There are so many things I love about the Italian culture, soooooo many….. but I so love the walk before and/or after dinner. La Passeggiata has its roots in Italian culture, dating back to the Renaissance period, where it was a way for people to socialize and display their finest attire.
Passeggiata happens every evening between about 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. On weekdays, it's a time for socialization after work and before dinner. On the weekends, the whole family often takes part in this ritual, and passeggiata is an especially popular ritual on Sunday evenings.
Each trip to Italy, I have loved watching the community gather in the square before dinner, socializing with one another. As you probably can guess, their families go back more than decades, most likely centuries.
People will window shop, order coffee, gelato or an aperitivo. La passeggiata is an opportunity to see and be seen. Italians tend to dress up for la passeggiata.
I love watching the adults socialize with no phones in hand, while the little ones play together. The elders are respected, greeted and usually are the center of the conversation.
We should all embrace a bit of this in our lives. I cant begin to tell you how special this is.
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