By definition, la piazza is basically the town square. However, there is nothing basic about it. The piazza is the life force of a town. It is its centerpiece, its rhythm....il ritmo. The beauty of the piazza is something that could be set to music, and in fact, when I’m sitting in la piazza, watching both locals and stranieri (tourists) go by, I often find the right tune on my ipod to compliment the moment. There is almost always a pleasant surprise waiting for you in la piazza. See what I stumbled upon in Piazza del Carmine, Firenze in the video below.
But first, I decided to ask a few dear friends, both Italian & American, to share their feelings about the piazza, so that you wouldn’t have to just take my word for it. Their sentiments capture the beauty of the piazza and I am incredibly grateful to them for taking the time to write. Grazie mille!
Here’s what they had to say:
Vincenzo Esposito talks about one of my favorite piazzas in Firenze:
Piazza della Signoria oggi....La piazza e' il luogo di incontro, di spaccio, di divertimento, dove si puo'giocare a calcio da piccoli, dove si ascoltano i concerti da grandi. Dove i ricordi rimangono per sempre e ogni volta che le attraversiamo ritroviamo un po' di noi stessi! Buon Anno!
Piazza della Signoria....Today the square is the place to meet, shop, have fun, where you can play soccer as a child, where you can listen to great concerts as an adult. It is where memories live forever, and every time we cross the square we rediscover a little piece of ourselves! Happy New Year!
Photo credit: Enzo Esposito: Piazza della Signoria, Firenze
Cassandra Santoro from Travel Italian Style
Italians are always talking about la dolce vita & la dolce farniente lifestyle but where does it all come from anyway? This was always my question when I first started to travel Italy over 10 years ago. Then suddenly when I took my first step into the local piazza the answer came to me rather quickly.
The piazza is the town’s pride, the gathering spot, the market location, the place to enjoy a passiaggata or gelato during your free time—this is the heart of any Italian city! This is the place where they gather together to celebrate the pride they have for their village and culture.
All the secrets can be found in this main square and you too can be a part of it, even just by enjoying a few moments in a local cafe where you can sit and watch it all come to life. Italians just do it best and they do it even better in the piazza.
Photo credit: Cassandra Santoro - Festival in the Village of San Vito dei Normanni in Puglia
Nicholas Coleman from Grove and Vine
Most small Italian villages have a piazza, which is the centerpiece of the community. Antique fairs, art shows, annual celebrations and the finest cups of espresso are enjoyed with friends basking under the warm afternoon glow. My personal favorite is the Piazza Grande in the ancient Etruscan town of Arezzo.
Stock photo: Piazza Grande, Arezzo
Chiara Bacco from Padua, Italia
The piazza is the perfect place to enjoy a gelato or prendiamo un caffe (have a coffee). In the morning there is usually a market where you can shop for fruits and vegetables that are locally grown.
What I love to do most in the piazza is to meet up with my friends for an aperitivo. It is the highlight of the day, where we come together to catch up, have a cocktail or a Spritz, and decide where the rest of the evening will take us.
My favorite is Piazza dei Signori in my hometown of Padua, Italy.
Stock photo: Piazza dei Signori, Padua
As promised above, here's a slice of one of my favorite piazza moments in Firenze.
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