The holiday season is about to begin and the confederation of retailers and small businesses has completed a survey which shows that 34 million Italians are expected to go away between June and September of this year. Of those going on holiday 77 per cent are to stay in Italy, 19 per cent will go to another European country and only 4 per cent will leave Europe. According to the survey these holiday makers will spend a total of 26.4 billion euros. However the economic climate is forcing Italians to reduce the time they spend away, from a traditional month to an average of a little more than two weeks.

Most of those who will not go away are working parents who choose to spend money to send their children to specially organised summer camps rather than leave them alone at home during the long summer break. This year schools in Rome close on 10 June and will re-open in mid September.