Ascension Day in Italy
 

My husband and I arrive in Venice on Sunday, April 20th for 5 days. From Venice we plan on picking up a rental car and drive to Lake Como or Milan, with stops and possible stay overs along the way. Has anyone picked up a rental car in Venice proper, rather than the airport, and if so where?
Ascenion Day - May 1st - Can anyone advise if shops, sites and restaurants are open and ferries running.

As always, thanks for you help.

May 1st is Labor Day in Italy, a national holiday. Therefore, public offices, including many museums, will be closed. Most shops will be closed, ferries and trains running on a reduced holiday schedule but restaurants will be open if that is not their normal weekly closing day.

Another big holiday during this period is April 25, Liberation Day, which this year falls on a Friday. All of Italy will have vacation and turn it into a three-day weekend, causing lots of car traffic and full trains.

Here is a calender celticmoon for the important holidays in Italy.

http://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/...amp;country=13

You can make arrangements to pick up a rental car at the transportation center in Venice which is Piazzale Roma. You will than drive our the causeway to the mainland and continue west. Have a beautiful trip!

Thank you all for your help, it is much appreciated