Even as the green leaves start to fade to toasty autumn colours, the days remain warm in the Italian capital around this time.
Traditionally, locals would take day trips to the countryside surrounding Rome on Sundays – and sometimes Thursdays – throughout October, until the first decades of the 20th century.
These day trips took place at the end of the vendemmia, or the grape harvest for wine, and often turned into celebrations linked to it.
People dressed up and headed to the countryside, with girls sitting in small horse-drawn carts and the rest of the group following on foot.
Once they reached their destination, they would bask in the sunshine and enjoy music, games, and lots of food and wine until late into the night.
Some of the fare on offer included Roman specialities such as gnocchi, abbacchio (lamb) and tripe.
Class didn’t matter during the festivities; after a glass or two of wine, nobility mingled the general population for an inclusive celebration.
Some historians claim the tradition can be traced back to the Bacchanalia and Dionysia feasts of the ancient Romans, which were related to the cycle of the seasons.
Traditional destinations were Monte Testaccio, the countryside around Ponte Milvio, the vineyards between Monteverde and Porta San Pancrazio, or outside Porta San Giovanni and Porta Pia.
In his autobiography, the famous adventurer and womaniser Casanova complained that the route from Rome to Monte Testaccio, the destination of his personal ottobrata, was too short and didn’t allow him enough time with the women in the cart.
Many of these places are now considered central Rome, but were once beyond the Italian capital’s ancient walls.
Even though the tradition of ottobrata romana no longer exists, there is no doubt that Romans continue to take advantage of this enchanting period, enjoying their last outings before the arrival of the winter months.
