August Holidays in Italy
Portofino, where the rich come to play and the rest of us come to watch.
Italians head to the beach in August. This is a typical beach club in Bonassola.
It’s August, the Italian holiday month. Tradition says to close down the shops, take time off work, and head out of town.
Don’t be surprised to see the “chiuso per ferie” (closed for holiday) sign on a favorite restaurant or shop, especially mid-month for the Ferragosto public holiday.
The beach is a favorite destination, providing time to swim, relax, read, do crossword puzzles by the sea, or just refresh and cool off.
Think colorful beach umbrellas, boats on the horizon, and lots of bronzed bodies off all ages, sizes, and shapes - that is the unabashed Italian way. Isn’t it wonderful?
In that spirit, I am taking an August writing break. The next few posts will be mostly photos, many taken along Italy’s dramatic coastline. I hope they keep you cool and daydreaming of summer in Italy.
Today - Portofino, enclave of the rich and famous. The water is blue, the harbor charming, the surrounding cliffs dramatic, and the yachts the stuff of fantasy. It’s a picture postcard of a town.
Yachts from all over the world anchor in Portofino’s harbor. Here, if you have to ask what it costs, you definitely can’t afford it ! And that includes the gelato.
A walk through town weaves past colorful houses, pretty gardens, high-end shops, small churches, and even a view of the castle up on the cliff. Stop for a harbor side gelato before boarding the ferry back to Rapallo or Santa Margarita. It’s hard to beat summer along the Ligurian coast !