Ready to plan? Here are 10 unique, must-do events in 2025 selected by Visit Italy, including spirituality, art, culture and folk.
The year 2025 promises to be a year full of excitement and opportunities for travel and culture enthusiasts. Italy will host a series of unmissable events that will satisfy the tastes of every visitor, from cultural events to art festivals, passing through major sporting events of worldwide resonance. These will be experiences that will allow you to get closer to local cultures and experience first-hand the events that celebrate great historical traditions.
We have selected for you the events you should not miss, those that are engaging, memorable, but above all that are promoters of our culture and will make you discover the real Italy, surprising you with our artistic beauty and priceless historical heritage.
Our travel suggestions enhance enchanted places, will make you meet fascinating people, and you will experience unforgettable emotions, celebrating the richness and diversity of local traditions. Are you ready for an exciting journey to to get to know true Italian excellence? Let's discover together the must-see events in 2025, to fully experience the richness and beauty of the different Italian regions!
10. Feast of St Paul in Palazzolo Acreide
The Feast of St Paul in Palazzolo Acreide celebrates the patron saint of a Baroque village located in the south-eastern part of Sicily. The festivity is a real journey into the heart of Sicilian tradition and is divided into two main moments, one in winter and one in summer. On 25 January, the conversion of St Paul to Christianity is remembered, while on 29 June the Saint's martyrdom is commemorated. These are moments of intense spirituality, in which the community gathers and keeps centuries-old traditions alive.
In the winter period, the procession through the streets of the old town takes on the role of a propitiatory rite to ensure that the weather conditions are favourable for a good harvest. The celebrations continue until 1 February and culminate with the ‘veiling’ of the patron saint's statue: the statue's face is covered until 29 June, symbolising the faith that remains alive even in times of darkness. The summer festival manages to be even more spectacular and attracts numerous visitors from all over the island: it has been included in the UNESCO intangible heritage list and symbolises thanksgiving to St Paul for the year's harvest.
9. Pariglia di Bonorva
This event is unique. It is not a simple equestrian exhibition, but a moment of spectacle in which man and nature exalt a profound bond that has its roots in distant times: in fact, it dates back to fertility rites and is connected to the cycle of the seasons. It takes place at S'ISchiglia di Bonorva, in Sardinia, and features a series of acrobatics and evolutions on horseback that enchant the public every year.
Spectators admire the riders' demonstration of strength, agility and courage, as well as the difficult co-ordination of movements with an animal that lends itself to this event. The atmosphere is always festive and involves participants of all ages who are amazed. The traditional days on which the event takes place are the Saturday and Sunday following Shrove Tuesday. The central figure of the Pariglia is the Asone de Carrasegare, an experienced rider who opens the event on Saturday morning. The celebrations end with a fireworks display, an auspicious greeting that unites the entire community.
8. ATP Finales
The ATP Finales (Association of Tennis Professionals) are a spectacle that enchants all sportsmen and women, not just tennis fans. In 2025 they will take place in Turin for the fifth consecutive year, more precisely from 9 to 16 November: they promise, as every year, to host unforgettable matches in a very special atmosphere. The title of champion, contested between the best eight tennis players in the world, is a coveted prize to be won and of great prestige... that is why it is one of the events you cannot miss in Italy!
It lasts one week and is organised under the banner of entertainment. The relevance of this sports competition is worldwide. The city of Turin, together with the blue field of the Inalpi Arena, will be in the spotlight, offering moments of great sport, music and entertainment involving all the participants who are about to follow the performances of the best tennis players.
7. National Eno Literary Award Vermentino
The event National Eno-Literary Vermentino Award is conceived by the Sassari Chamber of Commerce and promoted by the Sassari Chamber of Commerce, the Municipality of Olbia and the Municipality of Castelnuovo Magra, representing wine producers from Sardinia, Liguria and Tuscany. It represents a moment of encounter between the Italian narrative and the world of wine, with the aim of celebrating Sardinian food and wine and its ancient traditions. It is part of the Salude e Trigu programme, which brings together the most important and spectacular events that take place every year in Northern Sardinia.
It is a unique event of its kind because it brings together wine and literature, two worlds that are only apparently distant... Its aim is to enhance Italian fiction that tells the world of wine in an original and engaging way, awarding a literary work each year that captures the essence of wine, from the vineyard to the bottle. Through the pages of a book, the reader is invited to discover the secrets of this fascinating world, made of passion, tradition and innovation. The prize is aimed at publishing houses that can participate with all texts that have references, hints and passages to the world of wine.
The event is part of the ‘Benvenuto Vermentino’ contest, which takes place every year in Olbia in the first half of October to celebrate this white grape variety, which in Gallura takes the DOCG denomination of origin. It is a moment of extreme conviviality, in which it is possible to taste fine wines of Italian production, while meeting authors and experts in the sector who are able to valorise the work that leads to the production of these excellences. The combination of food and wine traditions and literary creativity enhances Italy's cultural heritage and provides an insight into the activities that have been handed down for generations.
6. International Book Fair
Among the unmissable cultural events of 2025, the International Book Fair occupies a prominent place: every year it attracts passionate visitors and professionals from all over the world to attend an event full of meetings and exhibitions. The possibility of watching interviews with famous authors is combined with the curiosity of discovering new writers and exchanging ideas and reflections on the contemporary literary world.
It will be held in Turin from 15 to 19 May 2025, the location is always the Lingotto Fiere, hosting internationally renowned personalities who will entertain guests with conferences on current and engaging topics. The event represents an unmissable opportunity to immerse oneself in the world of books and discover the latest literary trends, but it also gives the opportunity to visit and discover a wonderful city. Turin has great historical charm and numerous architectural beauties, don't miss the opportunity to explore the city with our travel tips!
5. Siena Awards
The Siena Awards are a prestigious event dedicated to photography. The 2025 edition, starting at the end of September, will celebrate the art of photography with exhibitions, screenings and workshops in various historical venues around the city. Participants come from all over the world and their contributions offer a unique perspective on global cultures and realities. You will have the opportunity to discover Siena in an artistic and international light, admiring breathtaking images ranging from reportage to natural landscapes.
This project is not only aimed at photographers but is a true promoter of culture in a modern key. The city of Siena becomes an incubator of ideas and creative personalities ready to share emotions that unite different cultures, styles and lifestyles. Candidates may participate in the various sectors into which the event is divided: Siena International Photo Awards (SIPA), a photography competition open to professionals and amateurs; Drone Photo Awards, which concerns aerial photography; Creative Photo Awards, which rewards a series of images linked by a common theme.
4. Lucca Comics & Games
Lucca Comics & Games is not just a fair, but is considered a cultural phenomenon that transforms the city of Lucca into an international reference point every year. With each edition, the programme is enriched with events, exhibitions, meetings with authors and cosplayers. This festival helps to promote the city as a supporter of culture and art on an international level, confirming it as a meeting and exchange place for fans from all over the world.
The 2025 edition will take place from 30 October to 2 November and will be dedicated, as always, to everything related to fantasy and science fiction imagery. The thematic pavilions will also offer interactive workshops and live shows will make the days lively and engaging! It is a unique adventure, with the chance to visit a city rich in history and charm that every year turns into a lively centre of pop culture.
3. Italian Grand Prix
Every year the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza prepares to host one of the most exciting sporting events in the world: the Italian Grand Prix. The scenery is mythical, the greatest drivers of all times have competed here and one breathes in the atmosphere of a thousand-year-old tradition. In 2025 this unmissable spectacle will be held from 5 to 7 September. The circuit was built in 110 days, offering a course that, with its parabolic curves, invited spectacular performances: for this very reason it is nicknamed ‘The Temple of Speed’.
It is an iconic race and attracts race fans from all over the world, as well as political and show business personalities who take the opportunity to explore the culture and cuisine of Lombardy. For everyone, experiencing moments of pure adrenaline is an indescribable thrill, immersing oneself in the unique atmosphere of Italian cheering.
2. Viareggio Carnival
Carnival in Italy is celebrated in various cities with parades and events that often relate to topical issues with extreme irony. The one in Viareggio is certainly the symbol par excellence of Tuscan merriment and creativity and cannot be missing from the list of must-see events of 2025. Parades with colourful allegorical floats are organised with the intention of attracting attention and transmitting cheerfulness, sharing an atmosphere of joy and light-heartedness.
It is not only an exhibition for children, adults also appreciate the opportunity to wear masks and participate in an event that has a long tradition. The event is also an important showcase for Tuscan tourism, a unique opportunity to promote the territory and its great artistic heritage. It will start on Saturday 8 February and end on Tuesday 4 March: both at the opening and closing, a fireworks display is planned to seal these moments full of unforgettable emotions.
The Jubilee 2025 promises to be an event of historic significance, capable of leaving an indelible mark on the hearts of all participants. Initiated by the Catholic Church, it is a holy year during which religious celebrations and opportunities for spiritual reflection intensify, attracting the faithful from all over the world. Pilgrims coming to Rome have the opportunity to participate in the initiatives and events organised, to rediscover the values of faith, solidarity and forgiveness.
The central theme will be ‘Pilgrims of Hope’, indicating the journey through life as a path leading to redemption and inner peace. It will end in 6 January 2026. Among the various celebrations, the Jubilee of Families, Children and the Elderly will play an important role. It will be celebrated from 30 May to 1 June, when some children will receive their First Communion in St. Peter's Square. During these days it will be possible to take an active part in various cultural initiatives that will be organised in various churches and squares in Rome.
It will be an opportunity to reflect on the value of the family itself and to strengthen ties between the generations: in an atmosphere of joy, celebration and sharing, it will provide an opportunity to look to the future with confidence. The intention is to value and respectfully welcome each participant, who in turn will convey an important message: rediscover the fundamental values of life, strengthen family ties and build a more solidary and fraternal future.
