Ciao! I'm Laura.
  • Journal
  • About
  • Writing
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Journal
  • Books
  • Podcast
  • About
    • Writing
  • Contact

Ciao Amalfi

Amalfi Coast, Costiera Amalfitana, Holidays, Maiori, Positano · August 15, 2009

Buon Ferragosto!

 

Ciao Amalfi Coast Blog Positano Lights

Festival Lights for Ferragosto in Positano

 

August 15th is an important holiday here in Italy called Ferragosto, which celebrates the Assumption of the Virgin into heaven. One of the most important holidays of the years and a bank holiday, Ferragosto is a day usually spent with family and friends enjoying the warm summer weather. One of the busiest periods of the year for Italian tourists, the Amalfi Coast is regularly packed during the Ferragosto holiday. While it is a crowded time, a visit to the Amalfi Coast during the Ferragosto holiday offers more than just sun and beautiful beaches. Ferragosto is also an important religious holiday in both Positano and Maiori, where there are elaborate festivals in honor of the Virgin Mary. These celebrations are a great chance to see firsthand the significance of Ferragosto as a religious holiday.

 

Ciao Amalfi Coast Blog Positano Night Positano with Ferragosto lights

 

Positano’s picturesque church of Santa Maria Assunta is located just steps from the beach and is home to an important 13th century Byzantine icon depicting the Black Madonna. On Ferragosto this icon is taken from the church and carried on an elaborate procession through the city. The beaches and harbor of this famous seaside town are packed with visitors and boats that come to see the splendid firework displays that takes place at midnight on the water. Just down the coast to the east, the city of Maiori celebrates their patron saint and protector Santa Maria a Mare on August 14th and 15th. A beautiful statue of the Virgin Mary is processed through the town ending with a dramatic procession of the statue up the 127 steps to the church. In both Positano and Maiori, Ferragosto is one of the biggest celebrations of the year.

 

To read more about Ferragosto, head over to Becoming Italian Word by Word where Dianne Hales has a great features today about the holiday. Brush up on your Ferragosto vocabulary and have yourself a wonderful day. Buon Ferragosto!

Posted In: Amalfi Coast, Costiera Amalfitana, Holidays, Maiori, Positano

You’ll Also Love

Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Buon San Valentino!
“Wind through history on Italy’s Amalfi Coast”

Comments

  1. Ciao Chow Linda says

    August 15, 2009 at 14:24

    Wish I could be celebrating Ferragosto in Amalfi. Hope you're having a great day.

    Reply
  2. Chef Chuck says

    August 15, 2009 at 15:12

    Cioa Laura, The lights look beautiful!! The crowds must be generating a lot of energy!!
    Enjoy 🙂

    Reply
  3. Saretta says

    August 15, 2009 at 16:28

    That is a fancy light display!

    Reply
  4. Anne in Oxfordshire says

    August 15, 2009 at 17:43

    Hi Laura, oh how I wish I was there to celebrate this wonderful day with you all…It looks beautiful.

    Reply
  5. Leslie: says

    August 15, 2009 at 18:25

    Upon looking outside this morning at the grey skies, I was wishing I could be in Italia! When I was there, it was Halloween and there were fantastic explosions of fireworks right outside our hotel room (Ancora)! I bet this celebration is even more special – noisy, too! Enjoy!!

    Reply
  6. Lost in Sicily says

    August 15, 2009 at 21:33

    Your description of the celebrations would make me venture out into the crowds! Hope you had fun.

    Reply
  7. Lola says

    August 15, 2009 at 22:54

    We always seem to be posting in sync!
    Buon Ferragosto!

    Lola xx

    Aglio, Olio & Peperoncino

    Reply
  8. Laura says

    August 17, 2009 at 18:34

    Ciao Linda! Thanks! I spent the day inside where it was cool, and then enjoyed dinner with friends in Atrani where we could see the great firework display in Maiori. Fun memories!

    Ciao Chuck! That's a great way to put it! I would love to see the festival in Positano next year. With all those fancy lights it must be a big event!

    Ciao Saretta! The lights in Positano were the fanciest I have ever seen. There were even some with lights that moved to create a waterfall effect. Leave it to Positano to out-fancy everyone on the Amalfi Coast! 🙂

    Ciao Anne! Me, too! It is a crazy, but fun time to see the Amalfi Coast.

    Ciao Leslie! I hope the sun came out for your Ferragosto! On the Amalfi Coast there was a lot of music, but pretty much only fireworks displays in Maiori and Positano. But the streets were crowded and everyone was out. Fun!

    Ciao Lost in Sicily! Besides the eternal problem of what to do with the car during such events, it is a great night to be out on the Amalfi Coast. Hope you had a fun Ferragosto!

    Ciao Lola! Love your post … and am dreaming about anguria in any way, shape or form right now. It is so refreshing! I love how we post in synch! 🙂

    Reply
  9. Welshcakes Limoncello says

    August 18, 2009 at 01:08

    I love those lights!

    Reply
  10. Laura says

    August 20, 2009 at 11:32

    Ciao Pat! I loved the sailing ship lights. Usually the lights here are only of flowers or geometric shapes. The lights in Positano were much more elaborate!

    Reply
  11. Susan Van Allen says

    August 14, 2010 at 18:26

    Grazie for bringing us to Positano for this triumphant celebration!

    Reply
  12. Laura says

    August 30, 2010 at 15:45

    Ciao Susan! Thank you for stopping by and commenting. 🙂 I was fortunate this year to take a night boat from Amalfi to Positano on the 14th and arrive during the procession celebrating the arrival of the 13th century icon of the Black Madonna in Positano. It was beautiful to experience the religious processions and celebrations in Positano!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Next Post >

Wishing on the Stars on the Amalfi Coast

Trending Now

  • ciao-amalfi-winter-things-to-do Visiting the Amalfi Coast in the Winter – 5 Things You Need to Know
  • Amalfi Coast Travel Positano Beach Spiagga Grande A Guide to the Beaches of Positano
  • Amalfi Coast Webcams New Live Streaming Webcams of Amalfi!
  • Amalfi Coast Beaches Colourful Sun Umbrellas at the Marina Grande Beach in Amalfi - Horizontal A Guide to the Beaches of Amalfi

Ciao!

My name is Laura and the Amalfi Coast is my passion and my home. I’m a writer and photographer who is endlessly inspired by the incredible beauty of the Amalfi Coast. Welcome to Ciao Amalfi!

Ciao Amalfi

  • Journal
  • Moon Amalfi Coast
  • Newsletter
  • Contact

Amalfi Coast

  • Amalfi
  • Positano
  • Ravello
  • Amalfi Coast

Explore

  • Travel
  • History & Culture
  • Food & Drink
  • Shopping

Laura Thayer

  • About
  • Writing
  • Book Reviews
  • Work with Me

Latest on Instagram

A spectacular view of a truly spectacular place as A spectacular view of a truly spectacular place as I flew out of Naples yesterday morning. A little bit delayed due to Winter Storm Olive in the midwest, but I was greeted in central Nebraska by blue skies and flocks of Sandhill cranes and snow geese. “Oh, to love what is lovely” as Mary Oliver wrote about that joyful experience of seeing snow geese golden in a sunny sky. ✨
It’s International Cat Day in Italy, but Puffy s It’s International Cat Day in Italy, but Puffy slept right through it. He’s been such a good cat since we lost Toulouse in September - we’re all still adjusting. This year Puffy will be 15! 🐈
This month’s Ciao Amalfi newsletter is out! A li This month’s Ciao Amalfi newsletter is out! A little bit of a love letter to Amalfi, an excellent book for walking by @robgmacfarlane, February on the Amalfi Coast, and one very dramatic historic photograph. Hope you enjoy the read! {link in bio}

#ciaoamalfi #Amalfi #amalficoast #visitamalfi #visitamalficoast
Woke up with the winter blues and this song I love Woke up with the winter blues and this song I love by Jack Teagarden in my head. 🎶
What 31 days of January morning walks looks like. What 31 days of January morning walks looks like. It’s been gorgeous and windy and stormy and wild - and everything in between. Should I pick a different spot to take a photo a day next month?
Non Amalfi Coast question. Do you wake up in the m Non Amalfi Coast question. Do you wake up in the morning with music or a song in your head? I do nearly every morning and it’s curious to me what shows up. Usually it’s something I’ve been listening to, but sometimes it’s really random, like someone’s left the music room door slightly ajar in the brain. This morning it was a jaunty version of “Loch Lomond” from the 1940s sung by Maxine Sullivan. (You’d think that would be from the random category but I actually listened to it yesterday.) So that’s what was swinging about in my head as I took a walk early this morning. 🎶
Happy Burns Night! I love a country that has a hol Happy Burns Night! I love a country that has a holiday for their national poet. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Here’s one of my favorite poems he wrote.

Musing On The Roaring Ocean
by Robert Burns

Musing on the roaring ocean, 
Which divides my love and me; 
Wearying heav’n in warm devotion, 
For his weal where’er he be. 

Hope and Fear’s alternate billow 
Yielding late to Nature’s law, 
Whispering spirits round my pillow, 
Talk of him that’s far awa. 

Ye whom sorrow never wounded, 
Ye who never shed a tear, 
Care-untroubled, joy-surrounded, 
Gaudy day to you is dear. 

Gentle night, do thou befriend me, 
Downy sleep, the curtain draw; 
Spirits kind, again attend me, 
Talk of him that’s far awa!
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site Disclosure

Copyright © 2023 Ciao Amalfi · Theme by 17th Avenue