For Europeans, walking is more than just a mode of transportation, it’s a way of life.
For Italians in particular, walking is a part of la dolce vita, the sweet part of life that, like finding true love, is hard to describe, but you know it when you feel it.
Although in many Italian cities, you can find locals walking to/from their destinations all throughout the day, there is a sacred walking ritual that takes place in the evening that is truly not to be missed.
The ritual of taking daily, evening walks – known as la passeggiata – is a long-held tradition in Italy. Italians use this evening walk, not only as way to stay active but also as a way to socialize. It’s a time to see and be seen, to chat with friends and spend time with your family.
I observed this cultural pastime first hand when visiting Rome and Amalfi Coast a few years ago. Although the port towns in the Amalfi Coast always seem to be busy, the streets of Positano were usually filled with tourists and workers during the day. But as soon as evening rolled around, the locals would slowly appear from their dwellings – either homes or places of work – to connect with other locals in the town center for a hour or so.
To me, la passeggiata was the busiest time of the day and also the most charming. As magic hour arrived each evening, it was romantic to see young couples, dressed up, strolling by holding hands, chatting away in Italian, on their way to dinner or just getting some fresh air after a long day inside. It was also endearing to see groups of seniors, the men walking with the men and women with the women, all walking together, ever so often glancing back at the others with a smile or a wink. And just when the sun started to fully set, these same men and women who were eagerly walking and chatting about the events of the day, slowly headed back home or to their favorite trattoria for dinner, only to arrive back in the town center the very next evening to do it all over again.
I think those evenings in Positano, when my husband and I walked through the city center, were some of the most memorable. Because, for just a few hours each day, I felt less like a tourist, and more like a local, simply enjoying a beloved cultural tradition…and simply enjoying life.
My husband and I have tried to keep up this tradition of walking either before or after dinner (or even both) on most nights of the week, especially in the summer. I’ll admit, it’s not the same as walking through the narrow stone streets of Positano. But it still reminds me of our time in Italy and allows us to bring just a little more dolce vita into our own lives.
