Finale Emilia, the feast of San Felice in Nola and a rail strike to plan around on 20 November
A mid-November Thursday: the town of the day is in Emilia, the week leads to Nola, and the transport calendar needs a second look for the weekend of 20 and 21 November.
Mid-November is when travelling in Italy changes pace: the beaches are closed, the Christmas markets have not opened yet, and the art cities can be visited without queues. It is the right month for thermal baths and autumn food, which is why those are the three weekend ideas at the bottom of this page.
Today the calendar takes us to Casale Monferrato, where Saint Evasio has been patron for centuries, and to Finale Emilia, the town of the day: a centre of the Modena lowlands marked by the 2012 earthquake and by its rebuilding, with a page worth reading. Among the festivals we know with a certain date, the week has only one, San Felice in Nola on Sunday 15.
For rail travellers there is one piece of news that matters: between Thursday 19 and Saturday 21 November two consecutive rail strikes have been announced. If you must travel on those days, check the guaranteed trains on your operator's website the day before departure, since strikes can be called off or shortened.
Saint of the day
Today is the feast of Saint Evasio, patron saint of 4 municipalities: Casale Monferrato, Pedrengo, Bizzarone and Rocchetta Palafea.
Town of the day
Photo: Albarubescens, CC BY-SA 4.0Festivals and fairs this week
Useful news for travellers
- Rail strikes on 19-20 and 20-21 November (Source: Sicurauto, updated 6 November)
As part of the CGIL general strike, FS group staff stop from 9 pm on Thursday 19 to 8.59 pm on Friday 20, and Italo for 24 hours on Friday 20; then CUB Trasporti and SGB Ferrovie strike from 9 pm on Friday 20 to 8 pm on Saturday 21. Regional trains are guaranteed 6-9 am and 6-9 pm on weekdays. Check again the day before. - Airports: 20 and 22 November (Source: Sicurauto, updated 6 November)
The general strike on Friday 20 also covers aviation; on Sunday 22, 24-hour actions are announced at Milan Malpensa (ENAV), Venice (security staff) and Pisa and Florence (Toscana Aeroporti). Flying on those days, check your flight status with the airline. - Bolzano Christmas Market opens on 27 November (Source: official market website)
Opening ceremony on Thursday 26 at 5 pm, then open daily from 10 am to 7 pm until 6 January 2027. It is the largest of the South Tyrol markets: book your accommodation now.