Every city has its square, but there isn’t quite a country where squares are as socially important as they are here in Italy. Our piazze are truly special: to begin with, even the smallest of hamlets has one, something you don’t necessarily see in other parts of the world, where squares are common in larger cities and towns, but are often missing from the urban plan of villages. 

Wherever you are in the country, you can bet you’ll find either a church or the town hall in the main square. The village where I used to live on the Italian Riviera had three large squares, separated by two narrow alleys: social, commercial, political, and spiritual life all revolved around them.