Holidays in Rome are a mix of church and state holidays. In addition, there is the Founding Day of Rome and the feast of the city’s patron saints.
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In 1977, the abolition of several church holidays was agreed at that time between the entrepreneurs and the communist trade unions, in order to avoid the multiplicity of bridge days with corresponding production interruptions.
Many of these holidays have fallen into oblivion in Italy, especially the Pentecost, when Pentecost Monday was abolished as a holiday.
Holiday calendar
2025
Wednesday, January 1: New Year.
Monday, January 6: Epiphany, public holiday, the Vatican Museums are closed – in the Italian tradition, on this day comes “La Befana”, the witch, and brings the gifts to the children
Wednesday, January 29: Chinese New Year. All information about the Chinese New Year events in Rome
Friday, February 14: Saint Valentine
Saturday, March 1: Carnival in Rome – working day
March 5: Ash Wednesday
March 19: St. Joseph – father’s day. This is a normal working day. The Vatican Museums are closed.
April 13: Palm Sunday
April 18: Good Friday – working day
April 20: Easter
April 21: Easter Monday – “Pasquetta” a classic day for trips and family visits. The Vatican Museums are closed.
April 21: Rome birthday – Day of the foundation of Rome
Friday, April 25: anniversary of the liberation from fascism – national holiday
Thursday, May 1: Labour – day national holiday. The Vatican Museums and the museums of the municipality of Rome are closed. May concert
May 11: (2nd sunday in May): mother’s day
Monday, June 2: Day of the Republic – national holiday
June 8: Pentecost
Sunday, June 29: Peter and Paul – Feast of the patron saints of Rome – local holiday
Friday 15 August: Ferragosto – Maria Ascension Day – national holiday and key point of summer vacation time. The Vatican Museums are closed the 14th and 15th August.
1 November: All Saints. The Vatican Museums are closed.
Tuesday 4 November: National Unity and Armed Forces Day – normal working day. Ceremonies in the morning at the Victorianum with flyover of the aerobatic team Frecce Tricolore
Monday 8 December: Maria conception – national holiday
Thursday 25 December: Christmas – national holiday. All museums are closed.
Friday 26 December: St. Stephen’s day – national holiday. The Vatican Museums are closed.
Wednesday 31 December: New Years Eve – working day
Shop opening
Most of the city center shops and malls are open seven days a week.
Most shops are closed on
January 1, April 25, June 2, June 29, August 15, December 25 and 26. Most grocery stores are also closed on Easter Sunday and Easter Monday.
Museums
Roman National Museums, such as the Colosseum and Castel Sant’Angelo, are closed on January 1st and December 25th.
The municipal museums, such as the Capitoline Museums, the Trajan markets and the Centrale Montemartini, are also closed on May 1st.
The Vatican museums are closed on
Sunday except the last Sunday of the month, 6 January, 11 February, 19 March. Easter Monday, 1 Mai, 29 June, 14 + 15 August, 1 November, 8 December, 25+26 December.
Pope Masses, Angelus Prayers and Audiences
Source: Deutsches Pilgerzentrum Rom