It’s a jubilee year in Italy. Cue the crowds.
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. This may be the year to skip Rome—or Italy entirely. The Roman Catholic Church is celebrating a jubilee year, a roughly yearlong tradition dating to the early 14th century.
During jubilees, which tend to happen about every 25 years, Catholics are encouraged to make pilgrimages to holy sites in Italy and elsewhere to receive a special indulgence, or forgiveness for one’s sins. Over 500,000 people have passed through the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican since Christmas Eve, with more than 30 million people expected to make a religious journey to Rome this year.
Travel advisers predict that as the jubilee continues, those traveling for it are likely to visit other Italian destinations. Italy was already grappling with the consequences of overtourism. For travelers intent on still making the trip, it’s wise to avoid certain cities or times of the year when big events are happening.
Other vacationers, like Santiago Mussfeldt, are choosing to go elsewhere. Mussfeldt is orchestrating a big getaway to celebrate his 50th birthday in July with his wife and two sons. Their original plan was to cross Italy, taking in famous artworks and the country’s renowned cuisine.
When they realized the trip would coincide with the jubilee, they pivoted. They are now mapping out a trip to Spain and the south of France instead. “It’s like the Y2K of travel," says Mussfeldt, who owns an advertising agency in Miami.
“Everybody’s scared of this thing, but in the end it may be like any other year." The last jubilee, an extraordinary one, occurred between 2015 and 2016. This year’s jubilee began on Christmas Eve and will last into the first week of 2026. The jubilee crowds won’t necessarily be evenly
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