The entire city of Rome shuts down.
It’s difficult to find a spot of empty sand on any beach.
The heat is unbearable.
Although each of these statements is based on a grain of truth, these are some of the popular misconceptions about visiting the land of la dolce vita during the month of August, the most important vacation time of the year for Italians.The average Italian citizen gets 42 days of vacation per year. Most Italians take at least a week or two off each August, and many are on vacation for the entire month. Businesses shut their doors for all or part of this vacation period. In fact, the productivity of the entire country takes a dive during the eighth month of the year. The Italian National Statistics Institute reports that production falls by approximately 50% in August and the volume on the national stock exchange reportedly diminishes by a third.
But just because Italians are on vacation doesn’t mean you can’t be. Click here to find out what August in Italy is really like and why it might be a good time to visit…