Things I Would Miss If I Ever Leave Italy
Because, indeed, it’s a wonderful Country.
This quarantine made me think a lot. What if one day I’ll leave Italy? What would I miss? A lot depends if I would stay in Europe or move to America or even Asia. Europe has some things in common with Italy, for example the small towns, America as less in common, and Asia is a completely different world. So, I think this is a list of what I like most about Italy rather than a list of what I would miss if I ever leave Italy.
The Mountains
As you may know, here in Italy there are beautiful landscapes, but one of them catches my eyes as no other does: the mountains. There are so many places to go hiking or running. Dolomiti is where I go most. The pink rock is just amazing. There are wonderful lakes there, like Lago di Misurina or Lago di Carezza, but also Lago di Sauris (more Est) or Lago di Garda and Lago di Tenno (further West). You can find wonderful small little towns and it looks like they belong to a fairy tale as San Candido, or maybe bigger and more known as Cortina D’Ampezzo, Sappada, or Alleghe. Also, it’s very easy to find typical food.
The Sea
Even if I don’t like the sea too much, I still mention it in this list. Italy is surrounded by the sea, so it doesn’t take long to go there. The idea of not being so close to the beach, makes me feel a bit sad.
Food and Restaurant
Italy is plenty of good food and local dishes. Going to the restaurant is almost a ritual, and there are a lot of cheap restaurant where you can get plenty of food.
Here is my list of Italian specialties I would miss most.
The Small Towns
Small towns in Italy, and in Europe more in general, are served with pretty much everything. They have their own grocery store, post office, beauty and fashion stores, doctors’ studios, banks, electronic stores, and obviously bars and gelateria, bakeries. And, yes, you can walk to every of those places. There’s no need for car. For sure, the stores are small. Maybe you can’t find the zoodles maker at the grocery store, but they’re enough for the basic needs.
The bars (in the morning)
I love to have breakfast in a bar at morning, especially on Saturday or Sunday mornings, when I can sit down have my big breakfast with pastries and cappuccino, and chat with someone or read a book. The smell of the fresh brewed coffee makes me feel home.
Brioches, Bignè, slices of cakes… all those pastries, so delicious!
How do you want your coffee?
Liscio, Macchiato, in Tazza Grande, Ristretto, Cappuccino, Cappuccino con Cacao, Ginseng, Decaffeinato, Lungo, Doppio and so many others!
The bars (at dinner time)
Usually around six when the working day is done, it’s common to go out for a drink. Aperitivo, that’s how it’s called. Drinks can vary from a glass of wine, normally white wine like Prosecco or Tocai, to more alcoholic drinks like Spritz, Negroni, or Americano (last two are based on Campari). Snacks are served too, for example cichetti are served in Venice. It’s a cheering moment, which makes you forget about the stress of the day and enjoy a good chat with your friends or coworkers. Bars can be really crowded at that time, and it looks like a big party. Often, after Aperitivo, we go out for dinner.
The Slow Life
Even if I always like I’m racing against the clock, our life is slower compared to other countries’ life. Is there a problem? Domani (Tomorrow).
Sagra
This is a popular event for little/medium-size towns. Every place has its own tradition, but most of the time this event is based on a religious anniversary, and this is the reason why you can find them pretty much every week from spring to autumn. I like this event because it’s a big party of the town. There could be a funfair, or a charity lottery, or a dance floor, and there is always local food. You get your food, you seat at the table under a pavilion, and you drink. There’s usually a lot of drinking involved, but to the point where people get all drunk. Wine or beer are the best choices.
Farmer’s Market
I like to go buy vegetables to the farmer’s market. In Italy, the concept of farmer’s market is a bit different. It’s normal to find a truck along the road, or in a parking lot. They sell only seasonal food which taste much better, last longer, and it’s even cheaper than the grocery stores’ vegetables and fruits.
Trieste
Trieste is a city on the sea. It’s right on the border with Slovenia, and it’s “contradictory” city. In history, it was land to conquest. Romans, Venetians then, and Slovenians and Italians later competed for Trieste through the centuries. In fact, Slovenian and Italian cultures and architectures have lived together for years. Trieste dialect it’s very close to Venetian dialect, indeed. And for who loves literature, there’s a lot of culture: James Joyce, Italo Svevo, Umberto Saba and Gabriele D’Annunzio, they all lived in Trieste. If you walk around the city you can find their bronze statues. Last but not least, Trieste is the city of coffee. It’s so attached to coffee that people living there started to use a specific lexicon to order coffee.
Venice
Once you see and live Venice, you won’t be able to forget it. Even if it can be really crowded, hot, or even smelly in some Calle (narrow streets of Venice), it holds a magic no other city has. The life on the sea, the typical food and culture that accompanies it, are wonderful. There’s no words to describe Venice, you have to see it, live it. I usually go there at least once a here, and every time it’s like the first time.
Chestnuts
This one can be a little odd, but let me explain. I love chestnuts, and in fall it’s pretty common that some small stores (usually they sell only vegetables and fruit), cook chestnuts you can buy. I saw a couple of bars doing that too during Aperitivo. Sometimes you can find them also if there’s an event on the main square. I like to get closer, feeling the warmth of the fire and see those chestnuts popping and jumping on the barrel, until they get fully cooked.
