How to Celebrate Women’s Day in Italy

by Adriana ruiz

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Women’s Day, or La Festa della Donna, is a popular and meaningful occasion in Italy. It is celebrated every year on March 8 to honor the achievements and struggles of women in society. Here are some ways to join the festivities and show your appreciation for the women in your life.

Give or receive a mimosa flower

The mimosa flower is the symbol of Women’s Day in Italy. It is a bright yellow and fragrant blossom that represents strength, sensitivity, and femininity. On March 8, you will see many vendors selling mimosas on the streets, and many women wearing them on their lapels. It is a tradition to give or receive a mimosa flower as a sign of respect and solidarity. You can also find mimosa-themed cakes, cocktails, and desserts in many cafes and restaurants.

Visit a museum for free or at a discounted price

Another way to celebrate Women’s Day in Italy is to visit a museum for free. The Italian Culture and Tourism Ministry (MiBACT) offers free entry to all state-owned museums on March 8. Some of the museums that participate in this initiative are the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, the Colosseum in Rome, and the Pinacoteca di Brera in Milan.

Some Museums, archaeological parks, monumental complexes, castles, historic villas and gardens, and other state cultural places that will offer free admission on March 8 include:

 

Rome

· Parco archeologico di Cerveteri e Tarquinia – Museo nazionale archeologico cerite (Archaeological Park of Cerveteri and Tarquinia – National Archaeological Museum of Cerveteri)
· Museo archeologico dell’Abbazia greca di San Nilo (Archaeological Museum of the Greek Abbey of San Nilo)
· Museo nazionale etrusco di Villa Giulia (National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia)
· Museo delle Civiltà (Museum of Civilizations)
· Parco archeologico dell’Appia antica – Villa dei Quintili e Santa Maria Nova (Archaeological Park of the Appian Way – Villa dei Quintili and Santa Maria Nova)
· Parco archeologico dell’Appia antica – Mausoleo di Cecilia Metella e Chiesa di San Nicola (Archaeological Park of the Appian Way – Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella and Church of San Nicola)
· Parco archeologico dell’Appia antica – Villa di Capo di Bove (Archaeological Park of the Appian Way – Villa of Capo di Bove)
· Parco archeologico dell’Appia antica – Parco delle Tombe della via Latina e Basilica di Santo Stefano (Archaeological Park of the Appian Way – Park of the Tombs of the Via Latina and Basilica of Santo Stefano)
· Parco archeologico dell’Appia antica – Villa di Sette Bassi (Archaeological Park of the Appian Way – Villa of Sette Bassi)
· Parco archeologico dell’Appia antica – Antiquarium di Lucrezia Romana (Archaeological Park of the Appian Way – Antiquarium of Lucrezia Romana)
· Terme di Caracalla (Baths of Caracalla)
· Galleria nazionale d’arte moderna e contemporanea (National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art)
· Museo Boncompagni Ludovisi per le arti decorative, il costume e la moda dei secoli XIX e XX (Boncompagni Ludovisi Museum for Decorative Arts, Costume, and Fashion of the 19th and 20th Centuries)
· Museo nazionale romano – Palazzo Altemps (National Roman Museum – Palazzo Altemps)
· Drugstore Museum e Circuito Necropoli Portuense (Drugstore Museum and Necropolis Portuense Circuit)
· Museo nazionale degli strumenti musicali (National Museum of Musical Instruments)
· Museo Hendrik Christian Andersen (Hendrik Christian Andersen Museum)
· Galleria Spada (Spada Gallery)
· Istituto autonomo Vittoriano e Palazzo Venezia – Museo nazionale del Palazzo di Venezia (Vittoriano Autonomous Institute and Palazzo Venezia – National Museum of Palazzo di Venezia)
· Pantheon
· Villa Adriana e Villa d’Este  (Villa Adriana and Villa d’Este)

 

Milan

· Pinacoteca di Brera (Brera Art Gallery)

 

Florence

· Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze (Gallery of the Academy of Florence)
· Museo di San Marco (Museum of San Marco)
· Musei del Bargello – Museo nazionale del Bargello (Bargello Museums – National Bargello Museum)
· Gallerie degli Uffizi – Galleria d’arte moderna (Palazzo Pitti) (Uffizi Galleries – Gallery of Modern Art, Palazzo Pitti)
· Gallerie degli Uffizi – Palazzo Pitti (Uffizi Galleries – Palazzo Pitti)
· Musei del Bargello – Chiesa e Museo di Orsanmichele (Bargello Museums – Church and Museum of Orsanmichele)
· Museo archeologico nazionale di Firenze (National Archaeological Museum of Florence)
· Musei del Bargello – Museo della Casa Fiorentina Antica, Palazzo Davanzati (Bargello Museums – Museum of the Ancient Florentine House, Palazzo Davanzati)
· Musei del Bargello – Cappelle Medicee (Bargello Museums – Medici Chapels)
· Gallerie degli Uffizi  (Uffizi Galleries)

 

Bologna

· Pinacoteca nazionale di Bologna (National Gallery of Bologna)

 

Venice

· Museo di Palazzo Grimani (Museum of Palazzo Grimani)
· Gallerie dell’Accademia di Venezia (Galleries of the Academy of Venice)
· Biblioteca nazionale Marciana – Sale monumentali e Ridotti dei Procuratori (National Library Marciana – Monumental Rooms and Procurators’ Lodges)
· Museo d’Arte Orientale Venezia (Museum of Oriental Art Venice)
· Galleria Giorgio Franchetti alla Ca’ d’Oro (Giorgio Franchetti Gallery at Ca’ d’Oro)

 

Verona

· Museo archeologico nazionale di Verona (National Archaeological Museum of Verona)

Enjoy a night out with your friends

Women’s Day in Italy is also an occasion to have fun and enjoy a night out with your friends. Many bars, clubs, and cinemas offer discounts, free drinks, or gifts to women on March 8. You can also find live music, comedy shows, and theater performances that celebrate women’s talent and humor. Some of the popular venues that host Women’s Day events are the Teatro dell’Opera in Rome, the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, and the Teatro Verdi in Florence.

Support a cause or a charity

Finally, you can celebrate Women’s Day in Italy by supporting a cause or a charity that works for women’s rights and empowerment. You can donate money, volunteer your time, or raise awareness about the issues that affect women in Italy and around the world. Some of the organizations that you can support are the UDI (Unione Donne Italiane), which is the oldest and largest women’s association in Italy, the D.i.Re (Donne in Rete contro la Violenza), which is a network of shelters and centers for women victims of violence, and the WFP (World Food Programme), which is the UN agency that fights hunger and malnutrition among women and girls.

Share your experiences or ask questions in our Facebook group.

 

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