Visit Rome in Ferragosto holiday

The Ferragosto Holiday, 2000 Years of Roman Tradition

After living in Rome for over 25 years I adapted to the Roman holiday called Ferragosto, celebrated on the 15thof August. Although Italians look forward to it every year, only a few know about its true origins.

Ferragosto, the favorite August holidays of the Romansand Italians in general, comes from the Latin “Feriae Augusti,” or “Augustus’ Holidays”, apart fromChristmas and Easter, is one of the most important Roman holidays. Originally it was a period of rest and celebrations between the hardships just completed of the harvests and that of the imminent harvest and sowing. Established by the Emperor Augustus in 18 BC, Augustus' Holidays were celebrated on August 1 and had the aim of reminding the Romans of the day of the capture of Alexandria, which took place on August 1 in 30 BC, and the death of two dangerous enemies of the Roman state - Marc Anthony and Cleopatra, thatmarked the beginning of Augustus' dominion over Rome. Although the festival was originally set for August 1, the days of rest were 26, to give the Romans the opportunity to have an adequate rest period. It was custom in these days to exchange gifts and wishes. The most important festival of the month was dedicated to Diana, the goddess of hunting and protector of female fertility, motherhood and the phases of the moon, celebrated on August 13 which then became intertwined with the Christian tradition. In fact, in the fifth century after Christ, the Catholic church wanted to make the secular feast (celebration in honor of Diana) coincide with the Assumption of Mary into heaven on August 15.

Nowadays it is not unusual to see Rome very empty during Ferragosto. Even though some Romans chose to work in August instead and postpone their vacation to September as they prefer a quiet Rome, without traffic. The only ones who are caught off guard are the tourists as they don’t understand why is everything closed in Ferragosto.

Where would the ancient romans and the emperors go during Ferragosto? To the mountains or to the beach?Let’s find out.

Many tourists today choose to visit Pompeii in search of the lost city, to broaden their horizons, and to learn the history behind it. When they do that, they often refer to the guided tours of Eden Walks at https://www.edenwalks.com/. Thus, we come to discover that the region was easily accessible from Rome and had a mild climate and attractive beaches that made it a privileged tourist center. During these visits, customs and traditions are also illustrated regarding the sumptuous holiday of the ancient Romans on the Campania coast that hosted emblematic places such as Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabia as well as the splendid Capri, now recommended to tourists also in Rick Steves' guides.

The Island of Capri is especially known for the remains of the imposing Villa di Giove/Villa Jovis chosen for its position on the cliff's edge which guaranteed both privacy and security, of vital importance to the Emperor and allowed first the Emperor Augustus and then then his successor Tiberius to enjoy a spectacular 360 degreeview of the sea. In Capri, Tiberius built another 12 villas, in addition to Villa Jovis, which was by far the most sumptuous.

In Sperlonga stands the villa of the Grotta, which extended for 300 meters in length and included the barracks for the troops with stables, residences of the entire court, a thermal plant, a decorated cave that housed the symposiums and fish ponds in front of the ravine.

The locality of Baia became a renowned seaside resort, with imposing spas, luxurious villas, overlooking the cliff or on the seashore, a very lively social life. Famous people such as Caesar, Pompey, Crassus, Cicero, Seneca, Caligula and Nero had villas there.

Another holiday resort of the rich Romans and members of the imperial family was Herculaneum. The Vesuviuseruption in 79 A.D buried the city, petrifying it, nevertheless made it (like Pompeii) immortal in history.

The small island of Ponza - not even eight square kilometers where, according to Homer, the mythical sorceress Circe had her home, is full of Roman archaeological remains including the remains of some spectacular villas, in incredible panoramic positions, sometimes with terraces carved into the rock.  Here are some of the most pictoresque places on the island of Ponza: Ponzio Pilato's Grotto, the Blue Caves, the Grotto degli Smeraldi, the Natural Pools and the Grotto della Maga Circe.

With the hope that one day you go and explore these places I wish you Happy Ferragosto to all.