Mar 29, 2026, 2:00 am
| Country: | Italy |
|---|---|
| Long Name: | Italian Republic |
| Abbreviations: | IT, ITA |
| Capital: | Rome |
| Time Zones: | 1 |
| Dial Code: | +39 |
DST Observed All Year in Year 1941
Italy observed Daylight Saving Time all year.
When Does DST Start and End in Italy?
Italy's DST period starts on the last Sunday of March and ends on the last Sunday of October, together with most other European countries.
One of the First Countries to Use DST
In April 1916, Germany became the first country to observe Daylight Saving Time (DST). Just months after that, Italy followed suit. The country's first DST period began on June 4 of the same year.
After Italy had abolished DST in 1921, the dictator Benito Mussolini revived the measure in 1940, when the country observed all-year DST until November 2, 1942. From 1943 to 1948, the DST schedule was back on track, starting around March or April and ending either in September or October, depending on the year. There was no DST in Italy from 1948 to 1966, when it was reintroduced.
In 1996, Italy adopted the EU’s DST schedule, which the country still follows today.
Daylight Saving Time History in Italy
- Italy first observed Daylight Saving Time in 1916.
- Italy has observed DST for 74 years between 1916 and 2025.
- Previous time with no Daylight Saving Time was 1965.
- See Worldwide DST Statistics