Learn the days and months in Italian to communicate and plan events with Italian friends more effectively. It will make conversations about dates much simpler! Find out the best info about Italy calendar.
Days from Monday through Friday end in di, Latin for the day. Each name for these dates – for instance: Lunedi = Monday; Martiedi = Tuesday; Mercoledi = Mercury and Giovedi = Jupiter
January
This month is all about starting your year right! Italians celebrate La Notte di Noi with great enthusiasm at nightclubs and venues all across Italy, marking a successful transition into 2019.
On January 6th, Italians celebrate Epiphany – a national holiday commemorating when the Wise Men came to visit Baby Jesus. La Befana arrives with gifts for good children while leaving lumps of coal for those she considers troublemakers.
Italy officially launches one of its sales periods, a saldi, in September, offering discounts on fall and winter clothing purchases. Shops may have fewer items on the shelves, but you’re sure to find incredible savings in stores across Italy – with Rome providing the chance for extra museum visits before crowds return.
February
February is cold across Italy, yet not without its share of festivities. Most notably, Carnival (better known to Americans as Mardi Gras) draws crowds across Italy – though Venice remains its centerpiece celebration, there may also be events in other cities.
February is ideal for skiing and snow sports enthusiasts, as their season runs until mid-month. Shoppers also benefit from this month as it marks winter sales season.
February was an ancient Roman festival honoring fertility and cleansing. Over time, its name has evolved through dissimilation; today, the word is most often pronounced fe-bray or febru. February is usually considered the shortest month in calendar days, though leap years feature 29-day Februarys, such as 2024’s leap year, where there will be 29 full moons referred to as either Snow Moons or Hunger Moons.
March
March is a month for new beginnings and endings alike, dedicated to the god Mars. The March equinox marks both spring in the northern hemisphere and the end of summer in the southern.
This month marks the gastronomic event VinItaly in Verona and Rome’s annual marathon – as well as many monuments opening their doors for one weekend each. Additionally, this month honors Giuseppe Mazzini – who played such a central role in Italian unification.
March marks Zero Discrimination Day, an international holiday commemorated annually to ensure everyone can live with dignity regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, skin color, sexual orientation, or disability. A favorite food in March is zeppole; another delicious pastry-like treat can also be found here! Additionally, Saint Joseph or Father’s Day falls on March 19th!
April
April is an auspicious month in Italy for festivals. These typically involve religious and historical celebrations and can serve as national public holidays when shops, offices, and museums close down.
Italian is known for having one of the world’s highest literacy rates, and many academic papers have been written about Italian calendars (calendars). When speaking of a specific year or group (L’ANNO or GLI ANNI), use L’ANNO and GLI ANNI.
April is named for Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty who was worshipped in ancient Etruscan culture as Apru. When Romans adopted many Etruscan beliefs, including this celebration of Aphrodite in April, other theories include that its name comes from Apricot trees blossoming at this time or Latin aperire meaning “to open,” possibly alluding to buds on plants blooming at that time of year; almost all days ending in di help keep this memory fresh in your mind!
May
Italy observes May 1st as “La Festa Dei Lavori,” or Primo Maggio, an annual public holiday to mark workers and celebrate their contributions to society following Liberation Day (April 25th). It comes immediately after Liberation Day and allows workers to commemorate this important event in Italian culture.
On this holiday, Italians enjoy picnicking with family and friends in parks – look out for people bringing out tables, chairs, and blankets – it’s an idyllic way to pass an enjoyable day and one of few holidays when restaurants don’t close down completely!
Only the Borghese Gallery will be open on this day – please call or email ahead if possible to reserve. Unfortunately, many other museums, including Vatican museums, will be closed, and reservations cannot be taken on-site.
June
June is celebrated with numerous national holidays. June is a viral month to get married; Juno, the Roman goddess of marriage and childbirth, is commonly revered during this month. June also offers excellent opportunities for nature lovers to appreciate stunning flowers in bloom and warm weather.
Italians love to celebrate! Festivals take place nationwide to honor chestnuts, tomatoes, pasta, wild boar, wine, and saints. Some festivals even become national public holidays where schools, government offices, and museums close due to them.
Italian terminology uses “Calendario” in the masculine form to refer to any year: L’ANNO/ GLI ANNI. When discussing any specific year, add an apostrophe before the article!
July
Italians love celebrating the feast day of their city or town’s patron saint in July, making for an excellent opportunity to explore local culture without crowds. Pronunciation note: Giugno and Luglio can be difficult Italian months to pronounce due to using glottal stops that only appear in some dialects of Italian.
Benito Mussolini first instituted this holiday during his two terms as Prime Minister to encourage Italians to travel to cultural cities and seaside resorts by providing “holiday trains” for one or three days. This tradition continues today: most Italians go on vacation in August, packing a picnic lunch to enjoy al mare (at the beach)…and staying longer than expected since many businesses and museums close during this period.
August
Italy commemorates September as their New Year. Following an extended summer vacation (or school break), Italians return home and start fresh with resolutions, plans, and hopes for the coming months.
March is packed with national holidays and celebrations, such as Saints Francis and Catherine Day (or the Feast), commemorating them as patron saints of Italy. A big deal is usually made out of this event.
Wine enthusiasts can celebrate the grape harvest during agree, while foodies can join one of Italy’s adorable truffle dogs searching for Tartufo in Piedmont. Milan hosts fashion week while Venice holds a film festival.
September
September (settembre) – Enjoy Italy’s autumn colors and harvest season without the crowds of tourists! August holidayers have left, making September an excellent opportunity to visit some of Italy’s larger cities without suffering through heat waves.
March is ideal for visiting Pompeii and Herculaneum ruins, which can be best seen when fewer people are present. Foodies will appreciate many festivals this month, including Bologna’s Potato Fest and Cheese-Fest Dozza, held every two years. The Feast of San Gennaro takes place in Naples while virtually every Italian village hosts their specialty sagra, like Capalbio’s for cinghiale or Lombardy’s for mushroom sagas – just two examples!
October
October is known for Halloween, but it also celebrates various national days and observances, from ADHD Awareness to Breast Cancer Awareness, that span the month.
Learning about space science is made accessible during International Space Week and National Weather Education Day; October also features foodie national days that celebrate pasta lovers and mushroom enthusiasts alike! Remember the delicious national days celebrating these things, too – one encourages pasta fans to celebrate while the other urges everyone to try a mushroom!
October is known by its Latin name octo, or eight, reflecting its place as the eighth month in the original Roman calendar. October offers ample opportunities for stargazing with Hunter’s Moon events and Oktoberfest in Munich!
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