Ferragosto: The Worst Time To Be Traveling in Italy
Years ago, we made a travel mistake that we will never forget. We were in Italy during Ferragosto, driving from a hotel on Lake Como to a wine resort in Chianti. We got up early that morning, anticipating a less than five-hour trip on Autostrada A1.
This memorable adventure took nearly twice that time, ten hours, as we inched along in bumper-to-bumper traffic. It offered a lesson we have never forgotten: Beware of travel in Italy during Ferragosto.
What is Ferragosto?
The Italian word Ferragosto is derived from the Latin feriae Augusti, literally meaning holidays of Augustus.
The term commonly refers to the August 15th religious and national holiday in Italy, Assumption Day, which celebrates the Catholic Feast of the Assumption of Mary.
But the Ferragosto holiday extends well beyond August 15th alone. Depending on one’s employment, some Italians take off the long weekend, others take off two weeks, and some take a summer vacation that extends throughout the month of August until September 1st.
One estimate by CNA Turismo e Commercio estimated that between August 1 and August 23, approximately 17.4 million people will be vacationing in Italy, 8.4 million Italians and 9 million tourists from other countries. In addition to staying at seaside resorts (which are most popular), they’ll be visiting cities and art towns, mountains, lakes and spas.
The Perils of Visiting Italy During Ferragosto
July and August are always the peak tourist months in Italy. With schools closed in North America and much of Europe, many families plan summer vacations.
While empty nesters, like us, can now take advantage of the shoulder seasons, most families with children and teens can’t.
This means you’ll find hordes of visitors (and long queues) at major tourist attractions in large cities (like Rome, Florence and Milan). It will be harder to make reservations for restaurants and hotels, and accommodation rates will likely be higher across the country.
Aside from the influx of international tourists, Italians traditionally plan their domestic vacations during the dog days of summer, heading to the mountains or the seaside with friends and family to escape the heat.
The phrase dolce far niente (the sweetness of doing nothing) encapsulates the Italian approach to life, slowing down and living in the moment. Although this concept isn’t seasonal, per se, it is particularly operationalized in summer, when many Italians choose to follow more leisurely rhythms.
During the two-week period at the end of August (starting on August 15th), a significant proportion of businesses and workplaces shut down, especially family-owned businesses and shops, so their employees (and owners) can enjoy time off. Some companies close down for the entire month of August, especially in small cities and towns that are less dependent on tourism.
This hiatus resembles the slowdown that occurs in the U.S. between Christmas and New Year’s Day (except people aren’t subject to the stresses of holiday decorations and gifts).
Most state-operated museums and cultural institutions remain open during Ferragosto, but as noted above, many non-tourist-related businesses close down for vacation.
With its expansive coastline, Italy is usually a beachgoer’s delight. But as one might expect, summer is one of the most crowded times to visit these beaches.
Road Traffic During Ferragosto
The population density of Italy is about five times that of the U.S. in a land area slightly larger than that of Arizona.
And during Ferragosto, it’s easy to conclude (or at least conjecture) that everyone is going somewhere else. It brings to mind the popular proverb, All roads lead to Rome. Yes, but every road is jammed with cars, especially on weekends.
In addition to density, the Italian autostrada (the system of toll roads that resembles American highways) has fewer lanes. Navigating other roads in Italy can even be tougher.
Finding a place to park also becomes more challenging.
If you are considering taking public transportation to get from place to place, some train and bus schedules are modified because of the holiday. Even some medical clinics close down. (To see a complete list of what’s open and what’s not, visit The Local, an English-language online publication.)
Is There An Upside To Visiting Italy During Ferragosto?
Coupling the holiday with the heat, which has only intensified with global warming, Ferragosto might be the worst time to visit Italy. But is there ever a bad time to visit Italy? NOT
If you go, you’ll have a front-row seat to a holiday that dates back to ancient times when workers and farmers rested after the harvest. Ferragosto became a national holiday under Mussolini, who offered workers free public transportation on that day. You might even catch an end-of-summer sale.
Now, it is a proper Italian summer holiday, celebrated with food, fireworks and festivities.
“Italian holidays are untouchable, and the most sacrosanto (‘sacrosanct’) of all is Ferragosto,” commented Silvia Marchetti in The Local.
The upside: Ferragosto is also a time of religious, civic, food and music festivals, held in many towns and villages across the country.
That unforgettable drive from Como to Chianti taught us more than just the perils of holiday traffic; it was a masterclass in the Italian concept of time. We arrived wanting to conquer distance, while the rest of the country had already surrendered to the joys of summer.
Reviewed and updated 8/4/26
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