Ferragosto in Rome

Rome has been slowly emptying out over the past few weeks, and by now is pretty much a ghost town.  It seems like everyone, including the Metro A, has ditched the city in favor of cooler climates (or at least a nearby body of water in which to cool off).  This week marks the height of the vacation, or ferie, season, because Wednesday, August 15 is Ferragosto.  This midsummer holiday has ancient origins, but is today celebrated nationally as the Feast of the Assumption, or, what’s locally known as “That Day That Literally Everything is Closed”.

So while I recommend stocking up on food supplies from whatever open grocery store you happen to find (while my local was technically open yesterday, I think it would have been better for everyone involved had they not actually tried to charge for the truly horrid display of produce), there are a few activities to keep you going.  Namely, fireworks in Piazza di Spagna on Tuesday night at 10.  Tomorrow is also the last night of the summer edition of the Toccata & Fuga series, an awesome, periodical set of free concerts in Rome’s piazzas.  So head over to Piazza di Spagna tomorrow evening for live music, and a fireworks show set to classic film scores.

Wednesday is the Ferragosto holiday itself, which means the city will essentially be shut down (with the exception of the awesome Ethiopian restaurant Mesob, according to Parla Food!).  Mesob is definitely a Young in Rome fave, but clearly all of our loyal fans can’t all eat there on Wednesday!  So make like the Romans, pack a picnic, and head out to the beach.

If you’re sticking around for the rest of the month, check out Parla Food and Tavole Romane’s helpful roundups of what is actually open here in August.