If you spend any time in Italy in summer, you’ll quickly hear one word over and over again: Ferragosto. It’s the 15 August holiday that shapes the entire month, and in many places it feels as though the country collectively downs tools and heads for the coast.
Ferragosto in Italy is part religious feast, part ancient Roman legacy, and part modern summer escape. For anyone living here or planning a visit, understanding what happens on 15 August — and how long it really lasts — makes life a lot easier.
