Today is Ferragosto. Ferragosto is a national holiday in Italy and many cities empty out to go to the beach, or the mountains. In days gone by, foreign tourists were faced with many closed stores and ghosts towns/cities for much of the month of August. These days you will still be confronted with much quieter tourist locations, but many locales will cater specifically to those natives who opted to avoid the crowds . . .

and the tourists who don’t know any better.

Our town is a mountain paradise that thrives on summer tourism, culminating with our annual Fiera del Fungo (Mushroom festival) for two weeks in September. And while today is definitely quiet, there is a luscious lunch available at Ristorante Albergo Roma.

They never disappoint!  Today was the typical salumi antipasto, a great risotto, pork roast, roasted potatoes and dessert.

I swear those potatoes were the best part!  Now for a nap!