Festivals in Italy: 2012
- Here's a list of the most important events in Italy for 2012. For more information about these and other events, please visit www.italiantourism.com and www.whatsonwhen.com.
- Beware: Festival dates (especially in Italy) are often not posted on websites until just before the event (or may even be posted incorrectly). Verify the correct festival dates before planning a trip around a specific festival. Also, note that religious holidays strike without warning throughout Italy.
- See related travel information in Italy.
| Jan 1 | New Year's Day | Italy |
| Jan 6 | Epiphany Fair (religious festival) | Rome |
| Jan | Fashion convention (hotel prices may increase) | Florence |
| Feb 5–21 | Carnevale | Venice |
| March 25–28 | Vinitaly (wine festival) | Verona |
| April 21 | City Birthday Celebration (parades, fireworks) | Rome |
| April/May | Cultural Heritage Week | Italy |
| April 8 | Easter Sunday (and Scoppio del Carro fireworks in Florence) | Italy |
| April 9 | Easter Monday (some closures) | Italy |
| April 25 | Liberation Day (some closures) | Venice |
| April 25 | St. Mark's Day (men present roses to women they love) | Venice |
| May 1 | Labor Day (some closures) | Italy |
| Mid-May | Annual Cricket Festival (music, entertainment, food, crickets sold in cages) | Florence |
| May 12 | Lemon Festival | Monterosso (Cinque Terre) |
| May 17 | Ascension | Florence |
| June | Fashion convention (hotel prices may increase) | Florence |
| June 1–30 | Annual Flower Display (flowers carpet main square) | Florence |
| June 2 | Anniversary of the Republic | Italy |
| June 16–17 | Festival of St. Ranieri (boat races) | Pisa |
| June 22–Sept 2 | Outdoor Opera in Roman Arena | Verona |
| June 23 | Corpus Domini (procession on carpet of flowers) | Orvieto |
| June 24 | St. John the Baptist Day | Italy |
| June 24 | Calcio Fiorentino (costumed soccer game, fireworks) | Florence |
| June 29 | Sts. Peter and Paul Day (fireworks in Rome) | Italy; most fervently celebrated in Rome |
| Late June–early Sept | Outdoor Cinema Season (contemporary films) | Florence |
| July–Aug | Florence Dance Festival; Verona Opera Season | Florence, Verona |
| July 2 | Palio horse race | Siena |
| July 14–15 | Feast of the Redeemer (fireworks, decorated boats) | Venice |
| Aug | Musical Weeks | Lake Maggiore |
| Aug 10 | St. Lawrence Day (religious festival) | Rome; Manarola (Cinque Terre) |
| Aug 15 | Assumption of Mary (religious festival) | Italy |
| Aug 16 | Palio horse race | Siena |
| Sept | Chestnut Festivals (festivals, chestnut roasts) | most town; mainly north of Rome |
| First week of Sept | Festa della Rificolona (children's procession with lanterns, street performances, parade) | Florence |
| Sept 1–2 | Historical Regatta (old-time boats and pageantry) | Venice |
| Sept 13–14 | Volto Santo (procession and fair) | Lucca |
| Oct | Musica dei Popoli Festival | Florence |
| Oct 13–14 | Castelrotto Festival | Dolomites |
| Nov 1 | All Saints' Day (some closures) | Italy |
| Nov 21 | Feast of Our Lady of Good Health (religious festival, Venetian "Thanksgiving," bridge built over Grand Canal) | Venice |
| Dec | Christmas Market on Piazza Navona | Rome |
| Dec 8 | Feast of the Immaculate Conception (some closures) | Italy |
| Dec 25 | Christmas | Italy |
| Dec 26 | St. Stephen's Day (some closures) | Italy |
Updated for 2012. For lots more information, check out our best-selling Rick Steves' Italy guidebook — or join us on one of our free-spirited tours in Italy.