On the 15th of August, Italians celebrate a holiday called Ferragosto, which originally celebrated the middle of summer and the end of hard labor in the fields, as well as, the cycles of fertility and ripening.
Most business, restaurants, and schools close during the last few weeks of the month as most Romans flee from the hot summer temperatures and head to the beaches to the south. Luckily, this Italian holiday also coincides with the hottest days of the summer. Thus not long after we finally arrived in Rome, we left Rome- happily following the Romans to the waters of the beach town, Sperlonga, approximately a 1-1.5 hour journey from Rome. While there are beaches closer to Rome in Ostia, Sperlonga exceeded all of those we had been previously visited.
Waking up at 7:30 in the morning to meet at the Stazione Termini was entirely worth the enjoyable time we had! The water is unbelievably blue, and the medieval quarters of Sperlonga are oddly reminiscent of Greek islands like Santorini. The houses are stacked one on top of another, connected by a series of winding stairs and alleys. Then, wandering through the maze of houses, you will happen upon an opening and have the most picturesque view of the ocean.
We spent most of the day “prendendo il sole”- taking in the sun and then cooling off in the water. We also had gelato from the main piazza in Sperlonga and some local fruits and vegetables from a vendor. So now you know, if you visit Rome in the latter half of August and find the city empty… all of the Italians and the Cornell architecture students have fled to the beaches of Sperlonga. Now we are tan, relaxed, and ready for the start of the semester!
Ciao a tutti,
Christine