The 15th day of August is a national holiday to celebrate Ferragosto or Assumption Day. In 18 BC, Emperor Augustus declared August 1st a day of festival to thank his workers and give them time off to recharge by the sea. Often the festivals were marked by celebratory games such as horse races, like the famous Palio in Siena. Later, the date was moved to the 15th of August to coincide with the Catholic Feast and the Assumption of Mary.

 

Passion for Italy Travel Designers are big fans of Italian beach life so we thought it would be fun for some of us to tell you about our favorite beaches in Italy and why we love them so.

 

Allison discusses the beach culture of the Amalfi Coast and Puglia. Gemma lets her favorite secret slip, a beautiful hidden gem in Campania. Lindsay takes you to her favorite beach in Sardegna's Golfo di Orosei. Sabrina shares an insider's view of a lesser known beach in Le Marche.