Soon it will be that time of year again – Ferragosto, August 15th: one single holiday that justifies the shutting down of Italy for a whole month. Most families will be going on mandatory vacations of two to three weeks as firms, public and private offices, and even clinics will be closed, with reduced medical staff in hospitals. The whole country takes a long break, leaving many foreigners baffled.

Italian holidays are untouchable, and the most ‘sacrosanto’ (sacrosanct) of all is Ferragosto, which in terms of vacation period is usually tied by Italians to the two weeks preceding the 15th or the two following. I was shocked to read in the news recently that thousands of Italians have asked for bank loans of up to 6.000 euros – to be paid back over four years – just to be able to go on vacation this summer.