What’s Happening in Italy This September? Events Worth Planning a Trip Around

If you're wondering what to do in Italy in September, our answer is simple: you're spoiled for choice. The month brings some of the country's biggest cultural moments, from the world's oldest film festival on the Venice Lido to one of fashion's grandest global celebrations lighting up central Milan.

Whether you're chasing cinema, tradition, or style, September rewards you with cooler days, thinner crowds than August, and an unmissable lineup of events in Italy in September, wherever in the country you land. Curious where to be, and when? Read on.

September marks the turn from summer into autumn, and in Italy that translates into one of the busiest months of the year for events. The big cities take center stage again after the August lull, each with its own personality: Milan dresses up for fashion, Venice celebrates cinema and centuries-old rowing traditions, Florence lights up with paper lanterns, and Rome and Naples fill up with music and culture spilling well beyond their historic centers. Out in the countryside, meanwhile, Italy enters its most generous season: the grape harvest.

Here's a quick overview of what to expect in this article:

• The best events on the calendar in September 2026 across Italy's most iconic cities: Milan, Venice, Florence, Rome, and Naples, from film festivals and fashion shows to religious traditions and music festivals.

• The best events spread across the country, from grape harvest celebrations in wine regions to small-town festivals, for anyone looking to go beyond the big cities.

Whether you're planning a long weekend or a multi-region trip, this guide will help you figure out where to be, and when. Let's dive in, city by city.

September gives Milan two very different personalities: refined classical music in the first half of the month, and dazzling international fashion in the second. Here are the three dates to mark on your calendar:

- MITO SettembreMusica (September 3–18): one of Italy's most important classical music festivals brings top international orchestras to the city, in a musical dialogue shared with Turin. Among the standout dates, September 4 sees the London Symphony Orchestra take the stage under Antonio Pappano, alongside pianist Seong-Jin Cho.

- Milan Fashion Week (September 22–28): more than 160 shows and presentations from houses including Prada, Gucci, Versace, and Giorgio Armani. The big news this season: Prada takes on the opening slot for the first time, followed later the same day by Diesel. Fendi shows on Wednesday, Gucci on Friday (marking Demna's official debut as creative director), Dolce&Gabbana on Saturday, and, as tradition dictates, Giorgio Armani closes out the week on Sunday, September 27.

- Vogue World: Milano (September 22): the fifth edition of Anna Wintour's traveling event, making its first stop in Italy after New York, London, Paris, and Los Angeles, taking over the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II between the Duomo and La Scala. This edition's theme, "Where the Future Is Made by the Hand," explores the relationship between Italian craftsmanship and artificial intelligence, and the evening will be livestreamed worldwide for anyone watching from home.

Venice lives through one of its most intense months of the year, with international cinema intertwining with its oldest rowing traditions and world-class craftsmanship. Here's what not to miss:

- Venice International Film Festival (September 2–12): the 83rd edition of the world's oldest film festival, organized by La Biennale di Venezia and directed by Alberto Barbera. This year's international jury is chaired by Maggie Gyllenhaal, while the Golden Lion for Career Achievement goes to George Clooney and Ellen Burstyn, best known for her role in The Exorcist.

- Regata Storica di Venezia (September 6): Venice's Grand Canal turns into an open-air stage for a historical procession of 16th-century vessels and gondoliers in period dress, followed by rowing races that close out the evening with the two-oar gondolino final, raced continuously since 1841.

- Homo Faber (September 1–30): a major international exhibition celebrating craftsmanship excellence, hosted at the Fondazione Giorgio Cini on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, with installations curated by master artisans and designers from around the world.

- The Venice Glass Week (September 12–20): a week of exhibitions, workshops, and events spread across the city, dedicated to Murano glass and its centuries-old tradition, featuring historic furnaces and contemporary artists.

Florence welcomes September with a mix of folk tradition, live music, and world-class collecting, spilling from the historic center out to the surrounding hills. Here are the three key dates:

- Festa della Rificolona (September 7): one of the city's most heartfelt traditions, built around the rificolone, colorful paper lanterns carried in procession by children and families through the streets to Piazza Santissima Annunziata, where the lanterns are blessed and the most original ones win a prize.

- Florence Jazz Festival (September 5–13): the tenth edition of the festival, with concerts spread across the Oltrarno district and the city's historic villas. This year's guests include trumpeter Fabrizio Bosso, hip-hop pioneer DJ Gruff, and reggae star Alborosie.

- BIAF – International Biennial Antiques Fair (September 26–October 4): the 34th edition of the reference event for collectors and art lovers, hosted at Palazzo Corsini on the Lungarno.

In September, Rome brings live music, electronic experimentation, and culture spilling all the way into the city's outskirts, closing out the Roman summer in style. Here's what to add to your calendar:

- Village Celimontana (through September 5): more than 100 free concerts spanning jazz, swing, and beyond, set in the green grounds of Villa Celimontana on the Celio hill. The perfect way to enjoy Rome's last summer evenings, free of charge.

- Dissonanze New Chapter (September 12–13): the electronic music festival returns to the Auditorium Parco della Musica, opening a new chapter of sound experimentation with international names including Björk (DJ set), Peggy Gou, Daphni, and Floating Points.

- Roma Borgata Festival, closing week (through September 13): this festival brings performances to eight peripheral neighborhoods across Rome from May through September, with more than 80 events overall. Its final week concentrates on the Torpignattara district, at Parco Sangalli.

Naples closes out the summer with a program blending theater, food, and cinema, reaching out to its surroundings too, all the way to nearby Gragnano. Here are the three events not to miss:

- Napoli Mon Amour (until September 4): the open-air venue in Piazza Garibaldi hosts theater and music performances featuring singer and actor Nino D'Angelo, actor Biagio Izzo, and director Mario Martone, in a tribute to Neapolitan culture.

- MONDOPASTA! in Gragnano (September 11–13): a short distance from central Naples, this festival dedicated to Gragnano's IGP pasta widens its lens this year to pasta cultures worldwide, with tastings developed alongside the Laboratorio di Antropologia del Cibo and the Pastaporto, an official passport stamped at every stop along the way.

- Sguardi di donna (September 3–October 8): a film series hosted in the cloister of the ISIS Alfonso Casanova, dedicated to female emancipation through a selection of films and free public talks.

Beyond the big city events, September is also when the Italian countryside comes alive, between vineyards and small-town festivals:

- Grape Harvest (all month): wine regions including Tuscany, Piedmont, and Sicily celebrate the vendemmia with festivals, tastings, and open cellar doors - the perfect excuse to slow down after a week of city-hopping.

- Sagra del Pistacchio di Bronte (September 25–27 and October 2–4): the Sicilian town at the foot of Mount Etna celebrates its DOP pistachio with food stalls, tastings, the town's signature pistachio cake, and guided tours through the surrounding pistachio groves.

• Move early. Between the Film Festival and the Regata Storica, Venice hits one of its busiest stretches of the year, with Florence close behind on the 7th and Milan swamped during Fashion Week. Booking ahead remains the simplest way to avoid sold-out rooms or inflated prices.

• Factor in the weather. Days stay mild, between 20 and 25°C (68–77°F), but evenings start to cool down. Pack layers and a light jacket.

• Always double-check dates. Some festival programs are only confirmed a few weeks out, so it's worth a final check on official pages as your trip gets closer.