{"id":3398,"date":"2014-08-01T08:38:22","date_gmt":"2014-08-01T06:38:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rickzullo.com\/?p=3398"},"modified":"2021-09-11T23:22:01","modified_gmt":"2021-09-11T21:22:01","slug":"ferragosto-in-rome","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rickzullo.com\/ferragosto-in-rome\/","title":{"rendered":"Ferragosto in Rome"},"content":{"rendered":"

This time around my fellow expats and I are scratching our collective heads, trying to make sense of the traditions related to Ferragosto in Rome, and indeed all over Italy.\u00a0 For anyone who isn\u2019t familiar with the phenomenon, it\u2019s a five-week long summer holiday, where everyone pretty much says \u201cVaffanculo\u201d<\/em> to career obligations and heads out of town.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t know about you, but I\u2019m intrigued by this concept of a nation-wide stoppage of work for an entire month every year.\u00a0 It strikes me as just a tad counterproductive for a country that\u2019s trying to crawl its way out of a deep recession. \u00a0But\u2014I suppose it\u2019s consistent with the Mediterranean philosophy of making time to relax and enjoy life regardless of present circumstances. Fortunes always change. The economy wavers up and down, the politicians come and go (except Berlusconi; he\u2019ll never go away), and so quality time with family and friends are what makes the struggle worthwhile.<\/p>\n

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Ferragosto in Rome<\/h2>\n

The weeks surrounding Ferragosto in Rome (officially just August 15th) can be a bit surreal.\u00a0 The whole town is deserted, as most residents have fled to either the sunny beaches, or the cooler air in the mountains. In the city center, it\u2019s liked you\u2019ve accidentally wandered onto the set of a Fellini film\u2014a strange sort of dream that is at once alluring and unsettling. Shops are closed, restaurants are empty, and you\u2019re left wondering if you\u2019ve missed some important news bulletin imploring you to evacuate the metropolitan area.<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s what I love about it\u2014summer has a special ambiance in Rome. Everyone is a little happier, a little less rushed. These particular seasonal conditions\u00a0provide abundant\u00a0fodder for our fantasies: the two-hour lunch in the sunlit piazza, the chilled bottle of Frascati wine, folks wearing white linen clothes and big black sunglasses. Forget the anxiety-ridden mood of Fellini\u2019s \u201cLa Dolce Vita,\u201d this is \u201cRoman Holiday,\u201d and you could be forgiven for hopping on a Vespa and buzzing care-free through the uncongested streets ala <\/em>Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck.<\/p>\n

\"roman<\/a><\/p>\n

For someone visiting Rome from mid-July to the end of August, this can either be a good or bad thing. It\u2019s good because the city will seem much less crowded and hotel prices might even be a bit lower. On the other hand, you may find that many businesses are closed, which can be frustrating.\u00a0 However, in the historical center of Rome, all of the museums and tourist attractions (and many of the restaurants) will maintain their normal hours (in theory). I would tell you to double check their websites, but doing so would only marginally guarantee the information gathered. You just have to hope for the best.<\/p>\n