# September in Italy: the Lido, the Regata, the heat

> The Venice Film Festival runs September 2 to 12, 2026, the Regata Storica is the first Sunday, Naples averages 72°F, and there is no national holiday.

URL: https://myitalia.it/plan/september-in-italy
Last updated: 2026-09-11

September starts in Venice: the 83rd Venice Film Festival runs on the Lido from September 2 to 12, 2026, and the Regata Storica takes the Grand Canal on the first Sunday of the month.

## The Lido, September 2 to 12, 2026

The 83rd Venice International Film Festival, run by La Biennale di Venezia under artistic director Alberto Barbera, is held on the Lido from September 2 to 12, 2026. It falls between late August and mid-September each year, and it is the oldest film festival in the world, held since 1932.

The Lido is a separate island from the historic center, so a festival evening means a boat back. How the festival works for a visitor is on [the Venice Film Festival page](/events/mostra-del-cinema-di-venezia).

## First Sunday: the Regata Storica

The Regata Storica runs every year on the first Sunday of September on the Grand Canal, organized by the Comune di Venezia. The historical procession that opens it recalls the welcome Venice gave Caterina Cornaro in 1489.

In 2026 the first Sunday was September 6. When we checked, the city's official page still showed the previous edition, so for future years treat the date as the rule applied rather than a published program.

## Venice weather in September

Venice Tessera averages 66.9°F (19.4°C) in September on 1991-2020 normals, with mean highs of 75.6°F (24.2°C) and lows of 58.8°F (14.9°C). September brings 73.3 mm of rain, part of a year of 762.3 mm spread more evenly than in any other city in our set.

High water in Venice depends on tide, sirocco wind and pressure, not on local rain, so the rainfall figure tells you nothing about acqua alta. That subject is on [weather in Venice](/plan/weather-in-venice).

## Summer hours still run in the south

Until September 20, 2026, the Valley of the Temples at Agrigento kept its summer schedule: open until 11:00 pm on weekdays and until midnight on holidays. On September 6, the first Sunday of the month, entry was free until 7:00 pm and paid again from 8:00 pm.

Naples averages 72.0°F (22.2°C) in September, with mean highs of 80.8°F (27.1°C) and lows of 63.3°F (17.4°C), which is still summer by most visitors' standards.

## The Arena's last nights

The Arena di Verona opera season runs into early September, and the 2027 season is scheduled to close on September 11, 2027.

The venue, and what the cheapest seats really are, is on [the Arena di Verona page](/attractions/arena-di-verona).

## No national holiday

September has no national civil holiday under law 260 of 1949: after August 15, the next one is November 1. Offices, trains and museums run to their ordinary timetables all month.

Local patron saint days are the exception, and they vary by city. For the August side of the choice, see [August in Italy](/plan/august-in-italy).

## FAQ

### Where is the Venice Film Festival held?

On the Lido di Venezia, not in the historic center. The 83rd edition runs from September 2 to 12, 2026, organized by La Biennale di Venezia under artistic director Alberto Barbera. It is the oldest film festival in the world, held since 1932.

### What day is the Regata Storica in Venice?

The first Sunday of September, every year, on the Grand Canal; in 2026 that was September 6. The Comune di Venezia organizes it, and the historical procession that opens the day recalls the welcome given to Caterina Cornaro in 1489.

### Is September too hot for Italy?

It is warm rather than hot on average. On 1991-2020 normals Naples averages 72.0°F (22.2°C) in September with highs of 80.8°F (27.1°C), and Venice averages 66.9°F (19.4°C) with highs of 75.6°F (24.2°C).

### Is the Valley of the Temples open late in September?

Until September 20 in 2026: the summer schedule kept it open until 11:00 pm on weekdays, last entry 10:00 pm, and until midnight on holidays. After that it returns to 8:30 am to 8:00 pm, last entry 7:00 pm.

### Are there public holidays in Italy in September?

No. Italy's national civil holidays under law 260 of 1949 skip September entirely: after August 15, the next one is November 1. Cities can still close offices for their own patron saint, so check the day in the town you are in.

## Sources

| Fact | Source | Confidence | Valid until |
|---|---|---|---|
| L'83a Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica della Biennale di Venezia si tiene al Lido di Venezia dal 2 al 12 settembre 2026 sotto la direzione artistica di Alberto Barbera. | [La Biennale di Venezia](https://www.labiennale.org/it/cinema/2026) | medium | 2026-12-31 |
| La Regata Storica di Venezia si tiene ogni anno la prima domenica di settembre sul Canal Grande, organizzata dal Comune di Venezia; il corteo storico che la precede rievoca l'accoglienza riservata nel 1489 a Caterina Cornaro. | [Comune di Venezia](https://www.comune.venezia.it/it/content/regata-storica-venezia) | medium | 2099-12-31 |
| Venezia Tessera, normali 1991-2020: 762,3 mm di precipitazione annua, il valore piu' regolarmente distribuito fra le citta' considerate; massimo a maggio (80,2 mm), minimo a gennaio (40,2 mm). | [WMO Climatological Standard Normals 1991-2020 - serie trasmessa dall'Italia (stazioni del Servizio Meteorologico dell'Aeronautica Militare), archivio NOAA NCEI accession 0253808](https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/6.6/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Italy/CSV/Venezia_Tessera_16105.csv) | medium | 2032-12-31 |
| Venezia: normali climatiche 1991-2020 della stazione Venezia Tessera (aeroporto Marco Polo) (2 m s.l.m.). Temperatura media annua 13.9 °C; mese piu' freddo gen (3.7 °C di media), mese piu' caldo lug (24.4 °C di media). | [WMO Climatological Standard Normals 1991-2020 - serie trasmessa dall'Italia (stazioni del Servizio Meteorologico dell'Aeronautica Militare), archivio NOAA NCEI accession 0253808](https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/6.6/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Italy/CSV/Venezia_Tessera_16105.csv); [ISPRA - Sezione Climatologia Operativa, applicazione 'Valori climatici normali'](https://valori-climatici-normali.isprambiente.it/) | high | 2032-12-31 |
| L'Arena di Verona Opera Festival, prodotto dalla Fondazione Arena di Verona, occupa l'estate veronese da giugno a inizio settembre: l'edizione 2027, la 104a, e' in programma dal 12 giugno all'11 settembre 2027 secondo la pagina ufficiale; la serata inaugurale dell'11 giugno e' riportata solo dalla stampa. | [Fondazione Arena di Verona](https://www.arena.it/en/prossime-stagioni/) | medium | 2027-09-30 |
| La Valle dei Templi apre tutti i giorni dalle 8:30 alle 20:00 con ultimo ingresso alle 19:00; dal 20 giugno al 20 settembre 2026 l'orario si allunga fino alle 23:00 nei feriali (ultimo ingresso 22:00) e fino a mezzanotte nei festivi (ultimo ingresso 23:00). Nella prima domenica del mese l'ingresso e' gratuito fino alle 19:00, mentre dalle 20:00 torna a pagamento. | [Parco archeologico e paesaggistico della Valle dei Templi](https://www.parcovalledeitempli.it/orari/); [CoopCulture (concessionario)](https://www.coopculture.it/it/poi/parco-archeologico-e-paesaggistico-della-valle-dei-templi/) | medium | 2027-06-30 |
| Napoli: normali climatiche 1991-2020 della stazione Napoli Capodichino (90 m s.l.m.). Temperatura media annua 17.1 °C; mese piu' freddo gen (9.2 °C di media), mese piu' caldo ago (26.2 °C di media). | [WMO Climatological Standard Normals 1991-2020 - serie trasmessa dall'Italia (stazioni del Servizio Meteorologico dell'Aeronautica Militare), archivio NOAA NCEI accession 0253808](https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/6.6/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Italy/CSV/Napoli_Capodichino_16289.csv); [ISPRA - Sezione Climatologia Operativa, applicazione 'Valori climatici normali'](https://valori-climatici-normali.isprambiente.it/) | high | 2032-12-31 |
| Le festivita' civili nazionali italiane sono fissate dalla legge 260/1949 e successive modifiche e comprendono, oltre alle domeniche: 1 e 6 gennaio, 25 aprile, lunedi' dopo Pasqua, 1 maggio, 2 giugno, 15 agosto, 1 novembre, 8 dicembre, 25 e 26 dicembre. | [Camera dei Deputati](https://www.camera.it/leg17/561?appro=app_festivita_norme) | medium | 2029-12-31 |

## Other languages

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