Looking for a last-minute Ferragosto getaway destination? Browse our Weekend Guides series for travel inpiration.
Ferrogosto is an Italian holiday that annually celebrates the Assumption of the Virgin Mary on August 15th. The name ‘Ferragosto’ however has ancient Roman origins: it marked the height of the end-of-harvest festivities promoted by Emperor Augustus in the 1st century.
Many Italians around this time of year pack up picnics and take off to the beaches, mountains or the countryside for some much needed R&R.
Many cities around Italy host religious parades and festivals on Ferragosto. In Positano on August 15 yachts, fishing boats and other vessels gather in the small bay to enjoy local cuisine and a night of music and celebrations that ends with spectacular fireworks, a long-standing Positano tradition.
In Siena the annual Palio dell’Assunta is held in the main square on August 16th. Seven randomly picked “contrade” are represented by riders in Renaissance costume who ride saddle-free horses and race 3 times around the crowd assembled in Piazza del Campo to win the title and display the pailo, a painted tapestry in thier neighborhood.
We’re toasting to the Ferragosto festivity and wishing all our readers, friends and followers HAPPY FERRAGOSTO from the Casa Mia team!
