With origins tracing as far back as Ancient Rome, Ferragosto is one of the most beloved national public holidays in Italy as it’s associated with the height of the summer season and, of course, with time off work.
Quite conveniently, it falls on a Thursday this year, meaning that those who aren’t already on vacation are likely to take the Friday off to create a four-day weekend, or ponte.
As for the day itself, most people in Italy tend to celebrate it with a big lunch in the company of family or friends, with barbecues (grigliate) and picnics being popular options.
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But get-togethers and large meals aren’t the only things you can expect on Thursday.
Public holidays in Italy usually mean a near total shutdown, even in major cities, and August 15th is no exception.
Public transport
Most local public transport companies in the country will operate on a reduced timetable (also known as orari festivi) on Thursday, with the quality and frequency of services throughout the day likely to vary significantly by region and city
Rural or isolated areas that are usually served by just the occasional bus may see stripped-to-the-bone services, whereas parts of the country that already have robust public transport networks, and popular tourist destinations should keep them fairly active.
If you’re planning on travelling on Thursday, it’s strongly advisable that you check the orari festivi of the relevant transport operator well in advance. These can usually be found on the operator’s website or mobile app.
Rail and air travel
Much like public transport services, regional and local trains will run on reduced timetables on Thursday, whereas most interregional and long-distance high-speed trains will run on standard weekday timetables.
It’s worth noting that some high-speed services around the country, including the Turin-Milan-Venice, Milan-Bologna and Rome-Florence lines, are being affected by increased travel times and route changes this month due to planned infrastructure upgrade works.
It also bears pointing out that trains leading to popular holiday destinations, especially those departing on Thursday morning, may be more crowded than usual, which is why it’s advisable to book your tickets in advance.
As for air travel, inbound and outbound flights shouldn’t be directly affected by the public holiday, but minor delays in ground operations such as check-in and baggage collection services are not exactly unheard of on public holidays in Italy due to staff shortages.
Tourist attractions
Italy’s culture ministry said last week that all state-run museums, galleries, archaeological sites, and villas will open to the public on August 15th.
Open attractions will include the Pompeii archaeological park, the Reggia di Caserta and Rome’s Pantheon. For a full list of sites, see the culture ministry’s website.
Privately run museums, galleries or collections may be closed on the day.
Offices
As it’s usually the case on national public holidays, offices in both the public and private sector (this includes banks, post offices, town hall desks and tax assistance centres) will be closed.
Should you need to complete any urgent admin tasks by the end of the week, your best bet would be to try and do so in the days leading up to the holiday as most offices will be closed on Friday, August 16th, too.
Pasticcerie, panifici and restaurants
Some panifici (bakeries) and pasticcerie (pastry shops) in major cities and popular holiday hotspots may remain open on Thursday morning to allow customers to stock up on bread and sweets for their Ferragosto lunch.
Restaurants in or around holiday spots across the country may remain open on Thursday, at least at lunchtime, and may even offer special Ferragosto menus for the occasion.
A report from Italy’s Confcommercio trade association said on Monday that around two in three Italian restaurants will be open on Ferragosto.
That said, if you’re planning on dining out on Thursday, it’s advisable to make a reservation in advance to avoid any unpleasant surprises later on.
Shops and supermarkets
Many supermarket chains around the country will have limited opening hours on Thursday. For instance, some may open around 9 in the morning and then close in the early afternoon.
Most mini-markets will remain completely closed instead.
The majority of shops in both urban and non-urban areas will be closed on Ferragosto (and the following days), with a chiuso per ferie (‘closed for the holidays’) sign generally indicating the date when they expect to reopen.
Doctors and pharmacies
GPs’ clinics will be closed on Thursday.
However, should you be in need of an urgent appointment, you can ask to see a doctor from Italy’s Guardia Medica (also known as Servizio di Continuità Assistenziale), a medical care centre that operates outside of GPs’ normal working hours, on weekends and public holidays.
In the event of serious medical emergencies, head to your local hospital’s ER (pronto soccorso).
Should you need to buy medicines or pick up a prescription, pharmacies in Italy operate a rota system during national holidays to ensure that at least one is open in each area.
To find the nearest one, Google farmacia di turno plus the name of the municipality (comune) you find yourself in.
Traffic
Italian roads usually see heavy traffic on and around the Ferragosto holiday, and this year will be no exception.
According to the official traffic calendar released by Italy’s State Police (Polizia di Stato), Italian motorways are expected to see intense congestion every day from Wednesday, August 14th, to Sunday, August 18th.
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‘Possible critical conditions’ have been forecast for Wednesday evening, Thursday morning and then the whole weekend.
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