• January 6th - Epiphany - La Befana, Rome - This is like a second Christmas of sorts, involving gifts and winter festivities. Piazza Navona is a great place to embrace the action, where Rome natives come to see the Befana, the Christmas witch. Leading up to the holiday the Piazza is filled with artists ready to draw your portrait, mimes and clowns, and other fun activities.
• Fashion Convention - Florence - hotel prices may increase

• February - Carnival - Venice - Join the mask-wearing partygoers anytime between the two weeks before Ash Wednesday until Fat Tuesday, the day before the beginning of Lent.

• April 2-6 - Verona - VinItaly Wine Festival
• April 12 - Easter Sunday - Scoppio del Carro - Florence - This festival involves a wonderful firework display lit by a mechanical dove in front of the Duomo. According to legend, in 1099 the famous Captain Pazzino de' Pazzi (literally meaning "crazy of the crazies") was the first knight to climb the Great Walls of Jerusalem and hold the Christian flag. His courage was rewarded with three stones from what was believed Christ's tomb. Pazzino brought them back to his native Florence, where upon the tradition of using them to light torches began, which were carried throughout the city on Easter Saturday to light a fire in each home. In honor of this ceremony the Pazzi family built a monumental cart called the Brindellone, and to this day the ceremony is repeated every Easter. Today these relics are preserved in Florence's Church Santi Apostoli. Tickets must be purchased well in advance to witness this Easter festival.
• Easter Sunday - Papal Address - Rome - Come to St. Peter's Square to hear from the Pope on this Holy occasion.

• April 21 - Rome - City Birthday Celebration with parades and fireworks
• April 25 - Venice - Liberation Day (some closures)
• April 25 - Festa di San Marco - Venice - In honor of the city's patron saint, Mark, involving a gondola race.
• LuGolosa - Bologna - Festival honoring the famous fish stew Cacciucco alla livronese taking place at the end of April.

• May 4 - Florence - Annual Cricket Festival with music, entertainment, food, crickets sold in cages)
• May 17 - Monterosso (Cinque Terre) - Lemon Festival (third Sat in May)
• May 21 - Florence - Ascension Day - religious festival
• May 25 - Orvieto - Corpus Domini with procession on carpet of flowers
• Greek Drama Festival - Syracuse - In the city's very own Ancient Greek Theater, come witness the famous tragedies from the middle of May to the beginning of June.
• Maggio Musicale - Florence - Florence's biggest arts festival, with music, theater, and dance. From the middle of May to the beginning of June.
• Sagra aspargo verde - Bologna - Festival in May honoring the region's superb green asparagus.
• Fiera Regionale Monte Compatri - Rome - Festival honoring traditional Roman food products.
• Sagra dell'Agnello e del Formaggio Pecorino - Bari - Held at the beginning of May, this festival honors Puglia's pecorino cheese.
• Passeggiata Enogastronomica Bari Vecchia - Bari - Mid-May festival honoring traditional Barese cuisine.
• Sagra del Fritto - Florence - Mid-May festival honoring olive-oil fried meats.
• Sagra del Cinghiale - Tuscany - Mid-May festival honoring the region's exquisite wild boar.
• Festival della Fragola - Pisa - In honor of the strawberry during the first half of May.
• Sagra della Schiacciata - Pisa - Festival held at the end of May honoring the local flat bread.
• Festa del Tortello e del Formaggio Artigianale - Florence - Month-long festival honoring the tortellini and local cheeses.

• June 1-30 - Florence - Annual Flower Display where flowers carpet the main square.
• June 2 - Anniversary of the Republic
• June 16-17 - Pisa - Festival of St. Ranieri with boat races
• June 20 - Aug 31 - Verona - Outdoor Opera in Roman Arena
• June 24 - St. John the Baptist Day religious festival
• June 24 - Florence - Calcio Fiorentino with costumed soccer game, firework.
• June 29 - Rome - Sts. Peter and Paul Day religious festival, fireworks (also in other cities, but most enthusiastically in Rome)
• Late June - Early September - Florence - Outdoor Cinema Season (contemporary films)
• Radda nel Bicchiere - Chianti - Wine festival at the beginning of June.
• Calcio Stroico Fiorentino - Florence - This is a spectacular event is some combination of football, soccer, and boxing that is rooted in Florence's great 17thcentury sport. Just as it was done back then, four teams play each other, each representing the city's four major districts. Players still wear in the original costumes. If you like sports, history, and culture, this is a must-see event.
• Festa dei Due Mondi - Spoleto - An international drama, music, and dance festival taking place at the end of June and beginning of July.
• Assaggiro - Rome - This festival, at the beginning of June, lets guests sample all sorts of local food products.
• Sagra del Raviolo Dolce Cameratano - Rome - This mid-June festival honors the ravioli.
• Sagra della lumaca - Rome - Festival at the end of June honoring the snail and local wines.
• Fashion Convention - Rome - Hotel prices may increase

• July 2 - Siena - Palio horse race
• Mid July - Venice - Feast of the Redeemer - third Sun in July and the preceding evening; fireworks, decorated boats
• July - Aug - Florence & Verona - Florence Dance Festival; Verona Opera Season
• Palio delle Contrade - Siena - This is a very unique medieval tradition in which Siena's several neighborhoods, called contrade, compete Kentucky Derby-style in a horse race. As you might expect, the jockeys that guide each contrada's horse have an amazing skill, which is rather necessary considering that the Piazza del Campo is not nearly as big or as racing-conducive as typical racetracks (actually, bad accidents happen each year to both jockeys and horses). A lovely festival accompanies the climatic race from July 2 - August 16, making Siena burst into an incredible amount of colorful activity. And while the Palio has attracted more than a few tourists throughout the centuries, one must bear in mind that this is very, very important to the Sienese, who always passionately cheer for their horse. Get tickets way in advance!
• Festa di Santa Rosalia - Palermo - A week long festival in July honoring Palermo's patron saint with a procession through the city, bands, fireworks, and great food.
• FestaDe' Noantri - Rome - During the last two weeks of July a folklore festival takes places in Rome's Trastevere involving an ornate procession in honor of the Vergine del Carmine accompanied by folk dance, song, floats, fireworks.
• Festa del Rendetore - Venice - This festival, which is always on the 3rdSunday of July, has a procession of gondolas commemorating the end of the Plague of 1575.
• Sagra della Pennetta all'Arrabbiata - Naples - A three-night festival in the beginning of July dedicated to this famous recipe: penne with spicy tomato sauce.
• Sagra della patata - Bologna - Festival honoring Bologna's potatoes.
• Sagra della brioche con gelato artigianale -Florence - Festival held at the beginning of July honoring brioche bread and gelato.
• Roccone Beer Fest - Siena - Beer festival at the end of July.
• Sagra del Pesce - Venice - Mid-month festival in honor of fish.

• Aug 10 - Rome & Manarola (Cinque Terre) - St. Lawrence Day religious festival
• Aug 15 - Assumption of Mary religious festival
• Aug 16 - Siena - Palio horse race
• Late Aug - Mid Sept - Venice - International Film Festival
• Venice Film Festival - Venice - World famous International Film Festival in Venice's Lido taking place at the end of August.
• Lake Maggiore - Musical Weeks

September:

• First week of Sept - mostly towns north of Rome - Chestnut Festivals (festivals, chestnut roasts) 
• First weekof Sept - Florence - Festa della Rificolona - children's procession with lanterns, street performances, parade
• Sept 13-14 - Lucca - Volto Santo - procession and fair
• Venice - Historical Regatta - first Sat-Sun in Sept, old-time boats and pageantry
• Historical Regata - Venice - Venice's traditional gondola race held on the 1st Sunday of September.
• Sagra dell'Uva - Rome - Rome's harvest wine festival, complete with wine tastings and special events.
• Il Miracolo di San Gennaro - Naples - The annual re-enactment of the liquefaction of the saint's blood, with processions and fireworks.
• Sagra della Bruschetta - Florence - Mid-September festival honoring bruschetta.
• Sagra della Pizza - Florence - Festival held at the beginning of the month honoring pizza.
• Ambientavola - Florence - Festival honoring local Tuscan food products held at the end of the month.

• Florence - Musica dei Popoli Festival
• Festa di San Francesco - Assisi - October 4th - a massive feast and procession in honor of Italy's patron saint.
• Sagra della Polenta - Rome - Mid-October festival honoring polenta.

• Nov 1 - All Saints' Day religious festival, some closures
• Nov 21 - Venice - Feast of Our Lady of Good Health religious festival, Venetian "Thanksgiving," bridge built over Grand Canal
• Festa della Madonna della Salute - Venice - A religious ceremony taking place on November 21st of the month in honor of the Virgin Mary in memory of the plague of 1630.

• Dec 7 - Milan - St. Ambrose Day religious festival, also the official opening of opera season at La Scala
• Dec 8 - Feast of the Immaculate Conception religious festival, some closures
• Dec 26 - St. Stephen's Day religious festival, some closures
• Sant' Ambrogio - Milan - In early December, this day kicks off the new season of Italy's famed La Scala Opera House.
• Christmas Market - Rome - The public blessing by the Pope in St. Peter's Square.