Halloween is increasingly popular in Italy, especially in larger cities and historic towns. Expect costume parties, ghost tours and some neighbourhood trick‑or‑treating, alongside long‑standing traditions around All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. See how Italians celebrate Halloween, how the season differs from the US and UK, and where to experience it.
How Italians celebrate Halloween
Over the years, Halloween has grown in Italy, while the following days—Ognissanti and Commemorazione dei Defunti—remain traditional celebrations.
Dolcetto o scherzetto = trick or treatOgnissanti = All Saints’ Day (1st November)Commemorazione dei Defunti/Il Giorno dei Morti = All Souls’ Day (2nd November).Costume parties and parades
In Rome, Milan and Florence, clubs, bars and cultural spaces host themed nights and occasional parades. Families will also find school or community events.
Trick-or-Treating
Trick‑or‑treating is less widespread than in the UK or the US, but it is growing in urban neighbourhoods and organised communities. Look for school notices, go early evening, and respect apartment quiet hours.
A simple ‘dolcetto o scherzetto?’ is the go‑to phrase.
Haunted tours and ghost stories
Italy’s rich history and abundance of medieval towns make it a perfect destination for ghost tours and visiting some of Italy’s most haunted places. Cities such as Venice, Rome, and Bologna host spine-chilling tours of ancient catacombs, haunted castles, and after-hours museum visits. These ghost walks are particularly popular during Halloween, drawing both locals and tourists intrigued by the darker side of Italy’s past.
Pumpkin festivals and Autumn markets
Italy’s love for food is woven into every celebration, and Halloween is no exception. You’ll find lots of heaps of events and festivals in Italy during October. Markets and Italian food festivals, called sagre, highlight pumpkins, chestnuts, mushrooms and regional dishes. Pumpkin carving is growing, particularly in northern regions like Lombardy and Veneto, but remains less common than in the US.
Seasonal sweets and food traditions
In Lombardy, pan dei morti — a spiced, biscuit‑like cake with dried fruit and nuts — appears in bakeries as the weather turns. Across the centre and north, you’ll spot almond biscuits called fave dei morti.
In Sicily, children often receive sweets or small gifts “from the dead”, and seasonal treats like ossa di morto, marzipan frutta martorana, and sugar figures known as pupi di zucchero fill pastry windows.
In Sardinia, older customs such as Is Animeddas or Su Mortu Mortu see children go door‑to‑door collecting offerings in memory of departed souls. Tuscany bakes its own festive breads — pan co’ santi and schiacciata dei santi— packed with raisins, walnuts and spices.
In Campania, pastry shops offer up soft chocolate torrone dei morti, while in Apulia, families prepare colva, a comforting bowl of boiled wheat with pomegranate, walnuts and vincotto.
Halloween vs. traditional Italian celebrations
Halloween sits alongside Italy’s older autumn traditions rather than replacing them. The main date on the calendar is 1st November, Ognissanti (All Saints’ Day), which is a national public holiday in Italy. Many people attend mass, visit cemeteries and tidy family graves, often laying chrysanthemums.
On 2nd November, Commemorazione dei Defunti or Il Giorno dei Morti (All Souls’ Day) brings a more intimate tone. It isn’t a public holiday, but it’s widely marked with visits, candles and food traditions that vary by region.
Top places to experience Halloween in Italy
If you’re visiting Italy during Halloween, you’re spoiled for places to explore.
Borgo a Mozzano, Tuscany
With the Devil’s Bridge as its moody backdrop, the town boasts a great Halloween atmosphere with theatrical performances, haunted walks and costumed parades. It’s one of the country’s better‑known spooky gatherings, drawing big crowds to the Serchio Valley.
Triora, Liguria
Nicknamed the “Town of Witches” for its 16th‑century trials, Triora pairs narrow lanes and stone houses with ghost stories, museum exhibits and folklore events. The setting does a lot of the work, and the witchy theme runs year‑round with extra buzz in late October.
Venice
Misty canals, dim alleyways and centuries of legends make Venice a natural stage for ghost tours and after‑dark tales. Operators ramp up late‑October walks through quiet sestieri and around old palazzi, with plenty of spine‑tingling lore tied to the lagoon.
Corinaldo, Marche
The medieval centre turns into a theatrical playground for the Festa delle Streghe, the Night of the Witches, with street performers, eerie set‑pieces and a playful witch motif. The festival has become a regional favourite, using the town’s walls and stairways to full effect.
Orsara di Puglia, Apulia
On the night of 1st November, Fucacoste e Cocce Priatorje, Feast of the Dead, lights up streets and courtyards with bonfires and carved turnips or pumpkins. Families keep vigil for the departed, blending remembrance with a striking visual tradition that runs into All Souls’ Day.
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