It seems to me that people in Italy spend a lot of time leaning out of their windows. There, I said it. It’s an outrageous stereotype, but coming here from London, I believe there’s something quintessentially charming about the window-to-street interactions you’ll find in Italian towns and cities.

Look up and you’ll catch people in windows everywhere: the polite nod of the head as you meet eyes, the candid half-smile, the obtrusive stare at passers-by, the pensive puff of the cigarette, the gaze into the distance, the warmth of sun on the face. Sometimes, a few words are thrown. “Beautiful day, isn’t it?”