Ferragosto on August 15 is when all Italians down tools, shut up shop, and head for the coast. It is when the beach club—as a summer ritual and institution—comes into its own. As a holiday, Ferragosto’s roots are pre-Christian, tracing back to Emperor Augustus, who declared the end of the harvest a time of rest. The Catholic Church later adopted the date as a feast day celebrating the Assumption of Mary into Heaven. From secluded rocky coves to glamorous high-end terraces, here are the coast’s finest stabilimenti in which to celebrate the height of the Mediterranean summer.
Le Sirenuse Mare
In May, Le Sirenuse Mare opened in Positano to great fanfare with a lavish Siren-themed party, where one guest caused a stir by arriving dressed as a mussel. Of course, cozze (mussels), clams, oysters, and even caviar feature on the menu at this 180-seat terraced restaurant, set between towering pines. Sun-lounger entry fees reach $576 in high summer. Three years in the making, the Tyrrhenian coast’s latest beach club boasts mint-green artisanal elegance and artistic flair, including a fountain by sculptor Giuseppe Ducrot, hand-painted tile insets by Alba Clemente, and a troop of life-size wooden pachyderms donated by Elephant Family—the brainchild of the late Mark Shand, a dear friend and enthusiastic past guest of the hotel.
