Leave the city for the beach or mountains
If you find yourself in an Italian city this summer, you might notice most people around you are not locals but tourists.
That’s because Italians know summer is best spent away from the sticky heat of the cities.
As soon as the calendar flips to August, Italy’s peak holiday month, thousands of people use the long ferie to escape to the seaside or the mountains.
If heading to the coast or the mountains is not an option for you, make sure to make the most of nearby parks, rivers or lakes to get some respite from the heat.
Stay indoors during the hottest hours of the day
Unless you have sought refuge in the mountains, most places in Italy become too hot to be outside in the middle of the day.
In many parts of the country, you’ll find that the town centres empty out around midday as everyone heads indoors to escape the heat.
The same goes for shops, which are generally closed between 1pm and 4pm at the height of the summer.
READ ALSO: Six effective ways to beat the heat in Italy without air conditioning
If you do spend time indoors during the hottest part of the day and don’t have air conditioning, remember to close your shutters or blinds to keep your home cool.
For more tips on how to beat the heat without air conditioning, see HERE.
Dress for the heat
Many believe Italians dress their best no matter what they’re doing or where they are – but not everyone dresses to the nines in the muggy summer heat.
The Italian summer wardrobe is full of breezy linen shirts, loose cotton dresses and comfortable sandals.
Air conditioning is less common in Italy than in other European countries, so you won’t typically find a stark temperature difference when you move from outside to inside.
Don’t miss out on the summer festivals
Summer in Italy offers a vibrant calendar of outdoor festivals and food fairs.
Culture, music and food are on full display across the country, and though many move out of the cities and take time off work to relax and recharge, summer is also a time to celebrate, meet up with old friends and enjoy life.
READ ALSO: What's on in Italy: 10 of the best events to look forward to this August
One of the most beloved summer traditions is the sagra – local food festivals that are typically focused on a single seasonal ingredient or dish. Whatever the focus of the celebrations is, these events offer a unique mix of traditional dishes, small-town charm and local folk music.
Music festivals, cultural talks, open-air concerts and feste di paese (town festivals usually celebrating the patron saint) are also plentiful in the summer months, meaning you’ll have no shortage of events to choose from, regardless of which part of the country you find yourself in.
Enjoy the evening passeggiata
As the sun sets and the heat eases off, squares and seaside promenades up and down the country slowly fill up with locals going about their evening passeggiata – a leisurely walk meant to soak in the cooler evening air while enjoying a drink or a gelato in the company of friends or family.
Dinners are typically late-evening affairs during the summer, so the passeggiata can come either before or after eating.
If you’re not in the mood for an evening stroll, do as many Italians do: forgo the walk and just relax in a chair outside your home.
Avoid hot meals
Hot and heavy meals are generally avoided at the height of summer, not least because standing over a stove or oven during spells of scorching heat is unthinkable for many.
Instead of warm dishes of lasagna, pasta or risotto, summer tables are filled with colourful, cold dishes.
There’s the classic prosciutto e melone and insalata caprese. Or you can toss together an insalata di pasta (pasta salad) or insalata di riso (rice salad) filled with fresh or pickled veggies, cubes of ham and mozzarella or tinned fish, olives and capers.
READ ALSO: Nine Italian summer delicacies you have to taste
Cold cuts and fresh cheeses such as burrata are common, as are seasonal vegetables drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt.
And, of course, every meal isn’t really complete without fruit, especially watermelon, cherries, peaches, and figs.
You can never have too much gelato
For Italians, gelato isn't just a treat – it's a part of summer life.
While visitors might see it as a holiday indulgence, Italians view it as part of their routine as soon as the summer starts. A scoop (or two) is just as essential as an espresso.
READ ALSO: How to find the best gelato in Italy
As the afternoon sun starts to dip, you can expect the local gelateria to fill up and have a steady stream of customers well into the evening, with many taking away hefty tubs of the creamy dessert to complete their dinners.
Eating gelato is also one of the Italian health ministry's official recommendations for keeping cool during the summer.
Embrace the slow pace
Wherever you are in Italy, summer is the ideal time to embrace a slower pace of life, focusing on friends and family, good food and rest.
Work takes a backseat even before the typical holiday period begins in August. By mid-July, people start to slip into summer mode, deadlines are pushed back to September, and automatic replies begin rolling into your inbox.
There’s a general feeling that nothing is as important as the upcoming time off.
All in all, work life slows down to a halt, meals last longer, and life becomes lighter.
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