Ferragosto: The Story Behind the Name

Ever wonder why Italy’s most epic summer holiday is called Ferragosto? The answer takes us all the way back to ancient Rome! The name comes from the Latin ‘Feriae Augusti’—the "Festivals of Augustus"—a celebration introduced by Emperor Augustus himself. After months of back-breaking work in the fields, he granted the people a much-deserved break. Given the monumental effort of working under Italy's scorching summer sun, this was more than a holiday; it was a divine intervention! The term ‘ferie’ is still what we call our work holidays today. But the story doesn't end there... there's a second, more recent twist to this ancient tradition! Stay tuned for our next post to discover what happened to Ferragosto after the year 1950!