March 20th is officially the first day of spring - but what does the new season typically bring to Italy? Expect to see delicious food at your local market, foreigners shedding layers of clothing while Italians merely reach for their sunglasses, and a healthy dose of quirky local festivals. Here are six tell-tale signs of an Italian spring.

1. The clothing: We're being deliberately vague here, because choice of springwear often depends on whether or not you're a native. Italians tend to dress for the season, not the weather, so late March means swapping black and navy for white and pastel hues, and shedding the winter coat, while holding off from raiding the summer wardrobe.