Liberation and Labor Day 2013

Shops/restaurants/museums closed? Yes, only on Apr. 25 and May 1 (especially), not in between those days, when everything should be open. Many restaurants should be open also on the two holidays, especially in tourist areas. The major issue is securing accommodations early, because many people take the whole week off to visit places (27 and 28 of April is a weekend as well).

Don't avoid anything. Go wherever you like. There will be just a lot of Italians visiting those places on a day trip, in addition to those who took the whole week off coming from all of Europe. On May 1st, for Labor zday, there will be lots of marches and rallies organized by the labor unions, primarily in big cities. Just don't panic at the many red flags with the hammer and sickle. Communists don't eat babies, it turns out. On April 25 there are also rallies organized by political parties (especially left leaning) and associations of partisans (most of whom are now in their 90's) to commemorate the end of Fascism and the sacrifice of the Italian Resistance. April 25, 1945 is when the Italian fascists and their German Nazis allies, surrendered to the Italian partisans (National Liberation Front) in Milan, virtually marking the end of WW2 in Italy.

Hi Cat,
Glad you asked this, as my husband & I will also be in Venice for Liberation Day and I was wondering the same thing! Ciao

Thanks, Roberto. That's what I was thinking. My original plan had us in Cinque Terre on May 1, but I've switched it around a little, thinking CT would be too packed... I guess everywhere will be though... Any particular areas you'd recommend avoiding out of: CT, Chianti, Siena, Volterra, Montepulciano? Or, on the up-side maybe there are more local festivities then!? Thx.