Ferragosto, or August 15, is the peak of summer vacation season in Italy and a revered public holiday.
But the slower summer mood is hardly confined to Ferragosto itself. Throughout all of August, much of Italy grinds to a halt. Offices in both the public and private sector shutter, with many workers put on mandatory vacation (not necessarily as great as it sounds — but that’s an article for another day). Dentists, plumbers and mechanics go on family furloughs, and hospitals operate on a skeleton crew. Office workers generally don’t bother with setting up automated email responders; it’s understood that they’re off duty. Public transport can be…sporadic, to put it nicely.
Residents clear out of popular cities like Rome, Milan and Florence, leaving travelers behind, with some wondering where all the Italians have gone. (The beach is a safe bet.)
Ferragosto origins: the basics
Ferragosto runs a bit deeper than a day at the beach, though. The holiday has its roots in the Feriae Augusti under Roman Emperor Julius Caesar Augustus (27 BCE to 14 CE), who proclaimed August 1 a day off for agricultural workers after the strains of the harvest season. Centuries later, the Catholic church moved its observance to August 15, the Assumption (the day the Virgin Mary is said to have been received into heaven).
Then in the 20th century, in his quest to solidify a national Italian identity, Benito Mussolini re-cast the holiday — in part as a callback to the glory days of Rome. Il Duce and his fascist regime promoted discounts on trains, themed trips and propagandist exhibitions that helped create the link between travels to the seaside and Ferragosto that we see today.
Today, the crowds and costs that come with spending Ferragosto beach-side can be a lot to handle (just like the history and the temperatures). Here are some alternative ideas for how to enjoy this unique time of year in Italy.
(Note: We couldn’t catalog every outdoor screening, open museum or niche food festival around the Boot, but if you use these categories as a starting point, you’re sure to find a sand-and-swimsuit-free way to enjoy peak summer. Local listings in Italian newspapers and brochures at the lone bar open in a half-mile radius of your hotel are other reliably great places to look.)
1: Duck into a museum
Know what many Italian museums offer (besides the, ahem, rich cultural experience)? Air conditioning!
This year (and most years, pending confirmation by the Ministry of Culture), all state-run museums, galleries, archaeological parks, cultural sites, castles, villas, religious complexes and gardens are open on August 15. They keep regular Sunday and holiday hours and maintain their usual ticket prices.
Among the “cooler” attractions accepting visitors on Thursday are the Royal Palace of Caserta, the Blue Grotto on Capri, the National Gallery of Bologna, the Pantheon in Rome, Villa d’Este in Tivoli, the Brea Art Gallery in Milan and the Uffizi in Florence – plus a slew of others. For a complete list of state-run museums, parks and landmarks open on August 15, see the Ministry of Culture website.
2: Take in an outdoor concert, film or play
There’s nothing quite like kicking back in a breezy piazza, on a grassy knoll, or inside an airy amphitheater after the sun goes down. Many towns and cities host outdoor concerts and plays, open-air film screenings and more throughout the month of August. Below are some favorites.
- Take in arias under the stars at the Arena di Verona Opera Festival. For 2024, Ferragosto week includes productions of Puccini’s Tosca, Bizet’s Carmen and Verdi’s Aida 1913. The festival runs to the end of August, and also includes ballet and concerts.
- Florence’s Villa Bardini hosts film screenings every night in August, including during Ferragosto week, on its spectacular Terrazza Belvedere overlooking the city. Families with children get free entry on Wednesdays. View the full program here.
- The Bartolomeo Bruni Symphonic Orchestra of Cuneo offers an annual outdoor concert on Ferragosto with a panorama spanning the western Piedmont Alps. This year’s program features the music of John Williams, the composer best known for scoring blockbusters including the Star Wars and Indiana Jones films.
3: Embrace quirky events and palio pageantry
Throughout August, Italy teems with colorful and quirky costumed events, many of which have pagan origins, religious symbolisms or long-lost local history attached. Below are just a few examples.
- The second round of Siena’s Palio, the famous medieval bareback horse race, is held each year on August 16 before thousands of cheering onlookers (the first takes place on July 2). The Palio pits the city’s contrade (districts) against one another as they jockey around the shell-shaped Piazza del Campo, competing for the silk Drappellone (banner). Days of pageantry and buildup precede the 90-second sprint.
- In Cappelle Sul Tavo near Pescara (in Abruzzo), the Palio delle Pupe happens on the evening of Ferragosto. Papier-mâché puppets are placed on floats with humans hidden inside, who make the life-size dolls move and dance and carry along flares and firecrackers. When set off, the blasts create quite a scene. A jury declares the best pyrotechnic puppet from the entries of each of the town’s contrade.
- The Festa dei Candelieri in Sassari (Sardinia) dates back to the 13th century. On August 14 and 15,, teams compete in a race that involves carrying 11 massive wooden candles on members’ shoulders through the streets and up to the Santa Maria of Betlem church.
4: Eat your way through sagre (food festivals)
Sagre (food festivals) are highly local affairs, often dedicated to highly specific dishes or ingredients, that usually run for several weeks and often include live music or other entertainment. Countless sagre take place all over Italy throughout the year, but August is a great time to indulge — because really, what else have you got going on? A few picks:
- What’s more summery than a watermelon? The Sagra dell’Anguria (Watermelon Festival) in Bure, in the province of Verona, is a favorite with families and runs through August 19 this year.
- If you can’t abide baking on the beach but still want to enjoy seafood, look south to Campania, where several blue fish festivals (Sagra/e del Pesce Azzurro) take place in the province of Salerno; Atrani’s (August 15 to 21) and Camerota’s (all month) are particularly worth noting.
- If you’re extra committed to staying away from the coast, head to the tiny enclave of Castel Viscardo in landlocked Umbria, where small winemakers sell their vintages using blowpipes to tap the wine from the barrels. The Sagra della Cannelletta is dedicated to this traditional custom. The 2024 event runs through August 19 in Piazza IV Novembre; on the menu are porchetta sandwiches and deep-fried sweets.
August in Italy as a beach-averse traveler can be daunting, but with a little strategy and flexibility (and a lot of hydration), you’re sure to enjoy yourself.
