Anyone who has holidayed in Italy in mid-August will know that 15 August is Ferragosto, the national Bank Holiday which sees most of the country shutting up shop and heading for the beach. Essentially marking Assumption Day, the national holiday is a religious one, but it also marks the beginning of Italy’s holiday period. Ferragosto celebrations take place across the country, ranging from local village-based events to huge crowd-pulling occasions such as Siena’s Palio. In Sicily, most activities are focused around the beach, with some towns and villages also organising festivals, processions and fireworks. Not surprisingly, the celebrations spill out…