the date itself.
April 25 is typically a non-event (offices and large shops close). May 1 is a much bigger event, but it's unlikely to affect much in the Cinque Terre or Lakes region, which do not have a great deal in the line of museums or sites.
Public transport runs on a reduced holiday/Sunday schedule on both days.
Hi, I novir, I live not far from le Cinque Terre. Hope you check back into this thread beause Zerlina is incorrect.
April 25 is a big deal in and around Genova, and if the holiday falls in the vicinity of the weekend, people tend to go places and extend their time off from work. So if you are planning day trips to Genova for shopping, I would not do it Saturday the 24. However, a lot of people taking time off from work that weekend will be heading straight for the seaside if the weather is nice, so if you have any plans for a special dinner in a special restaurant, or were hoping to visit someplace like Portofino on a less crowded day, expect that weekend to be VERY busy if its sunny and reserve and plan accordingly.
As for May 1, some regional bus routes shut down completely along the Riviera Levante -- not just reduced schedules. If you were planning any special boat rides, cable rides or such in that time frame on the Riviera, I would double check the schedule with the operator if you can.
Also be aware if you are driving that the day BEFORE any holiday can affect parking regulations (usually that you can't park the night before after 8pm in some locations).
Don't know about the lakes.
PS, perhaps saying Zerlina is "incorrect' isn't exactly correct itself, but Saturdays are a working day in Italy, which doesn't have a "weekend" like other cultures do. In cities where the meaning of the April 25 holiday is still strong, many retailers will shut up shop for the whole "weekend" , and many people head out of the cities to pretty destinations starting early Friday night.
So it will have some impact on you if you are in a holiday destination or moving between them around Apr 23, 24, 25. Thought you'd like to know.
oh! and one more thing you might find interesting to know:
Mussolini spent his final days on earth on Lago di Como -- April 25 to April 28. He was trying to escape the Allied and resistance fighters who had just liberated Italy from Fascism, which is what the April 25 holiday celebrates. He was executed in the vicinity of Menaggio (the town of Dongo). I have no idea if this is taken any note of on the April 25 holiday in the area.