Italy to mark Republic Day with free entry to state-owned museums
The Festa della Repubblica, celebrated every year on June 2nd, commemorates the birth of the Italian Republic as we know it today.
It marks the date in 1946 when Italians voted in a referendum to abolish the unpopular, Fascist-aligned monarchy and establish a democratic republic.
As the date falls on a Monday this year, people in Italy will be looking forward to a three-day weekend.
And while a trip to the beach to take advantage of the expected sunny weather might sound enticing, if you're staying in the city, you'll be able to visit one of the country's many state-owned museums and archeological parks free of charge.
These include some of Italy's best-known cultural attractions, which are featured in a list on the culture ministry's website.
Those in Rome, for example, will have free access to the Colosseum, the Pantheon (which introduced an entry fee for non-residents in 2023), Castel Sant' Angelo, the Borghese Gallery, and the nearby archeological park of Ostia Antica.
People in Florence will be able to visit the Uffizi Gallery and the Accademia Gallery, home to Michelangelo's David.
Venice residents and visitors will have access to Palazzo Grimani and its Accademia Gallery, housing masterpieces by the likes of Tintoretto and Titian, free of charge.
And Milan's Pinacoteca di Brera gallery and Cenacolo Vinciano museum, home to Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper, will also open their doors for free.
The initiative is related to Italy's free museum Sundays scheme, through which state museums and parks open to the public for free on the first Sunday of every month.
That means visitors will be able to access the same sites for free on Sunday, June 1st – though you could miss out on special events or unusual opening hours being offered on Monday in honour of Republic Day.
For some of the more popular sites, the ministry notes that you may need to book your place in advance; check the website of the attraction you plan on visiting to see whether this applies.
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Most businesses around the country will also be closed, though some supermarkets and shops in major cities may open for at least part of the day (usually morning- or afternoon-only). Shops in smaller cities and towns are likely to remain closed all day. As for local public transport, most operators around the country will run on a reduced holiday timetable (also known as orari festivi) on Monday. The overall quality and frequency of available services will vary significantly between rural and urban areas, as well as between cities. Areas that are usually served by the occasional bus may see very limited services on Monday. On the contrary, parts of the country with robust public transport networks, including major cities and tourist destinations, are likely to keep them fairly active. Regional and local rail services will be significantly reduced on Monday, whereas most interregional and long-distance operators will run according to standard weekend timetables, meaning you'll still find dozens of high-speed trains connecting major Italian cities around the country. Heavy traffic Italy's motorways (or autostrade) rarely see much in the way of heavy traffic on regular weekdays or weekends. But that all changes around national public holidays and long weekends. According to the latest Italian media reports, motorways and state roads (strade statali) connecting big cities to popular coastal or countryside locations are likely to be affected by heavy traffic this weekend. Congestion on Italy's roads is expected to be particularly intense in the evening of Friday, May 30th, and in the late afternoon/evening of Monday, June 2nd. It's also worth noting that traffic in major cities around the country may undergo major changes on Monday to allow for the safe unfolding of Republic Day celebrations. These changes can usually be found on the relevant city hall's website or social media channels. For instance, Rome authorities' road mobility plan for Monday can be found here (in Italian). If you're planning on travelling over the long weekend, there are a number of resources that you can use to keep up to date with the latest developments on the road. This online map from Italy's motorway construction and maintenance company ANAS features live updates on road closures, maintenance work, traffic levels and weather conditions. The service is also available through their mobile app, 'VAI'. Motorway company Autostrade per l'Italia offers a similar live map, which also shows the locations of the nearest petrol stations and service areas. If you'd like to speak directly with an operator while you're on the road, you can contact ANAS's customer service at 800 841 148 or the Transport Ministry's info centre (CCISS) at 1518. What will the weather be like? According to the latest weather forecasts, the centre and south of the country will experience sunny conditions and summer-like temperatures over the long weekend, with the mercury set to exceed 30C in cities including Rome, Bari, Cagliari and Palermo. Daytime temperatures are expected to stop short of the 30C mark in the north of the country, with overcast skies and localised showers forecast to interrupt a spell of sunny weather on Monday afternoon.
