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All Saints’ Day
Halloween isn’t as big in Italy as it is elsewhere, but don’t forget that the following day is a public holiday in the country.
November 1st is All Saints’ Day, known as Ognissanti or Tutti i Santi in Italian.
It falls on a Friday this year, meaning that many people around Italy will enjoy a three-day weekend.
READ ALSO: Why Italy’s All Saints and All Souls days have nothing to do with Halloween
There’s little in the way of secular celebrations on this date as the holiday essentially commemorates all Christian saints and martyrs.
All Souls’ Day
After All Saints, Italians mark All Souls’ Day, or Festa dei Morti (literally ‘Festival of the Dead’), on November 2nd.
This is not a bank holiday, but falls on a Saturday this year, meaning many people in the country will already be off work on that day.
Italy’s Festa dei Morti has Celtic roots and was originally celebrated in some parts of Italy on October 31st.
In 1000 AD the Catholic Church named November 2nd All Souls’ Day in an attempt to replace the festival with a church-approved tradition. Though the date and name were changed, plenty of fascinating old traditions have stuck in various parts of the country.
November 2nd is generally a day of remembrance, with many Italians saying prayers and laying flowers on the graves of deceased loved ones.
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Fines for failure to comply with holiday rentals’ national ID kick in
Owners renting out their Italian properties for periods of 30 days or less (these are known as affitti brevi turistici, or short-term tourist lets) are required to hold a national identification code (codice identificativo nazionale, or CIN) as of September 1st 2024.
However, the sanctions for failure to comply with the requirement are set to come into force on Saturday, November 2nd, with owners flouting the rules facing fines of up to €8,000.
You can see a step-by-step guide on how to get an identification code for your property here.
National Unity Day
November 4th is another national holiday, though you won’t get a day off work for this one.
National Unity Day (or Giornata dell’Unità Nazionale e delle Forze Armate) commemorates the end of World War I for Italy in 1918.
It’s usually marked with major events in Rome and other cities, including flyovers by Italy’s frecce tricolori jets. You can read more about the holiday here.
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US election
The 2024 US presidential election will be held on Tuesday, November 5th.
Americans living outside of the US, including in Italy, have a federal right to vote in the election by registering as overseas absentee voters.
Voting for overseas residents started in September. If you haven’t already sent in your absentee ballot, you might still have time to do so depending on your state’s rules. More info here.
Delayed EES introduction
The EU’s new border check system (Entry/Exit System, or EES) was set to be launched on November 10th, but the start date was put off again last month amid fears of travel chaos due to unfinished infrastructure.
The new official launch date is still unknown, and it likely won’t be in November 2024.
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Winter tires deadline
Under the Italian Highway Code, motorists are required to equip their vehicles with winter tires (or, alternatively, have snow chains on board) during the cold season.
The window to make the switch opened on October 15th, but the requirement and penalties for not following it will only come into force on Friday, November 15th.
After the one-month window closes, drivers breaking the rules face hefty fines plus the requirement to undergo a revisione (the Italian equivalent of a UK MOT test).
See our article for further details.
Winter sports season begins
The 2024-2025 ski season should be getting underway at some of Italy’s higher-elevation resorts this month.
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The popular Madonna di Campiglio (Trentino Alto Adige) and Pontedilegno-Tonale (Lombardy) resorts are both scheduled to open on Saturday, November 16th, whereas Cortina d’Ampezzo (Veneto) and Tre Cime (Veneto/Trentino) should open on Friday, November 29th.
If there’s not enough snow, opening dates could be pushed back.
Thanksgiving
For Americans, the fourth Thursday in November, falling on November 28th this year, is synonymous with Thanksgiving.
Despite being a very important day in the US cultural calendar, the holiday is not widely celebrated in Italy.
However, with a little effort it’s perfectly possible to create your own authentic Thanksgiving in Italy.
And if the idea of sourcing all the right ingredients for a home-cooked dinner makes you feel exhausted, or perhaps you’d like the opportunity to celebrate with a large group of fellow Americans, you can expect at least some restaurants in major Italian cities to host Thanksgiving-themed dinners.
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Bargains for shoppers
If you fancy some retail therapy, don’t forget that Black Friday will fall on November 29th this year.
You can find a full list of retailers that have announced their participation in this year’s event here.
Tax deadline
Barring some exceptions, Italy’s personal income tax Irpef is paid in two instalments.
The first instalment is due by June 30th, while the second one is due by Saturday, November 30th.
READ ALSO: The Italian tax calendar for 2024: Which taxes are due when?
For all Italian tax residents, payment must be made through modello F24 (form F24).
The Italian tax office, the Agenzia delle Entrate, offers guidance (in Italian) on how to fill out and submit the form.
Do you know about any other events or activities happening in November that you think we should feature? Let us know in the comments section below or via email at [email protected]