What are the origins of the Ferragosto summer season vacation?
Italy marks the nationwide vacation of Ferragosto every year on 15 August, the feast of the Assumption, the day when Catholics consider the Virgin Mary ascended to heaven, physique and soul, on the finish of her earthly life.
The origins of Italy’s Ferragosto, nonetheless, date again to Roman instances, with the Feriae Augusti launched as a interval of relaxation by Emperor Augustus in 18 BC.
In modern-day Italy, Ferragosto usually means an exodus of Italians in addition to the closure of public places of work and family-run companies, eating places, bars and retailers, though bigger supermarkets are inclined to open for a half day on 15 August.
Prior to now, Ferragosto meant that a lot of the nation closed up store for a number of weeks nonetheless that is now not the case. Many Italians can’t afford to take lengthy holidays and plenty of companies can’t afford to close down.
This case has been compounded by elevated prices of residing and the financial fallout from the covid pandemic. As well as August is a busy month for these working in Italy’s tourism and hospitality sectors.
Historically many Rome residents escape the Ferragosto warmth by heading to the seashore or the mountains, usually becoming a member of their relations in household vacation properties.
These left behind can benefit from the capital’s peaceable streets and parks, the traffic-free roads and the easy pleasure of discovering a parking place with ease.
Aside from the Vatican Museums, Rome’s museums and archaeological websites normally keep open on 15 August, and town’s public transport community usually operates based on a diminished “festivi” timetable.
For these excited by cooking the standard Ferragosto meal of Pollo alla Romana, right here is our recipe.
Photograph credit score: leonori / Shutterstock.com.
