Ferragosto - The INFAMOUS Italian SUMMER Holiday
“Buon Ferragosto”
It is no secret that Italy shuts down for a few weeks in August. Unless you’re going to the Italian seaside or mountains, you’ll find the major cities just filled with tourists and very few locals. Welcome to Ferragosto!
An Italian public holiday, the vacation was instituted in 18 BC by Emperor Augustus and is one of the few ancient traditions still celebrated today! Originally celebrated on August 1st, the holiday rewarded citizens a day of rest after months of work. It was customary for workers to wish their employers “Buon Ferragosto” while collecting a bonus to enjoy their day off. Eventually, the festivities advanced from August 1st to August 15th Although Italy eventually and rightly overturned Mussolini, the leader initially gained popularity by enacting policies such as the three day weekend of Ferragosto with reduced fare trains that ferried working class Italians to the seaside for summer holidays. Today, most companies still close for a few weeks in August. Ferragosto, the 2030 year long tradition, is not only a fun celebration of relaxation and personal life, but an integral part of Italian culture and history.
What are Locals up to?
You must be wondering: What do Italians do during their time off? August is THE hottest month in Italy. It almost becomes a necessity to travel outside of the cities. Most Italians resort to the countryside, different beaches, or even venture abroad. Italians have a mindset of a mandatory summer holiday. This time off allows each family to spend time relaxing with each other and close friends after months of hard work in warm temperatures. However, because Italians will not be in the city, most places outside tourist sectors will be closed and most people you run into will be visitors. If you plan to visit city centers during the month of August, expect an increase of tourists and many stores to be closed. We recommend visiting a beach during this time and enjoying the coasts of Italy!
How You can celebrate wherever you are!
Ferragosto is ALL about taking a moment to enjoy life outside of work, whether it is booking a short getaway to explore a new destination or simply closing your laptop for a few days and spending time with family and friends by a pool, the beach or around a Bar-b-que. We encourage you to spend time decompressing from the crazy pace of work-life and just BE , even if you can only do that for a weekend! Take that trip to the beach, go for a hike or just turn OFF your email notifications for a moment. THAT is the best way to celebrate!
The best time to experience Italy
In light of the Italian holiday, Sieme will be taking a bit of a breather the first two weeks in August. Our founder, Cassandra, will be traveling to Trapani, a beautiful city on the western coast of Sicily. During this time, you may not be seeing as much activity on our social media accounts and emails! We encourage you to spend time with family and close friends during this period as well, enjoying the best of the summer season wherever you are!
We have big plans when we return!
During our time off, we are making sure we are COMPLETELY ready for our Fall 22 Trunk Show with Knit Wit! Expect to see us in Margate, New Jersey from the 19th-21st of August! We are so excited for you to shop with us and experience Sieme bags in person! In the meantime, shop the final pieces of our summer collection online before everything is sold out!
How are you planning on spending Ferragosto? Let us know in the comments Below!
