October in Rome can be so pleasant weather-wise, with the likelihood of sunny days and warm temperatures, that the Romans have a name for it: ottobrata romana. Originally, with the phrase ‘ottobrate romane’, people referred to the Sunday trips out to the countryside surrounding Rome that the Romans used to go on until the first decades of the 20^thcentury.

These day trips took place during the time of the vendemmia (grape harvest) and often turned into celebrations linked to it. People dressed up, hopped on small carts and headed to the countryside, where they would find music, games, and lots of food and wine. The Ottobrate seem to descend from the Bacchanalia and Dionysia feasts of the ancient Romans, which were related to the cycle of the seasons.