Italian vacation habits

«Even God goes on vacation in August» - wrote Gabriel Garcia Marquez and was so close to truth! One of the most popular questions asked by Italians is “where will you spend your summer holidays?”, where the meaning of “summer vacation” is “August vacation”!

So let me tell you about some particularities of Italian “summer”. Every last summer month all the local people suddenly disappear from their working places. All the factories, shops, plants, sometimes even bars and restaurants are closed! Only the most persistent continue to provide the services, first of all those who work in touristic sphere. Actually, for them “hot season” begins: such business has a great opportunity to make money on tourists.

Italians like their national holidays, one of them is celebrated on 15thAugust. It’s called Ferragosto, the day of the Assumption of the Virgin, and symbolizes the completion of summer works. This day is closely connected with all the holiday period, that’s why Italians like to call their vacation as Vacanza ad Ferragosto.

Unlike other Europeans, Italians are quite constant in choosing a place for summer vacations.

Lucky ones who have villas and apartments near the sea or on nearby islands usually spend time there, in the family circle.

The noisy companies of Italians are easy to recognize in Greece, Croatia, Montenegro, Spain.

Talking about the best beach vacation in Campania region, it’s definitely Amalfi coast with its small resort towns: Positano, Sorrento, Amalfi, Maiori. Don’t miss the entrancing islands like Capri and Ischia.

Summing up: the best time to see a stereotype of Italian “Dolce Vita” is definitely August!

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