02 June - public holiday in Italy. "Oh, we didn't know that." That's right, you probably didn't know that because this holiday hasn't been celebrated for very long exactly on 02 June, but let's start from the beginning.
Festa della Repubblica - Festival of the Republic
That's the name of the upcoming holiday!
The day was designated as a public holiday in commemoration of the referendum of 2 June 1946.
At that time, the majority of Italians voted for the introduction of the Republic and against the continuation of the monarchy as a form of government. On 2 June 1946, after the end of the fascist dictatorship, a popular representation was elected again. It had been 20 years since the last democratic parliamentary elections.
Women were admitted to the referendum and the elections for the first time. Women's suffrage had only existed at the municipal level in Italy since 1925.
The Italian government introduced the bank holidays with a decree on 28 May 1947. Until then, between 1977 and 2000, the day was celebrated on the first Sunday in June, since then it has been fixed again on 2 June.
Spectacle Day à la italiana, yes, that's what you can call it, the capital Rome gets loud and colourful on the Festival of the Republic every year.
In the morning, a military parade is held in honour of the Republic. The aerobatic squadron "Frecce Tricolori" flies over the forums, and the Italian national colours repeatedly colour the sky green - white - red. A loud "WOOOW" can be heard again and again through the crowd of spectators.
The highest state offices stand at eight and follow the decades-old protocol: ceremony with laying of a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
The celebrations continue in the afternoon in the gardens of the Quirinal Palace, the official residence of the President of the Italian Republic.
The gardens will be open to the public, who will be entertained by police and military orchestras, among others.
The holiday is celebrated not only in Rome but also in other Italian municipalities, on a smaller scale of course.
And us? We don't take part in any ceremonies, we don't experience the spectacular air show, but we put our legs way up, squint in the sun and sip cool GELATI!
That's what a bank holiday is all about!