{"id":170029,"date":"2026-09-20T09:20:10","date_gmt":"2026-09-20T07:20:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ilborgodelbalsamico.it\/?p=170029"},"modified":"2026-09-29T09:25:18","modified_gmt":"2026-09-29T07:25:18","slug":"autumn-holidays-what-barbero-tells-us-about-holidays-in-the-18th-century","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ilborgodelbalsamico.it\/en\/racconti\/villeggiatura-autunno-cosa-racconta-barbero-vacanze-settecento\/","title":{"rendered":"Autumn holidays: what Barbero has to say about holidays in the 18th century"},"content":{"rendered":"

There was a time when holidays didn\u2019t last a week, but a whole season (those were the days!). It was called <\/span>holiday!<\/b><\/h2>\n

It was a custom that, for a couple of centuries, was central to the lives of the Italian aristocracy and the upper middle classes, and which today, as Professor <\/span>Alessandro Barbero<\/b> in the podcast <\/span>Ask Barbero<\/i><\/b> (Intesa Sanpaolo On Air \/ Chora Media), has almost completely disappeared.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the 18th century, moving from the city to the countryside for two or three months was a very common practice amongst those who could afford it. In this regard, we recall <\/span>The urge to go on holiday<\/span><\/i>, the comedy that <\/span>Carlo Goldoni<\/b> He wrote it in 1761 and staged it for the first time at the Teatro San Luca in Venice that very autumn: in the play, the respectable middle classes try to imitate the habits of the aristocracy, if only to be able to say, \u201cWe\u2019re going there too\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

Holidays did not originally begin as a summer tradition.<\/b><\/h3>\n

It originated in autumn and is linked to two of the aristocracy\u2019s oldest traditions: hunting, which was traditionally practised at that time of year, and the grape harvest, for those who owned land and vineyards. <\/span>The Balsamico\u2019s Borgo was indeed a holiday resort! <\/strong><\/em>It was only later that holidaying became more widespread, eventually coming to include the summer as well. Then there were those who made it a way of life: in 20th-century Italy, for example, some people took it for granted that they would leave the city at the start of June and stay in the countryside until mid-October, even having their post delivered to their holiday address!<\/span><\/p>\n

Borgo, today: a return to autumn holidays<\/b>
\n<\/span>Whilst modern holidays have shifted almost entirely to the summer, Il Borgo del Balsamico remains true to its oldest roots: a place that is at its best in autumn, when life slows down, the Reggio Emilia countryside changes colour and time seems to stand still. <\/span><\/p>\n

Borgo is situated in Botteghe di Albinea, amidst the hills where the Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Reggio Emilia PDO is produced.<\/b><\/p>\n

Autumn and the cooler months are perfect for book a tour with a tasting at the historic vinegar cellar<\/a>. <\/span>From here, in autumn, routes branch out in every direction: to the south, the Reggio Apennines and the The Castles of Matilda of Canossa<\/a>, with the Pietra di Bismantova dominating the landscape; to the west, Parma, with the Cathedral decorated with frescoes by Correggio<\/a>; to the east, Modena and its motoring heritage, or Bologna with its arcades, which are perfect even on the most unpredictable days. <\/span><\/p>\n

And if you pay attention, every year, during the off-season, the Borgo opens its homes<\/strong> also for something else: thematic workshops<\/strong> <\/a>from photography to cooking, led by international professionals who have forged a special bond with this place. <\/span>A different way of looking at autumn: not as a time spent waiting for next summer, but as a season to be enjoyed to the full.<\/span><\/p>\n