FERRAGOSTO....An Italian Tradition

Italy marks the national holiday of Ferragosto each year on August 15th, the feast of the Assumption, the day when Catholics believe the Virgin Mary ascended to heaven, body and soul, at the end of her earthly life.

The origins of Italy's Ferragosto, however, date back to Roman times, with the Feriae Augusti introduced as a period of rest by Emperor Augustus in 18 BC. However, it wasn’t until the 1920s that Ferragosto became a national holiday, when Mussolini introduced ‘The People’s Trains of Ferragosto’. This populist scheme offered special travel discounts for workers to leave the city and travel to mountain and seaside resorts, or to other Italian cities. Workers would bring packed lunches, since food wasn’t included in the scheme, and thus was borne a Ferragosto tradition.

Ferragosto is traditionally devoted to out-of-town trips, barbecues (we call them "grigliata"), and picnic. It Is very common to spend the day off by the pool, sea, or lake. Also popular are mountain destinations since the first part of August is the hottest season of the year in Italy.

When I was younger and my family spent August in Italy, Ferragosto meant that much of the country closed up shop for several weeks however this is no longer the case.

Many Italians can not afford to take long holidays, opting for shorter breaks instead, and many businesses can not afford to shut down for such extended periods of time. 

This situation has been compounded in recent years by increased costs of living and the economic fallout from the covid pandemic.

What to Expect

As a general rule of thumb, most places in Italy either get very busy or very empty.

Typically, most Italians take their holidays around Ferragosto, so towns and cities tend to be much quieter than usual. But while you may find fewer crowds, it definitely doesn’t mean the whole country ‘shuts up shop’.

You may find yourself confronted with a few ‘chiuso per ferie’ (closed for holidays) signs in smaller towns and cities but many cultural institutions stay open. So, if you’re visiting Florence, Ferragosto could be your perfect opportunity to explore the Uffizi or Palazzo Pitti. 

And, if you’re staying by the beach, lakes or mountains over Ferragosto weekend, make way for some visitors! 

Celebrate like an Italian

Ferragosto is a frenzied celebration of the summer and one of the most exciting dates in the Italian calendar. All across the country, hundreds of celebrations take place over Ferragosto – from religious processions and ancient palios, to beach parties and food festivals. 

If you happen to find yourself in Italy this August, Ferragosto celebrations are sure to be in full force. Fireworks and very crowded beaches, the sentiment will be as important as ever; an opportunity to get together to celebrate, reflect and breathe a collective sigh of relief. 

Buon Ferragosto!