I'm going to Italy from Aug. 7-28. We'll visit the major cities and also rent a villa on the coast for a week. Is it best to join the Italians on the coast during Ferragosto from Aug. 11-18 because the cities will be more shut down or is it better to save our coastal villa for the 18-25 when some of the crowds may have thinned? Does it make any difference at all? Thanks~
Posted by
Toledo
653 posts
Alexis, normally Italians have at least four weeks of vacation during the summer, so August is not a time to look for a beach that's not crowded. Having said that, the beach is usually cooler than the city at that time of year. Most shops, restaurants, etc., are open (except for 8/15, huge holiday), but some speciality shops or mom and pops will be closed. Personally I feel like I have more options in the city, but if you really want some beach time, choose a place with a good beach close to the city and you can daytrip into town while still having nights and early mornings at the coast. What cities are you planning to visit? Some beaches are better than others.
Posted by
OP
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
3 posts
Thanks for your response! We're going to the usual Rome, Florence, Venice, but for our beach location we're considering a few areas in Puglia- Monopoli, Castro and Salve and also Scalea in Calabria. We'd love a sandy cove beach (or a few little beaches in an area) but we're not renting a car so we need the area to be accessible.