Luca Rufo

2 weeks ago | thelocal.it | Luca Rufo

In Italy, this type of time off is called "congedo per la malattia del figlio"—literally, leave for a child’s illness. It allows parents to stay home and care for a sick child without facing penalties at work. How much leave you’re entitled to depends largely on how old your child is. If your child is under the age of three, you can take as many days off as needed to care for them when they’re sick—there’s no official limit. But once your child turns three, the rules become more restrictive.

2 weeks ago | thelocal.it | Luca Rufo

In Romano di Lombardia, a town near Bergamo, officials have prohibited the singing of Bella Ciao, a historic anthem of the Italian Resistance. A note from the city council president, Paolo Patelli of the hard right-wing League party, stated that no musical performances - except for solemn pieces like Silenzio and Attenti - would be permitted during the opening segment of the Liberation Day procession.

3 weeks ago | thelocal.it | Luca Rufo

Transport strikes are something of a regular occurrence in Italy, with at least two or three nationwide walkouts called each month. Conveniently though, most protests are planned and announced well in advance, with the Italian Transport Ministry listing them on a handy online calendar (available in Italian). This usually gives commuters and international visitors some time to arrange alternative methods of transportation or, when possible, reschedule their journeys.

3 weeks ago | thelocal.it | Luca Rufo

From February 6th to 22th, the XXV Olympic Winter Games will be hosted in Italy, followed by the Paralympic Winter Games from March 6th to 15th. Officially named Milano Cortina 2026, the Winter Games will mark the first time two cities - Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo - serve as co-hosts.

1 month ago | thelocal.it | Luca Rufo

Tuesday Window to switch to summer tyres opens Motorists in Italy have from Tuesday, April 15th to Thursday, May 15th to switch from winter to summer tyres. After the window to make the switch closes, drivers caught breaking the rules will face a fine of up to €1,731 plus the requirement to undergo a revisione (the Italian equivalent of a UK MOT test or a vehicle inspection in the US). Italy’s summer tyre requirement is a frequent source of confusion as it doesn’t apply to all vehicles.