by C. P.
Also known as “Italian National Day”, Festa della Repubblica is a national holiday celebrated on June 2 of each year, to commemorate the results of the referendum thanks to which Italy became a republic after the end of fascism and WWII. If you’re in Rome right now or are about to get in for the holiday weekend, you’re in for a treat: as the Capital of Italy, this is where the most events are held.
Obviously, expect a military parade in the streets by the Colosseum and the Altar of the Fatherland (AKA the Victor Emmanuel monument): according to the program, our military corps are expected to march at around 10am, right after a tribute to the Unknown Soldier on Piazza Venezia with President Sergio Mattarella attending.
The military parade will be topped by a colourful exhibition by some of Italy’s best air force pilots: it’s not every day that you can see the beloved Frecce Tricolori at work! The acrobatic team from the Aeronautica Militare will perform at the end of the parade, spraying the skies with the green, red and white of the Italian flag. Mind your ears! Some visitors who don’t know of this traditional exhibition might get scared because of their sonic booms over the center of the city.
You’ll be particularly close to the military parade if you’ve booked your accommodation in Rome at Casa Isabella al Colosseo. however the events do not end there!
At 2pm you will be able to enjoy a free concert by the State Police Band on Piazza di Montecitorio (where the Italian Chamber of Deputies is): this is a stone’s throw from the penthouse at Campo Marzio Bellavista!
As is President Mattarella’s prerogative, on Italian National Day some of Rome’s historical buildings, now the seats for various branches of the government, will be open to the public: from 3pm to 7pm you will be able to visit the Quirinale Gardens, which once belonged to the Vatican and are now the private gardens to the President of Italy.
It will also be possible to visit Palazzo Madama, the seat of the Italian Senate (general information on how to visit is at this address) from 10am to 6pm. Palazzo Giustiniani will also be extraordinarily open (again from 10am to 6pm) to citizens and foreign nationals alike: around the corner from the Pantheon, this is where the private residence of the President of the Italian Senate is. Tickets will be available right at the Palazzo on via della Dogana Vecchia 29.
What’s next? Festa della Repubblica has traditionally always been a day for celebrating the end of WWII and dictatorship: picnics, impromptu football matches and concerts are not uncommon on this day, and more often than not these types of happenings are held in Rome’s public parks. And guess what? Most of From Home to Rome’s apartments are close enough to the city’s gardens that you can walk to them, so reach a green spot and enjoy our Republic Day!
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