Weekends in March – Wine in the Springtime Festival, Rovescala, Lombardy. The weekend festivals include parades, music, vendors, food, and, of course, wine tasting.

March 2-11 – Firenze e Cioccolato, Florence. The 14th annual Florence and Chocolate artisan chocolate fair is a 10-day experience that hosts a multitude of events, activities, workshops, cooking shows, and more all centered around chocolate.

March 8 – Festa Della Donna. International Women’s Day is a popular day in Italy celebrated each year on the eighth of March. It is day on which women’s economic, political and social achievements are celebrated. Today’s celebration is very similar to that of Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day. Men bring flowers, typically yellow mimosa, to the women in their lives.

March 15 – Ides of March, Rome. The Commemoration of Caesar’s Death is a variety of events usually held in the Roman Forum near the statue of Caesar. A re-enactment of his death is held at the site of his assassination in the Torre Argentina archaeological site.

March 17 – St. Patrick’s Day. Although not widely celebrated in Italy, there are a few festivals and Irish pubs with St. Patrick’s Day parties. Bologna, a big university city with a lot of nightlife, is a good place to celebrate the holiday as is Joy’s Pub in Puglia, The Temple Bar in Bolzano and Finnegan’s Irish Pub in Florence, to name a few.

March 19 – Feast Day of San Giuseppe. Known as Father’s Day in Italy, the day is usually celebrated with bonfires and pageants with scenes from the life of St. Joseph. Children give their fathers gifts and Zeppole (deep-fried dough balls) are traditionally eaten.  

March 19 – Palio dei Somari, Torrita di Siena (a medieval village near Siena). The village celebrates Saint Joseph’s Day with a donkey race between neighborhoods.

March 21 – Festa della Primavera. Many cities in Italy celebrate a spring festival, usually centered around their regional food.