Visitors to Italy warned of 'two-week shutdown' starting on Saturday August 15

Travellers will need to plan around it11:48, 11 Aug 2026Updated 11:50, 11 Aug 2026Brits hoping for an authentic, old-school Italian holiday this month are being warned it could be ruined by Ferragosto, Italy's biggest holiday of the year, with family-run restaurants and local shops set to be closed for the best part of two weeks. Celebrated on August 15, Ferragosto also kicks off a fortnight-long shutdown as 20 million Italians relocate to the coast or mountains to celebrate summer.‌While major attractions stay open, traditional family-run restaurants, artisan workshops and local services close for weeks at a time as the owners enjoy their own holidays. Travel experts at Welcome Pickups, the global airport transfer service, said holidaymakers who didn't plan ahead risked missing the authen