Highlight of national celebrations is Frecce Tricolori aeronautical display in Rome.

The 70th celebration of the Festa della Repubblica marking Italy’s national day takes place in Rome and across Italy on Thursday 2 June.

The public holiday is held in commemoration of the day in 1946 when Italians voted in favour of a republic and against the monarchy which had been discredited during world war two.

The annual event results in the closure of schools and offices in Italy, and due to it falling on a Thursday this year many Italians will take Friday off to make a long weekend, or ponte as it is known in Italian.

Ceremonies in Rome begin on 1 June, the day before the main event, with the solemn changing of the guard at the Quirinale palace at 15.30.

The day itself commences at 09.15 when President Mattarella lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Piazza Venezia, followed by a major military parade comprising thousands of members of the state’s army, navy, police forces and the foresty corp, as well as 400 mayors from across Italy, along Via dei Fori Imperiali from 10.00-11.00.

A highlight of the parade is the Frecce Tricolori, a popular aeronautical display featuring a series of fighter jets flying in formation over the Colosseum, emitting plumes of the three colours from the Italian flag.

Another highlight on 2 June is the opening of the Quirinale gardens, free of charge, from 15.00-19.00.

On the day of the parade, several steets in the vicinity of the Colosseum and Campidoglio will be closed, with traffic diversions beginning from 04.00, as well as the likely closure of the Metro Colosseo station.

For full event details see the Festa della Repubblica website while for more on the transport situation see the Muoversi a Roma website.