I just realized I'll be in either Bologna or Verona on Liberation day.
What can I expect in terms of closures, crowds, etc?
I had planned to fly into Bologna the day before. Would it be better to fly in the day after?
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
8077 posts
I can't say about Italy, but in Belgium on Liberation Day (which can be different for different neighborhoods of the same big cities), I saw a startling sense of memory and reflection that the U.S. has almost lost on Veteran's Day and similar holidays. I ran into a bunch of retired policemen in an Antwerp (neighborhood, Deurne) bar, who had just been to the cemetery to put wreaths on their uncles' and fathers' graves. The were not "sad", but just thoughtful. And my money was no good at the bar.
You might be lucky enough to have such an experience, if you can find a "local" neighborhood.