Why does it seem as if Italy closes down for most of August? In a word: Ferragosto.

With our proud Tuscan heritage, we at Felice love the tradition of Italian summers, which have long been a time for holidays — particularly, the last two weeks of August. But Italians don’t shutter their shops and vacation during that stretch simply because the weather is beautiful from the Alps down to the Mediterranean Sea; rather, it’s a custom that dates back to ancient times.

In 18 BCE, Emperor Octavian Augustus created a holiday named after himself: Feriae Augusti, meaning the Festivals of Augustus. He declared the first day of August — the month he also named after himself — a day of rest for agricultural workers. As they passed the fields where they typically labored on their way to the widespread horse races that took place that day, they would wish their patrons a Buon Ferragosto and were given a monetary tip. Working farm animals like donkeys and mules also received the day off, and were adorned with garlands of flowers in honor of their efforts during the rest of the year.

Ferragosto shifted to mid August during the Roman Renaissance. And while Italians received the day off in observation, it wasn’t until the 1920s — when train fares were lowered for three days around Ferragosto — that widespread travel became the norm for workers and their families. The idea was that they could use that time and the low fares to visit the countless beautiful parts of the country: the mountains, the seas, and cultural capitals like Florence and Rome. Now, Ferragosto is still synonymous with domestic travel and time off for Italians, who often refer to the second half of August as Ferragosto.

The first Felice in New York was founded to bring the storied wines of our Tuscan vineyard across the Atlantic. Those agricultural origins bring us even closer to Ferragosto, and we adore the long, lazy days of August holidays. We’re always ready to welcome you into any of our restaurants with seasonal bites and a glass of Italian wine so you can rest, reflect, and enjoy all that makes life worth living — during Ferragosto or any time at all.