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ITALY · PUBLIC HOLIDAYS · NATIONAL HOLIDAYS · PATRON SAINTS · UK TRAVEL GUIDE
Public Holidays in Italy 2026: Complete Guide for UK Travellers
Italy has 12 national public holidays in 2026 — including the newly reinstated Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi on 4 October, restored as a national holiday for the 800th anniversary of the saint’s death. This guide covers every date, what’s open and closed, and how the calendar compares with UK bank holidays — verified against Gazzetta Ufficiale and triangulated with Nager.Date.
NEXT PUBLIC HOLIDAY IN ITALY
Republic Day (Festa della Repubblica)
Tuesday 2 June 2026
Italy’s national day — military parade along Via dei Fori Imperiali in Rome, the Frecce Tricolori aerobatic display over the Altare della Patria, and free entry to most state museums.
Upcoming public holidays in Italy
The next Italian public holidays after 27 May 2026. All 12 dates listed below are national — they apply throughout the Italian Republic. Whit Monday (Pentecoste) is observed only in the autonomous province of South Tyrol (Bolzano) and is flagged in the regional section.
| Date | Holiday | Type | Bridge / note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday 2 June | Republic Day (Festa della Repubblica) | National civil | Lone Tuesday — classic ponte with Monday 1 June off (4 days) |
| Saturday 15 August | Assumption Day (Ferragosto) | National religious | Falls on a Saturday — lost (Italy does not shift to Monday). But Italians take 2-3 weeks off around it. |
| Sunday 4 October | Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi (San Francesco) | National religious (reinstated 2026) | Falls on a Sunday in 2026 — first long-weekend effect arrives in 2027 |
| Sunday 1 November | All Saints' Day (Tutti i Santi) | National religious | Falls on a Sunday — also lost |
| Tuesday 8 December | Immaculate Conception (Immacolata Concezione) | National religious | Lone Tuesday — ponte with Monday 7 Dec common, marks start of Christmas season |
| Friday 25 December | Christmas Day (Natale) | National religious | Natural 3-day weekend |
| Saturday 26 December | Saint Stephen's Day (Santo Stefano) | National religious | Falls on a Saturday — lost in 2026, but observed nationwide unlike France |
Multi-year calendar — 2026, 2027, 2028
Italy's 12 national public holidays across 2026, 2027 and 2028. Easter Monday is movable (Catholic calendar) — the rest are fixed civil or religious dates. Italy now has 12 national holidays following the 2025 reinstatement of the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi (effective from 2026), bringing it back into line with the EU average of 10–12.
| Holiday | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day (Capodanno) | Thursday 1 January | Friday 1 January | Saturday 1 January |
| Epiphany (Epifania) | Tuesday 6 January | Wednesday 6 January | Thursday 6 January |
| Easter Monday (Lunedì dell'Angelo / Pasquetta) | Monday 6 April | Monday 29 March | Monday 17 April |
| Liberation Day (Festa della Liberazione) | Saturday 25 April | Sunday 25 April | Tuesday 25 April |
| Labour Day (Festa del Lavoro) | Friday 1 May | Saturday 1 May | Monday 1 May |
| Republic Day (Festa della Repubblica) | Tuesday 2 June | Wednesday 2 June | Friday 2 June |
| Assumption (Ferragosto) | Saturday 15 August | Sunday 15 August | Tuesday 15 August |
| Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi (San Francesco) | Sunday 4 October | Monday 4 October | Wednesday 4 October |
| All Saints' Day (Tutti i Santi) | Sunday 1 November | Monday 1 November | Wednesday 1 November |
| Immaculate Conception (Immacolata) | Tuesday 8 December | Wednesday 8 December | Friday 8 December |
| Christmas Day (Natale) | Friday 25 December | Saturday 25 December | Monday 25 December |
| Saint Stephen's Day (Santo Stefano) | Saturday 26 December | Sunday 26 December | Tuesday 26 December |
⚠️ Italian holidays falling on weekends in 2026
Five national holidays fall on a weekend in 2026: Liberation Day (Sat 25 April), Ferragosto (Sat 15 August), San Francesco (Sun 4 October), All Saints' (Sun 1 November) and Saint Stephen's (Sat 26 December). Like France and Spain — and unlike the UK — Italy does NOT shift weekend holidays to a Monday. The day is simply lost. For UK travellers this means 2026 is a relatively quiet ponte year compared with 2025 or 2027 — but Ferragosto (15 August) still triggers the traditional summer shutdown when most of Italy closes for two to three weeks regardless of the calendar.
What's open and closed for UK travellers in Italy
On Italian public holidays, banks, post offices and most public services close, but tourist-facing Italy stays largely open — cafés, trattorias, restaurants, museums and most attractions keep running on Sunday hours. The things most likely to catch UK travellers out are small family businesses (which can close for several days around major holidays) and supermarkets on the strictest dates. Here's the practical breakdown:
| 🏦 Banks (UniCredit, Intesa Sanpaolo, BPER, Banco BPM, Monte dei Paschi) | Closed on all 12 national public holidays. ATMs (bancomat) operate normally and UK cards (Visa, Mastercard, Revolut, Monzo, Starling, Wise) draw euros without issue — Wise and Revolut waive ATM fees up to a monthly limit. Italian branch hours are typically Mon–Fri 08:30–13:30 and 14:45–16:00, so weekday afternoon banking is awkward in any case. Online banking and SEPA transfers run as usual on holidays. |
| 🛒 Supermarkets (Esselunga, Conad, Coop, Lidl, Carrefour, Eurospin) | Most close on national holidays, especially 1 January, Easter Sunday, 25 December and Ferragosto (15 August). Smaller convenience stores (especially in tourist zones of Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan) often open with reduced hours on most other holidays. The traditional panettiere (bakery) and pasticceria usually open on holiday mornings — fresh bread and pastries are reliably available even on Easter and Christmas. The strictest closures are 1 January, 25 December and Ferragosto. |
| 🍽️ Cafés, trattorias, restaurants (everywhere) | Italian dining culture treats holidays as social occasions — Easter Sunday lunch, Ferragosto (15 August) and 25 December are the biggest restaurant days of the year. Booking is essential in Rome, Florence, Milan, Venice, Naples and the Amalfi Coast. The catch: many small family-run trattorias close for several days around Ferragosto (often 12–20 August) and again between Christmas and 6 January. Bars and cafés generally stay open with shorter hours on the four big holidays. |
| 🚄 Trains (Trenitalia: Frecciarossa, Frecciargento, InterCity, Regionale; plus Italo) | Operating on Sunday-style schedules with reduced frequency on most routes. The Frecciarossa high-speed network (Rome–Milan, Rome–Naples, Milan–Venice) runs ~70% of weekday frequency on national holidays — the cuts are deeper on regional (Regionale) services. Italo (the private competitor) runs full schedules on most holidays. Pro tip: direct UK booking via Trenitalia.com, Trainline or Omio. Trenitalia super-economy fares on Frecciarossa start from €19 if booked 60+ days in advance. |
| 🏛️ Museums (Colosseum, Vatican, Uffizi, Pompeii, Doge's Palace) | Most major Italian museums open on national holidays with Sunday hours. The Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill open every day except 1 January and 25 December. The Uffizi (Florence) and Accademia (Florence) close Mondays year-round and on 1 January, 1 May and 25 December. The Vatican Museums close on most major Catholic holidays (Easter Sunday, 15 August, 1 November, 8 December, 25 December, 26 December) plus key Wednesdays for papal audiences — always check vaticanstate.va. Pompeii and Herculaneum open daily except 1 January, 1 May and 25 December. |
| ✈️ Airports (Rome FCO, Milan MXP, Venice VCE, Naples NAP, Bologna BLQ) | All operate 24/7. The UK–Italy corridor is one of Europe's busiest international air markets: easyJet, Ryanair, British Airways, ITA Airways, Wizz Air and Jet2 all serve direct routes. Fares spike +50% during Italian school holidays (especially Easter, the long summer June–early September window, Christmas–6 January, and the Carnival weeks in February). Cheapest months from the UK: mid-January, November and early March. UK flying time: London ↔ Rome 2h35, London ↔ Milan 1h55. |
UK bank holidays that line up with Italy dates
For UK travellers planning a trip, certain combinations of UK bank holidays and Italian public holidays produce particularly good long-weekend opportunities. Internal cross-reference: see also our complete list of UK bank holidays for 2026.
| Period | UK side | Italy side | Trip tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2–6 April 2026 | Good Friday & Easter Monday (UK) | Easter Monday (Pasquetta, Mon 6 Apr) | 5 days · Rome, Florence or Naples for Easter Week — Pasquetta picnics in Villa Borghese and Boboli Gardens |
| 1–4 May 2026 | Early May Bank Holiday (Mon 4 May) | Labour Day (Fri 1 May) | 4 days · Florence, Bologna or the Amalfi Coast (just opening for the season) — easyJet Gatwick → Pisa/Naples sweet spot |
| 23–25 May 2026 | Spring Bank Holiday (Mon 25 May) | UK weekend (no IT holiday) | 3 days · Milan, Venice or Lake Como — UK long weekend but a normal Monday in Italy, so flights are cheaper |
| 30 May – 2 June 2026 | UK weekend | Republic Day (Tue 2 Jun) | 4 days with Friday or Monday off · Rome for the military parade and Frecce Tricolori display — free state-museum entry on 2 June |
| 14–17 August 2026 | UK weekend (no UK BH) | Ferragosto (Sat 15 Aug) | Plan for crowds and closures · most of Italy is at the seaside — book the Amalfi/Cinque Terre coast 6+ months ahead, or escape to less-touristy Puglia or Sicily inland |
| 5–8 December 2026 | UK weekend | Immaculate Conception (Tue 8 Dec) | 4 days with Monday off · Milan Christmas markets, Rome Vatican season, Verona Christmas illuminations — Italy's holiday season properly opens on 8 December |
| 24 Dec 2026 – 6 Jan 2027 | UK Christmas + New Year | Natale (Fri 25 Dec) + Capodanno (Fri 1 Jan) + Epifania (Wed 6 Jan) | 10–14 days · the full Italian festive season runs from 8 December to 6 January (La Befana). Rome at Christmas, Venice for New Year fireworks on St Mark's Square, ski resorts in the Dolomites or Aosta Valley |
Regional and patron-saint holidays — major Italian cities
Beyond the 12 national days, every major Italian city observes its patron saint's day as a local public holiday. Banks, schools and most public offices close in that specific city, but the rest of Italy works normally. For UK travellers, the dates most worth knowing are the ones that affect the cities you're most likely to visit:
| Date | Holiday | City | What happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Apr | Saint Mark (San Marco) | Venice | Patron saint day — coincides with Liberation Day (national), so already a non-working day everywhere |
| 25 May | Whit Monday (Lunedì di Pentecoste) | South Tyrol / Alto Adige (Bolzano province) | Public holiday in the autonomous province only — under historic Austrian-rooted legislation. Rest of Italy works normally. |
| 24 Jun | Saint John the Baptist (San Giovanni Battista) | Florence, Turin, Genoa | Patron saint day in three major cities — banks/offices closed, Florence holds the Calcio Storico final and fireworks at Piazzale Michelangelo |
| 29 Jun | Saints Peter and Paul (Santi Pietro e Paolo) | Rome | Patron saints of Rome — banks/offices closed in the city only. Vatican-themed celebrations at St Peter's Basilica. |
| 15 Jul | Saint Rosalia (Santa Rosalia) | Palermo (Sicily) | Famous local festino with horse-drawn float parade through old Palermo — banks/offices closed in city only |
| 19 Sep | Saint Januarius (San Gennaro) | Naples | Patron saint of Naples — banks/offices closed, the famous 'miracle of the blood' liquefaction ceremony at the Duomo |
| 4 Oct | Saint Petronius (San Petronio) | Bologna | Patron saint of Bologna — coincides with the new national San Francesco day in 2026, so already a non-working day everywhere |
| 7 Dec | Saint Ambrose (Sant'Ambrogio) | Milan | Patron saint of Milan — banks/offices closed in the city, La Scala opera season opens with a gala performance. Combined with 8 Dec (Immacolata), this gives Milan a guaranteed 4-day weekend in 2026. |
Cultural notes — how Italian holidays differ from UK bank holidays
Five quirks of the Italian calendar that catch UK travellers and expats out:
- Ferragosto (15 August) is a national shutdown, not just a public holiday. Although officially a single day, Ferragosto effectively triggers a 2-to-3 week closure for most of Italy. Small businesses, family trattorias, dentists, plumbers, hairdressers and many offices close anywhere from mid-August to early September. Major cities (especially Rome, Milan and Bologna) empty out as residents head for the coast or the mountains. For UK travellers, this means the tourist hubs are open but feel different — locals are gone, you'll meet mostly other tourists. Cheaper time to visit cultural sites; harder to find a non-tourist restaurant.
- Italy reinstated a 12th national holiday in 2026 — first time in 50 years. The Italian state abolished the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi (4 October) as a national public holiday in 1977 for economic reasons. In 2024 the Italian Parliament voted to reinstate it from 2026 onwards, timed to coincide with the 800th anniversary of the saint's death (1226). However, the 2026 date falls on a Sunday — so the first tangible long-weekend effect of the new holiday only arrives in 2027 (when 4 October is a Monday). Italy joins France, Spain and Germany in having 12 national holidays.
- Easter Monday is 'Pasquetta' — and almost everyone goes on a picnic. Lunedì dell'Angelo (Easter Monday) is universally observed across Italy and is traditionally spent outdoors — the classic gita fuori porta (trip outside the city walls), usually a picnic in the countryside or at the seaside. Restaurants in town often close (staff are on their own family outings), but countryside agriturismi and Sunday-trade roadside trattorias overflow. For UK travellers, Pasquetta is one of the loveliest days to be in Italy if you have a car and head into the Chianti or the Castelli Romani.
- Christmas starts on 8 December and ends on 6 January — a 30-day season. The Italian Christmas period kicks off with Immacolata Concezione (8 December — Tuesday in 2026), when families put up the tree and the presepe (nativity scene). It ends with Epifania (6 January) and the folklore tradition of La Befana — an old woman who brings sweets or coal to children on the night of 5 January. UK travellers staying through this period see a fully decorated, festive Italy from early December until 6 January, with markets in every city. The Vatican holds a public Mass on Christmas Eve at St Peter's (free, but with tight security).
- No Monday substitution for weekend holidays. Unlike the UK system where a bank holiday falling on a weekend is moved to the following Monday, Italy simply loses it. In 2026, five national holidays fall on a weekend (25 April, 15 August, 4 October, 1 November, 26 December). Italian workers and unions occasionally call for a substitution system but no government has acted on it. The practical effect for UK travellers: 2026 has fewer Italian long weekends than usual, meaning lower domestic tourist traffic on key dates and slightly less hectic flight pricing on most weekends.
UK travellers and residents in Italy
Italy hosts approximately 65,000 British residents, concentrated in Tuscany (Chianti, Florence area), Umbria, Le Marche, the Italian Lakes (Como, Garda, Maggiore) and Puglia. Post-Brexit, UK residents must hold the carta di soggiorno (Withdrawal Agreement card for pre-2021 residents) or a new long-stay permesso di soggiorno for new arrivals. The 90/180-day Schengen limit applies to UK passport holders for visits — Easter, summer and Christmas trips need careful date tracking. The British Embassy in Rome and consulates in Milan, Naples and Florence close on both UK bank holidays and Italian national holidays — around 22 closures per year. The UK ↔ Italy travel volume sits at roughly 8 million visits per year from the UK side, making Italy one of the UK's top three outbound destinations alongside Spain and France.
Frequently asked questions — Public holidays in Italy
How many public holidays does Italy have in 2026?
Italy has 12 national public holidays in 2026 — the first year since 1977 that the count has been 12 rather than 11. The change is the reinstatement of the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi (4 October) as a national holiday, voted by the Italian Parliament in 2024 to coincide with the 800th anniversary of the saint's death. The other 11 dates are the long-standing fixtures: New Year's Day, Epiphany, Easter Monday, Liberation Day, Labour Day, Republic Day, Ferragosto, All Saints', Immaculate Conception, Christmas and Saint Stephen's. Whit Monday (Pentecoste) is a public holiday only in the autonomous province of South Tyrol (Bolzano). In 2026, five national holidays fall on a weekend and are lost — Italy does not shift to Monday.
Are shops open on Italian public holidays?
Most supermarkets (Esselunga, Conad, Coop, Lidl) close on the four biggest holidays — 1 January, Easter Sunday, 25 December and Ferragosto (15 August). On the other public holidays, large supermarkets in major cities often open with reduced hours, and convenience stores in tourist zones (Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan) generally trade. Local bakeries (panetterie) and pastry shops (pasticcerie) typically open holiday mornings — fresh pastries reliably available even on Easter Sunday. Cafés, bars, trattorias and tourist attractions stay open. Family-run trattorias often close for several days around Ferragosto and between Christmas and 6 January.
When is Easter Monday in Italy 2026?
Easter Monday — known in Italian as Lunedì dell'Angelo or more commonly Pasquetta ('little Easter') — falls on Monday 6 April 2026 and is a national public holiday throughout Italy. Tradition is the gita fuori porta: a picnic or short trip outside the city, usually to the countryside or the seaside. Family-run trattorias in town often close (staff are out picnicking), but countryside agriturismi and Sunday-trade roadside restaurants are packed. Good Friday is not a public holiday in Italy, unlike in the UK or Germany.
What's the biggest public holiday in Italy?
Religiously, Ferragosto (15 August) is the height of the Italian summer holiday season — the entire country effectively shuts down for 2 to 3 weeks around it. Civically, Republic Day (2 June) is the national showcase, with the military parade along Via dei Fori Imperiali in Rome, the Frecce Tricolori aerobatic display over the Altare della Patria, and free entry to all state museums. Family-wise, Christmas Eve dinner (24 December) and Epiphany (6 January) bookend the festive season — Italian Christmas runs from 8 December to 6 January, a full month of decorations and markets.
Do banks close on Italian public holidays?
Yes — all Italian banks (UniCredit, Intesa Sanpaolo, BPER, Banco BPM, Monte dei Paschi, Crédit Agricole Italia) close on all 12 national public holidays. ATMs (bancomat) operate normally and UK card holders (Visa, Mastercard, Revolut, Monzo, Starling, Wise) can withdraw euros without issue. Online banking and mobile apps run as usual. Italian branch hours are unusually short by UK standards — typically Mon–Fri 08:30–13:30 and 14:45–16:00, closed weekends — so weekday afternoon banking is awkward even on normal days. Patron saint days produce local single-city closures (e.g. Milan on 7 December for Sant'Ambrogio, Rome on 29 June for Saints Peter and Paul).
Are Trenitalia and Italo running on Italian public holidays?
Yes, but on Sunday-style schedules. Trenitalia's high-speed Frecciarossa, Frecciargento and Frecciabianca run roughly 70% of weekday frequency on major corridors (Rome–Milan, Rome–Naples, Milan–Venice). Italo (the private competitor) runs essentially full schedules on most national holidays, making it the more reliable choice for holiday travel. Regional (Regionale) services suffer the deepest cuts — sometimes 40–50% reduction. The biggest cuts are on 1 January, Easter Sunday, 1 May and 25 December. UK booking via trenitalia.com, italotreno.it, Trainline or Omio — book 60+ days ahead for cheapest super-economy fares.
Is Boxing Day (26 December) a public holiday in Italy?
Yes — unlike France (where it is only observed in Alsace-Moselle), Santo Stefano (Saint Stephen's Day, 26 December) is a national public holiday throughout Italy. Banks, schools and most offices close. In 2026 it falls on a Saturday and is therefore lost (no Monday substitution). Tradition is a second day of family meals, often with leftovers from Christmas Eve and Christmas lunch — and many Italians head to the cinema or take a short trip. Ski resorts in the Dolomites and Aosta Valley are at their busiest. For UK visitors, this means a back-to-back Christmas Day + Boxing Day experience similar to home, with most attractions reopening on 27 December.
Do I need a visa to travel from the UK to Italy on a public holiday?
Post-Brexit, UK passport holders can enter Italy for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa — Italy remains in the Schengen Area. Passport must be issued less than 10 years before the entry date and valid for at least 3 months after the planned departure. From mid-2026, ETIAS (the EU's electronic travel authorisation, around €7 for 3 years) is expected to be required for short stays — check gov.uk and the EU's official ETIAS site before booking. Public holidays do not affect entry rules or border processing — Rome FCO, Milan MXP and the rail border crossings run with full passport control on all holidays.
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Related guides
- All UK bank holidays 2026 — Bank Holidays UK homepage
- Complete List of UK Bank Holidays 2026 — all 8 days explained
- Public Holidays in France 2026 — the UK's #2 outbound destination
Updated for 2026 · Sources: Gazzetta Ufficiale, Nager.Date, UK FCDO travel advice · Last verified: 27 May 2026 · Bank Holidays UK Editorial Team · ← All UK bank holidays