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14 day itinerary questions

Posted by on

Hello,
Busy planning our 14 day trip to Italy (Rome, Tuscany, Florence, Bologna and Venice) for 4/25/26 - 5/9/26.

My specific question is: May 1 is Labor Day in Italy. Any idea what we can expect to be open/closed on Friday, 5/1/26?
We will be in Tuscany that day hoping to do a winery tour if it's available. Also looking for recommendations of a car service to hire to take us from an agriculturismo in Tuscany for wine tours.

Second question: We will travel to Florence Sunday morning 5/3 for an Uffizzi & Academia Tour. Can we expect things to be closed on Monday 5/4 in Florence?

Thank you. I may be back with other questions as our planning progresses.

Posted by
8660 posts

State museums in Florence are always closed on Monday

Check the official websites for May 1 closures-as I recall not much will be closed

Everything else will be open on Monday-shops, restaurants, etc
It is not a “4 day weekend” but it will be very crowded

Check ToursbyRoberto.com for your Tuscany driver /tour or check with the agriturismo

Posted by
6736 posts

We were in Italy this past May 1 (Lake Como) and it was packed, and public transportation lines (regional trains) were almost overwhelmed. Folks take this holiday, along with the surrounding weekend , very seriously. Regional trains, on the Monday after the May 1 weekend , were still very crowded.
We used Roberto for two days of wine touring, and he said he was considering not visiting some of the hilltop towns on the weekends , because parking was getting so scarce, even by mid-morning. He's easy to communicate with, via email.
You should probably contact your intended wineries, to see if they'll be open, and book your lodging asap.
So- not to be a downer, but a realist, so you can be prepared for the realities on the ground, and enjoy your trip. Safe travels!

Posted by
707 posts

Just to be aware, April 25 is also a holiday in Italy. It is Liberation day. We were there years ago on that day and I don't remember things being closed, but it was busier with Italians travelling and celebrations in the evening

Posted by
1010 posts

I once flew on the 25th for a trip that spanned the holiday week (landed on the 26th, whew, just missed that one!). May 1 was the day I was worried about as I had always been to picnics and such on that day, unsure of what would be mobbed and not. We ended up doing Herculaneum and they were busy, they ran out of English maps/guides! It wasn't overrun, and we did see a lot of people outdoors picnicking in the green spaces about town.

I agree that you should call and check to see which wineries will be open.

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