Have been trying to find out more about this national Italian holiday. (The only thing I'd heard was that a lot of things might be closed on Nov. 1, when we'll be in Florence.)
Through Ask Jeeves, I learned that this holiday (Tutti i Santi) includes "Day of the Dead" (a variation of Halloween!) - & "Memorial Day" - and can include Nov. 2.
However, I'm still trying to find out about possible museum closings on those dates (as well as in Siena - might take a day trip there).
Anyone have a clue?
Thanks in advance.

The day is a public holiday in Italy, so you may find museums closed. Have you checked the websites for museums you are interested in? You will probably also run into masses at churches you may want to visit.

The celebration of Halloween is actually a derivative of All Saints Day. The word was originally "all hallows eve" which means the evening before All Saints Day. The tradition of the dead coming alive is part of this holiday, hence the ghosts and goblins of Halloween.

Another thing to add is if it falls on a weekend, which it does this year, it will be a long holiday weekend for the Italians, and they will be traveling as well,hotels and restaurants may be busier than normal.

I live in Perugia, in the center of Italy... I can tell you that everything is close and the cementery are beautiful, everyone gather there during the week to clean, tell old stories about their family wainting for the big day.Usually the family have a big lunch together and thats the reason italian people move around the highways.Here in Perugia there is a big market from the 1st to the 5th of november where you can find from fruits, perfumes, bags, clothes, nuts, toys, wthatever you can imagine.The sellers comes from all over the country and theres more than 500 sellers.And next to it there are the barracconi, games to play.If you dont know what to do you have to consider to see this, but you have to know that is better if you come in the morning around 7, because if not you are going to be in a big crowd of people and is going to be difficult to see all the stands.The stands are open until 8pm but the games until late at night, you can also eat there.ciao S.

Thanks for your replies - &, Julianne, it sounds like fun in Perugia but we only have 3 full days in Florence (starting Oct. 1) and no car.
I have e-mailed tourist bureaus in Florence & Siena but haven't gotten any replies as to museums being open or not on Nov. 1 & 2.
Incidentally, I read that on All Saints Day many Italians have begun costuming their children for school & walks in the main piazzas. Also, "silly string flies everywhere mixed with confetti." (My friends and I previously had heard about the French loving Halloween and "borrowing" some of our [American] traditions - of course, we were forgetting about the historic beginning of the holiday.)
Anyway, if anyone can tell me if the following will be open on Nov. 1 or 2, I'd really appreciate it:
the Accademia, Bargello, Pitti Palace, & Science Museum.
Thank you.

Oops! I meant our time in Florence starts Oct. 31.

The thing you are talking about is "CARNEVALE" as the canevale di venezia as this is not in all saints day but a week before easter.

Julianne:

This might sound picky, but it's pretty central to the dominant creed of the western world for the past 2000 years.

Carnival cannot be the week before Easter. The week before Easter is the week Christians are supposed to behave in a serious manner. Not even the ungodly Venetians would have a Carnival in the week normally known as Holy Week

Carnival, traditionally, is the week before Lent. The period is which you eat up all your spare meat because you're going to be denying yourself for the next 40 days. Hence "Carne Vale" ("Bye-Bye, Burger&quot. Lent is the 40 days before Easter: Carnival, starts - and ends - about 7 weeks prior to Easter.

Hence next year's Carnevale di Venezia starts on Feb 13. A tad early for Easter lamb.

Suzy - if you do hear anything definitive, please post it. I'm going to be in Florence on Nov 1 also,and it never dawned on me that things might be closed! We're coming from Venice just to go shopping, so..

Hi, Celtic Dreams -
So far as I can determine, most museums will be open. The Museo dell' Opera del Duomo & Pitti Palace supposedly will be closed that day.
We're renting an apartment in Florence. We e-mailed the owner to ask about closings on All Saint's Day. This is what she wrote back: "About shops close for the 1st Nov...usually in the center of City the shops for tourists are opened...usually!"
Ah, Italy! But I love it.