As the summer heat subsides and the first diaries and notebooks appear on the shelves of bookstores and large supermarkets, it’s clear that summer is drawing to a close. For students in Rome and throughout Lazio, the date for returning to school has now been officially set by the regional government. The new 2026–2027 school year will begin on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, for most students, while the final bell will ring on Tuesday, June 8, 2027. The calendar includes several school breaks and days marked with an X for rest.
When does school start in Rome?
Unlike other regions that stagger the start dates, in Lazio the return to school is set for a single date. In elementary, middle, and high schools, classes begin on Tuesday, September 15, 2026 (except for earlier start dates decided independently by individual schools, such as Monday, September 14, at the Giulio Cesare School).
Preschools will also begin on September 15, but they will extend their educational activities by nearly a month, closing their doors on Wednesday, June 30, 2027.
Christmas and Easter
The first extended break for Roman students will come at the end of the year. Christmas break will officially begin on Wednesday, December 23, 2026. School gates will reopen on Thursday, January 7, 2027, immediately following the traditional Epiphany (January 6), ensuring a full two consecutive weeks off.
There will be another major break in the spring. The Easter break for schools in Rome will last six consecutive days: from Thursday, March 25, through Tuesday, March 30, 2027, inclusive ( Easter Sunday falls on March 28). Students will return to school on Wednesday, March 31.
School Holidays and Long Weekends
During the school year, students can count on the usual national holidays and celebrations specific to the city of Rome. Although some holidays fall on weekends, the year offers some interesting opportunities.
- Sunday, November 1, 2026: All Saints’ Day
- Tuesday, December 8, 2026: Feast of the Immaculate Conception (which gives individual schools the option to schedule a long weekend starting Monday, December 7)
- Friday, December 25, and Saturday, December 26, 2026: Christmas and Boxing Day
- Friday, January 1, 2027: New Year’s Day
- Wednesday, January 6, 2027: Epiphany
- Sunday, March 28, and Monday, March 29, 2027: Easter and Easter Monday
- Sunday, April 25, 2027: Liberation Day
- Saturday, May 1, 2027: Labor Day
- Wednesday, June 2, 2027: Republic Day
- Tuesday, June 29, 2027: Saints Peter and Paul; school buildings will remain closed for preschoolers whose school year ends on June 30
