| Venice |
Re: Does Italy virtually close in August? Posted: Thu February 24, 2011 05:22 PM UTC
Hi,
Most Itlians head for the beaches, and, yes, generally speaking a lot of shops and restaurants do close.
However, this does not apply to places like Venice, Florence etc.
I note that you have specificed Venice as your destination.
Be assured that La Serrinisima is in full flow during August.
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| Venice |
Re: Does Italy virtually close in August? Posted: Thu February 24, 2011 05:30 PM UTC
hy,
Don't worry, Laurie, in the Italian touristic places, in August. from Campione to Lampedusa, from Bardonecchia to Trieste, everything is open. Maybe you could find some little shops closed in the small towns...
I hope you know that the Middle Ages ended in 1492 in Italy...:)
Come and have fun!!!
Ciao, Marco
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| Venice |
Re: Does Italy virtually close in August? Posted: Thu February 24, 2011 06:11 PM UTC
Milan does close for sure!! I guess their hefty mark-ups allows them to cool off in the searing heat!
But many other places/cities are open for business ;-)
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| Venice |
Re: Does Italy virtually close in August? Posted: Thu February 24, 2011 08:03 PM UTC
Venice will be open for sure, the August all close did happened in the '70 '80 but not anymore. Agree on some of the small shop that could be close but not the majority of the town.
Enjoy your trip
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| Venice |
Re: Does Italy virtually close in August? Posted: Thu February 24, 2011 08:04 PM UTC
Grazie Marco,
My husband has a friend who lives over their and is wanting to plan our every move. Hmmm, not exactly the way I like to travel personally. So when he emailed us today and asked us to come in July instead of August because the country was going to close down, I got a tad suspicious and thought I'd ask my VT friends. I appreciate all of your help!
LJ
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| Venice |
Re: Does Italy virtually close in August? Posted: Thu February 24, 2011 08:11 PM UTC
well it is true that almost all the factory close in august and that is the month most of the people get their vacation, but shops do not apply anymore.
You might have a hard time finding a chair to rent at the beach or a spot to park your car in vacation places, but about restaurants and shops you will be fine :-)
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| Venice |
Re: Does Italy virtually close in August? Posted: Thu February 24, 2011 09:42 PM UTC
I was in Rome last year in the middle of August, and found everything open except for the odd small shop or restaurant. But it was a very small minority who had closed.
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| Venice |
Re: Does Italy virtually close in August? Posted: Fri February 25, 2011 01:00 AM UTC
It sounds like your husband's friend wants to take a vacation him/herself in August ;-)
No, like everyone says, while Italians themselves head off to the beach in August, everyone in the greater tourist industry has to be at work because they know this is when many foreigners come to spend money.
The problem with August in Italy for visitors is more the heat...Italian air-conditioning is not like North American air-conditioning (sorry, I don't know where you're from), and even 90 degrees can be quite hot in the cities. Even the Pope leaves Rome in late July and moves to Castel Gandolfo in the hills south of Rome.
So, go and have fun!
Bill
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| Venice |
Re: Does Italy virtually close in August? Posted: Fri February 25, 2011 04:55 AM UTC
ha ha Bill, funny, so it is not just my hubby (american living in Padova) that suffer for the cheap air conditioning we have here!! on the other hand I could never let my sweat shirt go when I went to the US last summer :-DDD
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| Venice |
Re: Does Italy virtually close in August? Posted: Fri February 25, 2011 06:00 AM UTC
Yes, Bill and Orietta.... what an air conditioning must do is another "philosophical" difference between the two sides of the pond.
I always wonder while entering some buildings in US why the hell someone should even think to keep a building cooler in August (when you dress light, and most likely enter covered in sweat) than they keep it in January.... when you enter wearing coat!
For the rest: I confer, even big non-touristy city are not closing down as it used to be. Venice, like any other tourist destination, will be running at 110%
Ciao
Francesco
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| Venice |
Re: Does Italy virtually close in August? Posted: Fri February 25, 2011 06:07 AM UTC
ha ha ha Francesco! I should make you talk to Dave soon!! summer is coming (hopefully!!! -2 today brrrr) and I am starting to hear the dreaded sound of that A/C machine in the back of my mind.... :-DDD
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| Venice |
Re: Does Italy virtually close in August? Posted: Fri February 25, 2011 02:01 PM UTC
And i can add (Orietta.... Bill will understand) Amarone would sufefr too much at those temps....
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| Venice |
Re: Does Italy virtually close in August? Posted: Fri February 25, 2011 02:50 PM UTC
Yes, it is very ironic to see women secretaries in Dallas going to work all summer long carrying sweater over their arms...because once they are in their offices, they freeze so the men in the 3-piece wool suits can be comfortable...in one building I was in, women would run electric space heaters under their desks by their feet all summer long...yep, we use energy to cool the building down, then we use energy to warm the offices up...silly, huh?
Bill
Francesco, spero che ripari er vino dalle temperature brutte!!!
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| Venice |
Re: Does Italy virtually close in August? Posted: Fri February 25, 2011 03:09 PM UTC
I like the cool air conditioning in America. :-)
On a visit to Bologna during October the hotel was boiling for thick blooded northern Eurpoeans like myself but just right for discerning locals!
Enjoy Italy!
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| Venice |
Re: Does Italy virtually close in August? Posted: Fri February 25, 2011 05:55 PM UTC
We agree on that one Ian. One of man's great inventions, the air conditioner, - after toilet paper of course.
.....but yeah, Italy has changed quite a bit regarding August city/town closings, since I started my travels. Far too many tourists to even consider a closedown these days, - at least on the main routes. I would expect regions that do not see as much tourism to still shut down for a month.
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