Siesta is a time of rest in the middle of the day, typically between 13:00 and 16:00. This custom was originally practised mainly in warm areas where the afternoon temperatures became unbearable for work in the fields. People therefore took a restful break after lunch, often accompanied by a short nap, to recharge their batteries for the rest of the day.
The traditional siesta is still strictly observed by most Italians today, so especially between 1pm and 4pm is simply a time to rest. This is the time of the lunchtime lull not only in hotels and restaurants, small and large shops close and repairmen are not to be found. So remember: what you can't get done by noon will have to wait until at least 4pm and often even longer, as neither haste nor punctuality are common Italian traits.
