May 1st is a holiday in Italy. What are they celebrating? What can I expect in Florence? Festivals? Parades? Or just everything closed. Will restaurants be closed, too?

Labour Day. Offices and (non-tourist) shops closed, restaurants open.

Ann, we were in Europe the past two May 1s. There is another holiday on May 8, and if Ascention Thursday falls during that time, it also is a BIG holiday in Europe. We used the holidays as our travel days in/out Paris both years which worked fine for us - because we knew many places closed or had shortened hours.

Dear Ann: In those European countries with fairly large and active Communist parties it is not only Labor Day but it is also sort of the biggest of the Party holidays. Hence there often are widespread work shut-downs. Joan

Most countries all over the world celebrate Labor Day on May 1st. Remember Chicago?

May 8 (the day World War II ended in Europe) is a holiday in France, but not in Italy nor, as far as I know, in other European countries. It's also my birthday, but for some reason the Europeans don't think that justifies a holiday!

I always believed it was "May Day", an old festival dating back many centuries - something to do with mediaeval agricultural feasts celebrating "summer is a-coming in".