Museum / S.O.
France

Avanti / Italian, 'come in', called back through the door

Italy / old streets, loud bells and very good lunches

VISITED

VISITED / Avanti

Italy

old streets, loud bells and very good lunches

Open exhibit

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I have been here.

Hungary

Cities

  • Rome Layers on layers, a temple, a church, a café, all on the same corner.
  • Florence The Renaissance kept outdoors; ochre walls and one perfect river.
  • Naples Loud, alive, a little unhinged, and the pizza is worth every argument.
  • Bologna Porticoes, red roofs, and the table the rest of the country envies.

The table

  • Cacio e pepe Three ingredients, nowhere to hide, somehow perfect in Rome.
  • Pizza napoletana Blistered, floppy, eaten folded, argued about forever.
  • An espresso, standing At the bar, downed in one, never after a certain hour.
  • Gelato at dusk The evening passeggiata's whole point, walked slowly.

Saved pins

  • Galleria degli Uffizi ↗ Book ahead; give it a whole morning and still leave early.
  • The Pantheon at opening Walk in before the crowd; stand under the oculus; say nothing.
  • A neighbourhood gelateria The one with no photos on the menu and a queue of locals.

My note

I went to Italy for the art and ruins. I remember the food just as clearly. A good day could move from a church to a long lunch, then back outside for gelato without feeling planned.

The door uses a Roman arch, aged timber and a lion knocker. Its chime is based on the bright church bells that cut across a town square around midday.