"Passeggiata": The Italian Way of Strolling Through Town
In Italy, there's a cultural tradition of walking through town in the evening before dinner, or even late at night in some regions, dressed in your favorite clothes and perfume. You might pop into a bar or cafe, find acquaintances, and enjoy conversations.
This is called "passeggiata," which means "stroll" in Italian.
There’s no particular errand, and it's not about going somewhere far at a set time. Instead, it’s about walking along busy local streets.
If you happen to see an acquaintance, you simply chat while enjoying a beer or wine. That’s all there is to it. When I first heard about this culture, I distinctly remember being genuinely moved, wondering if such a custom, which enriches everyday life, truly existed.
I had always thought that meeting up with people, setting a time, specifically buying clothes for that day, taking the subway, and going out into the city was the norm worldwide.
The Italian strolling custom, "passeggiata," seems to extract only the most fashionable elements.
Some people in Japan have their regular local spots; perhaps it's a similar feeling. I often find that people who have such habits are highly perceptive and surprisingly good at conversation.
While we've largely returned to pre-COVID routines, during the time when I was working remotely around the clock, ordering food via UberEats, and sometimes not leaving the house for days, I found that simply wearing clothes similar to what I’d wear outside and applying my favorite Chanel perfume (which I’ve used since my student days) before work significantly boosted my mood.
How about incorporating "passeggiata" into your life?
