Summer is serious stuff in Italy. I mean really serious stuff. Everyone is happy and excited about going on vacation.
Basically the entire country goes on vaca in August here. Everyone. I found this so odd when I first started living here. It made no sense to me. Obviously everything will be more expensive because all the shop owners, hotels, restaurants KNOW FOR A FACT that all Italians will be on vacation during that month. Also, clearly the traffic is going to be a nightmare if you have an entire country moving at the same time. City life is going to be kind of depressing if you are NOT at the beach because everyone else is.
Yes, I just could not understand this tradition. But after living here a while, I came to really embrace the “whole country on vacation together” thing. There is such an atmosphere of summer here. You feel it in the air, you see on it on the faces of everyone. We just don’t have that sensation in the States because everyone takes vacation throughout the year. And since we only have two weeks, for sure we don’t get geared up for spending up to a month at the beach. And even with our meager two weeks, many times we visit family or take care of personal things we don’t have time to do when we are working.
Anyway, summertime is fun in Italy…so here are a few tunes that seem summerish to me…hopefully they will put in you in a sunny mood too!
Daniele Silvestri – “Una Giornata al Mare” – Singing about “a day at the beach.” Don’t you just want to join him in a dance in that little town with those guys playing the accordion?
Biagio Antonacci – “Non Vivo Piu’ Senza Te” – This song has such a great rhythm, he is singing about how he can’t live without his love. He tries to forget her by taking a vacation in Salento (beautiful coastal area in Puglia). It doesn’t work.
Seba – “Domenica d’Estate” – So sweet this song. He is talking about all of the fun stuff of summer. Fireworks, going to the beach, being with family.
Vinicio Capossela – “E Allora Mambo” – When I hear the word “mambo,” I immediately think of Cuba, and if I am thinking of Cuba, I am thinking of the Caribbean, of their beautiful, clear, blue water!
Photo Attribution:
musical note: wiki
Italy Translated 
Let’s go, I’m definitely ready! ♥♥♥ ;^)
Whoohoo! I know right??? Everyone itching to run away to the beach! 🙂 Have a good weekend!
You should all be complaining in the USA…only 2 weeks??? In Australia we get 5. I still don’t get everyone beng on holidays together. It sounds like a nightmare.
I know! Isn’t it horrible? Two measly little weeks. Gosh…I cannot even imagine what we would do with 5 weeks! And yes…the everyone together on holiday seems so overwhelming. We don’t usually stay in Italy for that exact reason in August – very expensive, lots of traffic. We are lucky enough to take vaca when we want, so we usually do the Italian part of vacation for a few weeks in June or July and go elsewhere for a week or two in Aug. Works out very well. With FIVE weeks – – where do you normally go?
I don’t work any more, so I don’t have to worry about holidays. I spend half the year in Australia and half in Italy. I avoid July and August in Italy. I am about to return to Brisbane, Australia, for our very pleasant winter.
Ohhhhhh…living the GOOD life! 🙂 Enjoy the lovely winter in Australia! My good Australian friend heads there as well every year during Italian summers…she loves winter in Australia! Maybe one day I will be able to see it too!
The sun is shining here today too! Thanks for the sunny vibes, definitely in the mood for the weekend now!
Enjoy the sun and warmth! Thanks for your comment!
Hahaha cool!! Here in Germany is almost the same, but there are also too many tourists coming here, while the Germans go to Italy and Croatia 😃
Yes…..lots of Germans here……there is one camping area in Tuscany full of Dutch and Germans. Ha, ha, ha….so many in fact, when we were there, my husband went to the registration area to ask a question and the girl did not speak Italian! ha, ha, ha, ha…..only German and Dutch! She had to get a co-worker to help. FUNNY!
Hahahaha I understand that!! In Croatia is the same, people speak to you first in German, then of you dont speak it they will speak in English. And the signs and all are also in German!
Oh yes! I love summer in Italy too. Beach life is part of Italian life itself, just something you do at the weekend. I think it is crazy when they all go on holiday in August and you can’t even find space to put your towel at the beach! That’s Italian life! Enjoy summer X
PS: I loved the music!
Hi Alida! Yes! the beach life in Italy – – gotta love it – – but I must admit we only do Italian beaches in June or early July. In August we go to Croatia, France, Spain, etc… or even better: HOME. 🙂
Brilliant – a month at the beach sounds like just what the doctor ordered! Pour me a large one! 🙂
Yes oh yes….the beach life is gooood in Italia…..
I just got drenched going to the supermarket – thunderstorms and lightning, very, very frightening me! In short, the weather sucks at the moment 😉 I’d much rather be where you are!
GGGRRRR…drag about the rain…but I have to admit…I am TOTALLY curious about the weather there…..also….what are people doing in the summer there???…is there sunlight til 11PM??? ..ugggg…I am completely uninformed!!!!
Yeah, we only have 3-4 hours of darkness at the moment! People generally take to their summer houses – almost everyone here has one – but they’re not as glamorous as they sound! Drop toilets, no running water etc. Latvians just like being close to ‘nature’ – sigh 😉
wait! what?? 3-4 hours of darkness? how is that? do you like it? ewwwww…what is winter like? 3-4 hours of daylight? hope not!
Pretty much! It’s only really bright from around 9-10 to around 3.30! In summer, to be able to sleep, you need good curtains, or to be drunk most of the time – I chose the latter 😉
🙂
Your hubby must be a happy man today! 🙂
I stayed up to watch the football, went to bed at 4 – it was already bright and birds were singing. Luckily, I’d had quite a bit of wine by that stage 😉
yes! It was a fun game…we stayed up and watched it too…luckily for us, it finished at 2AM ….and also luckily for us, (like you) we had had a nice bit of wine ourselves at that point. Enjoy your Sunday and get some rest! 🙂
Ok, i’m in the mood and ready to go!! Love the videos, so upbeat.
Hi Susan! Yay! Glad my tunes were able to put you in a beachy mood! Music can be such mood changer!
Great songs! and I love that photo. Italy has so many picturesque views like that!
I know…that place was nuts….a complete surprise and off the beaten path for sure…I wanted to get back there this year to see the sunflowers…..but we missed our window I think 😦
This is so fun, I’m going to add these songs to my Spotify playlist!
I love the summer feel in NL too – not nearly as intense as Italy I think, but still – it seems my bosses are always on vacation or planning a vacation … They have a minimum of 20 days of paid vacation per year here, which is AMAZING. Makes me question why I would think of going back to Canada!
Hi Sophie! Glad you liked the tunes! Yes! They are so happy to me! I agree with your comment. I think that summer feel is a European thing. Clearly with REAL vacation time, it puts one in the mood. Can you imagine…20 days???
To be honest, Diana, I can’t say that summer feeling is a British thing, although we are European. We have our 2 weeks in summer, when it often rains, plus shorter holidays at Christmas, Easter and in May, and childless families go on holiday out of season when it’s cheaper. Maybe that’s why I love the Italian summer!
It is the same in the US. 😦
Yes…the “SUMMER” feeling is strong in Italy for sure! It is a total movement!
When I went to Italy in 1970, the mamme and bimbi used to go in villeggiatura all summer and Babbo stayed in town and joined them for the weekend, which gave rise to lots of dark hints about illicit romance. Does that still happen? Love the songs but I must confess to a fondness for a real cliche – Sapore di Sale.
Sapore di Sale! LOVE IT!!!! My husband’s mother and all her sisters did exactly what you mentioned for summer! I don’t think it happens as much because the women are working too. Many couples do send their kids to the nonni for a few weeks. In my family, we all go on vacation together. 🙂
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