If you’ve got children at school in Italy or you’re planning to move over soon, knowing how the school year is structured makes a real difference to family life. Unlike in some countries, there isn’t a single national calendar—each region in Italy sets its own start and end dates, but there are still a few key dates and national holidays everyone should know.
Italian school system: what you need to know
The Italian school system is shaped as much by local character as by national guidelines, so things can look quite different depending on where you land. School is compulsory until the age of sixteen, with children moving through scuola dell’infanzia (kindergarten), scuola primaria (ages 6–11), scuola secondaria di primo grado (11–14), and then scuola secondaria di secondo grado (14–18). Each stage comes with specific schedules and holiday dates that can vary significantly from one region to another.
While the Ministry of Education sets the broad patterns, local authorities alter school calendars to suit the local climate, festivities, and even agricultural seasons. Getting acquainted with these differences isn’t just useful for planning holidays—it’s key for balancing school routines with work and home life, especially for families making a start in a new part of Italy.
Key dates for the Academic Year 2025-2026
What is the school schedule in Italy for the year 2025-2026? Mark these important dates in your calendar to stay prepared for the upcoming academic year. Do keep in mind that exact dates can shift by a week or so depending on your region or even your town, but these are the general patterns.
- Start of the school year: Most regions begin lessons in the first or second week of September.
- End of the school year: around the middle of June.
- Christmas holidays: schools tend to break up around 20th December, returning just after Epiphany (6th January).
- Easter break: Easter falls on 5th April in 2026, with most schools closing for about a week around this date.
- Summer holidays: The big break starts from mid-June and stretches right through to early or mid-September, giving students nearly three months off.
Public holidays and school breaks
Italy celebrates several national holidays that affect the school calendar:
- All Saints' Day: 1st November, 2025
- Immaculate Conception: 8th December, 2025
- Christmas Day: 25th December, 2025
- Saint Stephen’s Day: 26th December, 2025
- New Year's Day: 1st January, 2026
- Epiphany: 6th January, 2026
- Easter Sunday: 5th April, 2026
- Easter Monday: 6th April, 2026
- Liberation Day: 25th April, 2026
- Labour Day: 1st May, 2026
- Republic Day: 2nd June, 2026
Regional variations in school calendars
Because education in Italy is managed at a local level, the school calendar for 2025–2026 shifts quite a bit across the country. Each region has the freedom to set its own start and finish dates, as well as when holidays fall. This flexibility is designed to fit local traditions, weather patterns, and community needs.
If you want to be sure you’re on top of the right term dates and holiday periods, it’s always best to check your region’s education authority website. Local adjustments—sometimes even by municipality—mean those official sources will give you the most reliable picture for your family’s planning.
How long are school summer holidays in Italy?
School summer holidays in Italy are famously long—most kids finish up in mid-June and don’t head back until early or even mid-September. The exact dates depend on your region, but it usually works out to a solid 10 to 12 weeks off school.
Downloadable resources and official links
If you want the lowdown on school dates for Italy in 2025–2026, the best bet is your local education authority’s website. Most regions publish the full calendar online, often as a downloadable PDF. These official resources will have the right dates for your area and highlight any local quirks, so you’re not caught out by a regional holiday or unexpected closure.
You’ll also find sites like PublicHolidays.it helpful—they pull together school holidays by region and include most of the national and local breaks you’ll need to know.
Impact on families and travel planning
The timing of school holidays in Italy shapes so much of family life, from when you can get away together to what sort of activities are on the cards. With the long summer break and several key holidays dotted throughout the year, families often use the calendar to squeeze in that big trip.
You might fancy a long weekend on the slopes in the Dolomites, or perhaps a quick Christmas escape to Puglia for a change of scene. Visit a few of Italy's UNESCO World Heritage Sites for a dip into cultural history, or check out the country's many family-friendly festivals.
If you're a foodie, you could go on a pasta tour with the kids, sampling typical Italian pasta dishes. Knowing the school calendar means you can avoid the busiest (and usually priciest) travel weeks, find spots that aren’t overrun, and make sure the kids have real downtime before heading back to lessons.
Explore the holiday rentals available in Italy for your next family trip, and if you decide to stay long term, there are plenty of properties for sale in Italy to fall in love with.