Italian passeggiate -- where were your favorites?
Feb 12th, 2008, 06:07 AM
#1
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Italian passeggiate -- where were your favorites?
As most here know, 'passeggiata' (or passeggiate for plural) refers to the early evening stroll through the town square (usually) that is an important part of Italian life. This is a social affair, to see others and to be seen.
For those visitors who have experienced one or more of these events, were your favorites in a smaller town or a city? Which stand out the most in your memory? What made them so enjoyable or unique? Thanks.
For those visitors who have experienced one or more of these events, were your favorites in a smaller town or a city? Which stand out the most in your memory? What made them so enjoyable or unique? Thanks.
Feb 12th, 2008, 06:24 AM
#2
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The passeggiata in Molfetta, just north of Bari, sticks in my mind. This town of 60,000 residents has a main street with all the required designer shops. It seemed like a pretty cosmopolitan place during the morning, with busy shoppers and pedestrians.
We spent the morning in Trani, arrived back in Molfetta at 1:30 PM and walked from the train station to the center of town without passing another pedestrian and seeing one or two cars go by. The streets were eerily empty, truly empty, last-man-on-Earth empty.
Three hours later, the streets were full of life. it seemed as if all 60,000 residents were on the main street, strolling arm in arm, meeting and greeting friends, crowding the gelateria, stopping to watch the children on the small train in the park. An amazing transformation.
We spent the morning in Trani, arrived back in Molfetta at 1:30 PM and walked from the train station to the center of town without passing another pedestrian and seeing one or two cars go by. The streets were eerily empty, truly empty, last-man-on-Earth empty.
Three hours later, the streets were full of life. it seemed as if all 60,000 residents were on the main street, strolling arm in arm, meeting and greeting friends, crowding the gelateria, stopping to watch the children on the small train in the park. An amazing transformation.
Feb 12th, 2008, 08:50 AM
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For my money, you can't beat Gaeta. There is a pedestrian only street in Gaeta called Via Dell' Independenza. The Americans in Gaeta(the site of the Sixth Fleet Headquarters) call it "Piccolo Alley", It is a stupendous area to walk every evening. They have a multitude of great shops, where you can window shop, they have benches every so often, and they have many great coffee shops where you can sit and refresh yourself.
Feb 12th, 2008, 11:28 AM
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Taormina passeggiata was busy and friendly, I loved watching the children play. I also like Orvieto's.
Sorrento, along the corso when it is closed to traffic and into the Forno Bar.
Santa Margherita Ligure was pleasant in a pleasant sea side setting.
Sorrento, along the corso when it is closed to traffic and into the Forno Bar.
Santa Margherita Ligure was pleasant in a pleasant sea side setting.
Feb 12th, 2008, 12:16 PM
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My very first passeggiata experience happened on the first night of my first Italian vacation in Verona. It was so wonderful. My husband, son and I were sitting at the top of the Arena at sunset. Beautiful music was being played from speakers aorund the piazza and throngs of people were walking the full circle around the arena. We knew immediately what was going by having read about it before we left for the trip. It was so cool. We did climb down and join the crowd. The first obversation was that everyone was dressed to impress. Furs and beautiful outfits and shoes. Beautiful people too. I will never forget it.
Feb 12th, 2008, 04:24 PM
#9
Varenna, lakeside, for the sun setting/falling behind the hills west of Menaggio and the beautiful light shining on the lake.
Gubbio, in Piazza Pretorio, for the setting sun drenching the town in the most amazing golden light and the shadows spreading across the Umbra Valle.
Gubbio, in Piazza Pretorio, for the setting sun drenching the town in the most amazing golden light and the shadows spreading across the Umbra Valle.
Feb 12th, 2008, 06:48 PM
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Not a small town, but my favorite passeggiata must have been during my first visit to my favorite city, Florence.
We were walking about at night, and realized there were many people around us, and we were underdressed. I finally dawned on me that everyone was out for their evening stroll. It was just nice to see the locals walk around, talk, and just live in such an old city. One night, the lights were just perfect, the night sky was perfect, and a couple were singing right outside Palazzo Vecchio, setting the perfect mood.
They certainly do walk around in great clothing and accessories (and I'd already thought the ladies were quite fashionably dressed in the day time). I made sure during my subsequent visits, I brought at least 1 outfit for the same purpose, just to have a little fun and join the crowd.
We were walking about at night, and realized there were many people around us, and we were underdressed. I finally dawned on me that everyone was out for their evening stroll. It was just nice to see the locals walk around, talk, and just live in such an old city. One night, the lights were just perfect, the night sky was perfect, and a couple were singing right outside Palazzo Vecchio, setting the perfect mood.
They certainly do walk around in great clothing and accessories (and I'd already thought the ladies were quite fashionably dressed in the day time). I made sure during my subsequent visits, I brought at least 1 outfit for the same purpose, just to have a little fun and join the crowd.
Feb 13th, 2008, 02:56 AM
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I know you said Italy and the small town of Cetona was my first experience with the "Stroll" but I was in San Sebastian this past September and walking along La Concha each evening was inspiring. What's so nice is that this tradition isn't limited to one country and exudes family and community.
Feb 13th, 2008, 03:59 AM
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Spoleto, up and down the curving main street; lots of young people as well as the obligatory widows occupying every available bench along the way. A great town......except during the music festival in June (Waaaay to crowded)
Feb 13th, 2008, 04:17 AM
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A beautiful question NoleNamad. Many mentioned here sound wonderful! The Sorrento and Lecce Passiagiatas are among those I remember well.
But the passegiata experience that stands out in my mind is one that I shared with an elderly Italian woman who lived in the building where I was renting an apartment in Trastevere. We had been greeting each other and chatting "from the windowsill" for a couple of days when one early evening she invited me to join her for a passegiata. I stopped by her (amazing) apartment so I could see pictures of all her children who had dispersed throughout Italy, she got her coat, and off we went. We walked all through the streets of Trastevere meeting and greeting many of her friends. We had snacks and Gelato in the Piazzetta in front of Santa Maria Trastevere and greeted others as they passed by, including a priest from the church. We stopped into a small pizzeria and went into the back room where several local ladies had gathered to sip Grappa and gossip. Much friendly laughing and teasing of "the American". We strolled around slowly, arm in arm, with no particular sense of time, and she pointed out little nooks and crannies, and made little jokes about friends we greeted along the way.
I remember thinking that one of the most dignified and beautiful things is watching an Italian strolling relaxed along the street. The way they carry themselves, young and old, is true poetry! So for me it was a special memory is to taking the passegiata woth someone so known in the neighborhood.
But the passegiata experience that stands out in my mind is one that I shared with an elderly Italian woman who lived in the building where I was renting an apartment in Trastevere. We had been greeting each other and chatting "from the windowsill" for a couple of days when one early evening she invited me to join her for a passegiata. I stopped by her (amazing) apartment so I could see pictures of all her children who had dispersed throughout Italy, she got her coat, and off we went. We walked all through the streets of Trastevere meeting and greeting many of her friends. We had snacks and Gelato in the Piazzetta in front of Santa Maria Trastevere and greeted others as they passed by, including a priest from the church. We stopped into a small pizzeria and went into the back room where several local ladies had gathered to sip Grappa and gossip. Much friendly laughing and teasing of "the American". We strolled around slowly, arm in arm, with no particular sense of time, and she pointed out little nooks and crannies, and made little jokes about friends we greeted along the way.
I remember thinking that one of the most dignified and beautiful things is watching an Italian strolling relaxed along the street. The way they carry themselves, young and old, is true poetry! So for me it was a special memory is to taking the passegiata woth someone so known in the neighborhood.
Feb 13th, 2008, 06:55 AM
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Lnciano, in the Abruzzo region in Italy. This medieval town wedged between the coast and the mountains is a mecca for Italian tourists and thus very well served by excellent restaurants, elegant stores,
But very few other tourists ever seem to come here so the customs of the old city are still intact. And the passeggiate are honoured to the full, every night, but especially Sunday. We lived here for some time and enjoyed the lovely strolls along the Corso, nodding at folks we knew, with the turn at the piazza in summer and winter (the sidewalks are somewhat sheltered under canopies to accomodate the winter walks). Then home or out to a magnificent meal.
We miss this but slogging through the snow past irritated commuters in February in Toronto doesn't have quite the same cachet!
But very few other tourists ever seem to come here so the customs of the old city are still intact. And the passeggiate are honoured to the full, every night, but especially Sunday. We lived here for some time and enjoyed the lovely strolls along the Corso, nodding at folks we knew, with the turn at the piazza in summer and winter (the sidewalks are somewhat sheltered under canopies to accomodate the winter walks). Then home or out to a magnificent meal.
We miss this but slogging through the snow past irritated commuters in February in Toronto doesn't have quite the same cachet!
Feb 13th, 2008, 10:40 AM
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Bellastar raises a good point about walking arm in arm. When I'm in Naples, or Gaeta, or anyplace else in Italy, for that matter, and I go walking with one of my several brothers in law who live in Italy, invariably one of my brothers in law will walk with me arm in arm, as is a custom in Italy. This is all well and good, any I sort of like it. HOWEVER, a few years ago, my brother in law Peppino visited with us in Maryland. When I took him to Washington, DC to visit some of the museums, he did the very same thing-walked arm in arm with me. I'm pretty liberal with my views about man and man behaviour, but I gotta tell you, I was pretty embarrassed walking arm in arm with another guy in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. I didn't want to insult Peppino, so I kept my embarrassment in check.
