Diwali 2026 in Italy: Lakshmi Puja Muhurat City by City, Dhanteras Timings and Hindu Temples

Quick answer

Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) 2026 in Italy is on Sunday 8 November. In Rome, the Lakshmi Puja muhurat is 5:15 PM – 7:02 PM, and in Milan it is 5:18 PM – 7:02 PM (Italian standard time). Dhanteras is Friday 6 November 2026.

Editor's note: This guide was last checked on 10 October 2026. The local times were calculated by HinduTone using the Drik Panchang method (Pradosh Kaal with the Vrishabha lagna) and checked against Drik Panchang for major world cities to within one to two minutes. They were worked out for each Italian city separately, not converted from India's times. Italy's summer time ends on 25 October 2026, so all times are standard time (CET). We include event details only when the organiser has announced them on its own pages. Please confirm the exact puja time with your temple or priest.

Italy is unusual in Europe: Dipavali has a place in Italian law. Since Law 246 of 2012, which approved the intesa (agreement) between the Italian State and the Unione Induista Italiana, Hindus who belong to organisations represented by the UII have had a legal basis to ask to observe the festival. Every year, Rome is told the date of the festival of lights. This guide is for families from Milan and Brescia to Rome, Latina, Bologna, Turin and the Veneto who want to get the evening right.

Diwali 2026 in Italy: the five days

In India's calendar, Amavasya tithi runs from 11:27 AM IST on Sunday 8 November to 12:31 PM IST on Monday 9 November. These are Indian times, so don't convert them. In every Italian city Lakshmi Puja is on the evening of Sunday 8 November. Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj fall on Tuesday 10 and Wednesday 11 November in India; temples in Italy may announce their own day.

For the stories behind each day, including Rama's return to Ayodhya, Krishna's victory over Narakasura, Lakshmi emerging from the churning of the ocean, and Vamana and King Bali, see our 5 days of Diwali explainer. Jain families mark Mahavira's nirvana on Diwali night, and Sikh families mark Bandi Chhor Divas.

Lakshmi Puja muhurat 2026, city by city

All times below are Italian standard time (CET, UTC+1) for Sunday 8 and Friday 6 November 2026. They were calculated by HinduTone using the Drik Panchang method (Pradosh Kaal with the Vrishabha lagna), checked against Drik Panchang for major world cities to within one to two minutes. Please confirm with your temple.

Italy has a single time zone, but it stretches a long way east to west. Venice has the earliest sunset of the five cities on 8 November (4:49 PM), so its window is the earliest: 5:06 PM – 6:50 PM. Turin, in the far west, sees the sun set at 5:08 PM and has the latest window, 5:25 PM – 7:10 PM. Rome (sunset 4:56 PM) and Bologna (sunset 4:55 PM) sit in between. In a smaller town, use the nearest city in the table.

Pradosh Kaal and Vrishabha lagna in plain words

Pradosh Kaal is the period that starts at sunset and lasts about two hours and forty-eight minutes. Lakshmi is traditionally welcomed in the early evening, as daylight fades and the lamps are lit. In Milan it runs from 5:01 PM to 7:51 PM on 8 November.

Vrishabha lagna is the stretch of time when the sign Taurus (Vrishabha) is rising on the eastern horizon. It is a 'fixed' (sthir) sign, so Lakshmi Puja done then is said to help prosperity stay in the home. The Lakshmi Puja window in the table is where this lagna overlaps Pradosh Kaal. If you cannot make the window, any time in Pradosh Kaal is still the right evening.

Dhanteras works the same way on Friday 6 November. In Rome, for example, it is 5:22 PM – 7:10 PM, within the Pradosh Kaal of 4:58 PM – 7:44 PM. For the full list of European cities, see our Lakshmi Puja muhurat for Europe, city-wise.

The Hindu community in Italy

Italy's Hindu life has two strands that meet at Diwali. One is the Indian and wider South Asian community, families with roots in many different states and languages, living in big cities as well as in small industrial and farming towns. The other is Italian Hindus and Krishna devotees, whose ashrams and ISKCON centres go back decades; ISKCON Rome, for example, has been active since 1974. The Unione Induista Italiana (UII) represents Hindu organisations in dealings with the state.

Official statistics show that the community is still growing. ISTAT's report on non-EU citizens in Italy in 2024 found that India and Morocco were the top two countries for new work permits that year, with 8,558 issued to Indian citizens. India was also among the top five countries for study permits, with 1,031 in 2024. So a lot of Diwali households in Italy are new: young workers and students celebrating their first or second Diwali away from home, alongside families who have been here for a generation and now have Italian-born children.

Law 246/2012 is what makes Italy different. Article 25 of the intesa (full text) states that the Republic recognises the right of members of organisations represented by the UII to observe the Hindu festival of Dipavali on request. This right is exercised within flexible work arrangements, and essential services still take priority. By 15 January each year, the UII tells the Ministry of the Interior the date, and the Ministry has it published in the Gazzetta Ufficiale. Prefectures can then circulate it locally; for example, thePrefettura di Cremona circulated the 2025 date. For 2026, the UII's own Dipavali event page gives 8 November 2026.

Where to celebrate: temples and community organisations

Below are Hindu temples and organisations whose own pages, or a recognised directory, confirm that they are active in or near each city. We list the name and area only; check their websites or social pages for opening hours and festival plans. Temples and community associations usually announce Diwali programmes from mid-October, so check their websites and social pages.

In past years, the Unione Induista Italiana has held Diwali celebrations in several cities. In 2025 these included Milan, Turin and Rome, with dance, music, puja and workshops. Its earlier Dipavali events included a gathering at the Consulate General of India in Milan and a festival of lights at Turin's Borgo Medievale. The UII says that 2026 city programmes will be announced; check before you go.

Milan and Lombardy

Lombardy's Indian-origin families live not only in Milan but across the province towns, from Brescia and Bergamo to Cremona and Mantua. For many of them, Diwali means a puja at home on the night, then a community gathering at the weekend.

• BAPS Shri Swaminarayan centre — Milan. BAPS lists Milan among its European centres. These usually hold Diwali and Annakut gatherings for Gujarati and other devotees.
• Unione Induista Italiana — Milan. In 2024 Milan's city executive proposed adding a UII-owned building to the city's plan for religious facilities, subject to city council approval. The UII has held Diwali events in Milan in past years.

Rome and Lazio

Rome is home to the UII's legal seat and the Embassy of India, and ISKCON News records that ISKCON's first Italian temple opened in Rome. Families in Latina and the rest of Lazio often hold the puja at home and travel into the city for community events at the weekend.

• ISKCON Rome – Hare Krishna Centre — central Rome. Active since 1974, with weekly kirtan, lectures and prasadam. Diwali and Govardhan Puja are major festivals in the ISKCON calendar.
• Unione Induista Italiana — Rome (legal seat). It has held Diwali celebrations in Rome in past years and announces new ones on its site.

Bologna and Emilia-Romagna

Emilia-Romagna's Hindu families are spread along the Via Emilia from Piacenza and Reggio Emilia to Modena and Bologna, and Bologna's university attracts students from India too. Bologna's window (5:13 PM – 6:58 PM) works for nearby towns, give or take a few minutes.

• ISKCON Bologna – Vaikuntha Cultural Center — Bologna. Listed in ISKCON's official directory, with a weekly evening programme of kirtan, a talk and prasadam.

Turin and Piedmont

Turin has the latest Lakshmi Puja window of these cities (5:25 PM – 7:10 PM) because it lies furthest west. The city's Hindu community is smaller than Milan's, but the UII has held Diwali celebrations here in recent years.

• ISKCON Turin — near the city centre. ISKCON News reported the opening of its new temple in November 2017. Check its current details before visiting.

Venice and the Veneto

Venice has the earliest window of the five cities (5:06 PM – 6:50 PM). Most Hindu families in the Veneto live inland, around Vicenza, Padua, Verona and Treviso, rather than in the historic centre.

• Prabhupada Desh (ISKCON) — Albettone, province of Vicenza. ISKCON's directory describes it as a villa with gardens that serves the whole Veneto, and ISKCON News notes that its deities, Sri Sri Gaura Nitai, have been there since 1992. It holds festivals and gatherings.

Celebrating at home in Italy

For most families the main Lakshmi Puja happens at home on Sunday evening, which is easier this year because 8 November is a Sunday. A short vidhi:

• Clean the home in the days before, and put a rangoli or a few diyas at the door.
• Before your city's window starts, set up a clean red or yellow cloth with Lakshmi and Ganesha (murtis or a picture), a kalash of water with mango or betel leaves, rice, kumkum, flowers, sweets, fruit and a few coins or notes.
• During the window, light the main lamp, pray to Ganesha first, then invoke Lakshmi with flowers, akshat and a simple mantra such as 'Om Shreem Mahalakshmyai Namah'.
• Offer naivedya, do aarti with the whole family, and keep one diya burning safely through the evening.

For the full step-by-step puja, see our Lakshmi Puja 2026 vidhi.

Diyas in Italian apartments. Most families in Italian cities live in a condominio, and many building rules (regolamento di condominio) limit open flames, decorations and items left on shared landings and stairwells. Keep oil diyas inside your own flat, on a metal tray, away from curtains and children. Never leave them unattended. LED diyas and string lights are a sensible choice for balconies and the front door. If you have a smoke alarm, never cover it; burn camphor near an open window. Tenants should check their contract before decorating balconies or shared areas.

Weather in early November. Expect autumn conditions: cool, damp evenings across the north, often with fog in the Po Valley around Milan, Bologna and Turin. Venice can have rain and high water in autumn. Rome is milder but often wet. The sun sets around five o'clock, so the puja window falls after dark. Diyas on an open balcony may blow out or get wet, so keep the main lamp indoors.

Food and decorations you can find locally

Indian and South Asian grocers are easy to find in Milan, Rome, Bologna, Turin and in towns across Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio and the Veneto. They stock flour, dal, ghee, spices, sweets, incense, kumkum, cotton wicks and clay diyas. Stock of diyas, rangoli colours and boxed mithai runs low in the last few days before Diwali, so shop the weekend before. Italian supermarkets have almonds, pistachios, ricotta and full-fat milk for kheer, barfi and peda, and tealights are easy to find in early November.

Diwali with children and second-generation families

Dhanteras on Friday 6 November is a normal school and working day, and some Italian schools also teach on Saturday mornings. Plan the Dhanteras puja for the evening; Rome's window, for example, opens at 5:22 PM. Lakshmi Puja on Sunday is easy for families. The week after, including Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj in India on 10 and 11 November, is a normal week.

If you are a member of an organisation represented by the UII, Article 25 of Law 246/2012 gives you a legal basis to ask your employer to observe Dipavali. It works through flexible working, not as an automatic day off, so talk to your employer early. You can point them to the officially published date.

A short talk or sweets for the class, with the teacher's agreement, helps classmates understand. Diwali is also a good time for heritage languages: say the prayers and tell the Ramayana story in the language your family speaks at home, whether that is Hindi, Punjabi, Gujarati, Tamil, Malayalam, Bengali, Telugu or Nepali. Let the children explain the festival in Italian to their friends.

Fireworks, safety and local rules

Firecrackers are part of Diwali in India, but Italy has clear national rules. The Polizia di Stato explains that consumer fireworks must carry the CE mark. F1 products (low risk, for indoor use) may not be sold to anyone under 14. F2 products (for outdoor use) may be sold only to adults over 18 who show valid ID. The national public-security law (art. 57 TULPS) bars setting off fireworks outdoors in or near inhabited places or along public roads unless the display is authorised. In practice, this rules out setting off rockets from a city balcony or courtyard.

Individual comuni can add their own restrictions on fireworks, sky lanterns and open flames, so check your comune's official guidance before you buy anything. The safest choice is diyas and electric lights at home, leaving fireworks to authorised displays.

Celebrating far from family

Many Diwali households in Italy are young workers and students on their own. Many big temples in India stream their aarti online; India's evening falls in the Italian afternoon, so you can watch live and still do your own puja at your local time. Light the lamps on a video call with family during your window, join an evening at your nearest ISKCON centre or community association, or give seva by donating to your temple or a local food bank during Diwali week.

Diwali checklist for Italy

• Note your city's Lakshmi Puja window for Sunday 8 November (Milan 5:18 PM – 7:02 PM, Rome 5:15 PM – 7:02 PM).
• Note the Dhanteras window for Friday 6 November and plan around work or school.
• If you belong to a UII-represented organisation, talk to your employer early about observing Dipavali.
• Buy diyas, wicks, ghee, kumkum and sweets the weekend before from an Indian grocer.
• Check your building's regolamento di condominio before decorating shared areas or balconies.
• Use LED lights outside and keep oil diyas inside, on a tray and supervised.
• Skip home fireworks and sky lanterns; check your comune's rules.
• Check the websites of your temple, ISKCON centre or the UII for 2026 programmes.
• Book a video call with family in India or elsewhere for Sunday evening.

Frequently asked questions

When is Diwali 2026 in Italy?

Lakshmi Puja is on the evening of Sunday 8 November 2026 in every Italian city. The Unione Induista Italiana also lists Dipavali on 8 November 2026. Dhanteras is Friday 6 November.

What is the Lakshmi Puja muhurat in Milan and Rome?

Milan 5:18 PM – 7:02 PM and Rome 5:15 PM – 7:02 PM on Sunday 8 November 2026, Italian standard time (CET). Bologna is 5:13 PM – 6:58 PM, Turin 5:25 PM – 7:10 PM and Venice 5:06 PM – 6:50 PM. These were calculated by HinduTone using the Drik Panchang method; confirm with your temple.

Is Diwali a public holiday in Italy?

No, it is not a national public holiday. Under Article 25 of Law 246/2012, members of organisations represented by the Unione Induista Italiana may ask to observe Dipavali, within flexible work arrangements and subject to essential services. In 2026 it falls on a Sunday anyway; Dhanteras (Friday 6 November) and Bhai Dooj in India (Wednesday 11 November) are normal working and school days.

Why is Turin's muhurat later than Venice's?

Italy uses one time zone, but the sun sets later the further west you are. Turin's sunset on 8 November is 5:08 PM and Venice's is 4:49 PM, so Turin's Lakshmi Puja window (5:25 PM – 7:10 PM) starts about 19 minutes after Venice's (5:06 PM – 6:50 PM). Always use your own city's time.

Can I just use India's Diwali muhurat in Italy?

No. Pradosh Kaal and the Vrishabha lagna depend on your local sunset and sky, so India's times shifted by the clock difference are wrong for Italy. Use the Italian city times on this page or your temple's calendar.

Can I light firecrackers for Diwali in Italy?

Be careful. The Polizia di Stato explains that consumer fireworks must carry the CE mark, that F2 (outdoor) fireworks are sold only to over-18s with ID, and that the national public-security law (art. 57 TULPS) bars setting off fireworks outdoors in or near inhabited places or on public roads unless authorised. Comuni can add their own rules. Diyas and electric lights are the safer choice in a city flat.

Related guides

• Diwali / Deepavali 2026: complete 5-day guide
• The 5 days of Diwali 2026 explained
• Lakshmi Puja 2026: date, muhurat and step-by-step vidhi
• Lakshmi Puja muhurat 2026 in Europe, city-wise
• Diwali 2026 in Switzerland, city by city
• Diwali 2026 in Spain, city by city
• November 2026 Hindu festivals in Europe

Celebrated Navratri in Italy this year? See also our Dussehra 2026 in Italy, city by city guide.

Sources

• Normattiva (Italian State legal database)
• Edizioni Europee
• Prefettura di Cremona (Ministero dell'Interno)
• Unione Induista Italiana (induismo.it)
• Unione Induista Italiana (induismo.it)
• Unione Induista Italiana (induismo.it)
• ISTAT
• ISKCON Centres directory
• ISKCON Centres directory
• ISKCON Centres directory
• ISKCON News
• ISKCON News
• BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, London
• LegnanoNews
• Polizia di Stato
• Muhurat: HinduTone calculation (Drik Panchang method)