In Rome, the temperate days of autumn have arrived and are encouraging us to head outside to
enjoy the fall foliage soon to burst into color following the last vestiges of the summer heat.
Oh yes, it's time to experience the Ottobrate Romane. What are they, you might ask? Well, in
ancient times the Ottobrate Romane were small trips out to the Roman countryside in, for
example, the Castelli Romani southeast of the capital.
The expression finds its origins in the traditional grape harvests of antiquity when the Romans
would go beyond the city walls in their horse-drawn chariots in hopes of finding a good harvest.
Before and after the hard work of this countryside harvest, large banquets were traditionally
prepared with food and wine and were marked by a contagious atmosphere of cheerfulness and
sociability that to this day remains the most beautiful part of this celebration.
As you can imagine, Romans ate quite a bit on these occasions; everything from cheeses and
sausages to lots of other varieties of meat. Some of the favorite meat dishes from these Ottobrate
Romane banquets include lamb and tripe, while in terms of pasta there was certainly plenty
gnocchi to go around.
These festivals were characterized not only by food, of course, but also popular music, dances,
and wine-induced revelry which spanned the entire day.
Central Italy has a very popular musical genre among fans of folk music known as the saltarello,
which is a local version of the more famous tarantella in Southern Italy.
In honor of the Ottobrate Romane, Scuola Leonardo da Vinci of Rome organizes two beautiful outings for the month of October. The first trip takes our students to the village of Castel Gandolfo, while the second instead goes to the elegant town of Frascati. These are two perfect occasions in which our students — without exceeding the reasonable limits of food and alcohol — are able to experience the sociability and good humor typical of the traditional Ottobrate Romane.
Together we bid farewell to the end of summer and instead greet the arrival of the first chill of
autumn!
USEFUL LINKS
- WEBSITE: Scuola Leonardo da Vinci
- CONTACT US
Read more articles about our excursions and cultural courses:
- Enjoy this summer while you learn Italian with us!
- La Dolce vita and the joy of living... in Rome
- Experience a gap year in Italy and enjoy the Italian “slow life” as a local!
- One week in Italy: our one-week courses
- Enjoy Rome in August
Scuola Leonardo da Vinci Rome
The Eternal City has known it all. Victory and defeat, joy and tragedy, glory and humility marked Rome’s history, culture and architecture. A magical place with vibrant, timeless lifestyle with countless secrets waiting to be discovered.
The Scuola Leonardo da Vinci is situated in the centre of Rome, in the pedestrian area, halfway from the astounding Piazza Navona, Castel S. Angelo and St. Peter Basilica. It is one of the largest schools in Rome.
We, from Leonardo da Vinci School have one mission – to introduce you to this exciting urban symphony. Every year thousand of students from more than 90 countries jump into this adventure hand in hand with us. Leonardo da Vinci School is not only leading language institute, but centre of Italian culture and lifestyle. We match our vast experience with our student’ eagerness to know and learn and together we make it happen.
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