Introducing La Piazza

La Piazza

A busy town square. Radiating from it, cobblestone streets bustling with activity and double-parked cars. A Vespa whizzes by and the cute guy riding it yells out his ,“Ciao, bella!” Italy’s default greeting. Tourists and locals rub elbows at sunlit sidewalk cafes, sipping espresso and reading the paper, or leisurely taking in the city’s beauty. A waiter pirouettes by, and drops off a steaming cappuccino at my table. I look around and I feel like I belong. That’s the vibe I get here. I throw back my head and inhale the sun’s friendly rays, and the mixed aromas of coffee, fresh pastries and history. Rome is my city, I was raised here. But every time I sit back and look at it with the eyes of the American in me, I understand why foreigners feel so embraced by this city. Rome accepts you, and smiles her confident smile as she lets you in.

This weekly segment is that sunlit square. A piazza where we can stroll around and visit an open-air market, learn social customs, hear the sound of the musical language spoken, or just enjoy the passage of time, sitting on the steps of a spilling Baroque fountain.  A hub where women travelers can hook up, chat and exchange views, in Italian we call this “fare quattro chiacchere.”

My name is Eleonora and I will be your cicerone, your Rome person. The local you call upon when visiting a new place, the one you consult for off the map secrets. Here I will share journeys, stories, recipes, memories, hang outs, and also ask questions, lift issues about my city. Interact essentially, like we do when hanging out in the piazza.

*Photo by Vladimir Fofanov