All this time wishing I could go back to Florence is making me think about all the famous locations in Italy that are supposed to bring its visitors good luck and make their wishes comes true. Here are three that I visited–all of which I’m pretty sure I had the same desire at: “I wish I could keep living in Florence!”
1. The Trevi Fountain
Probably the most famous of these locations is the Trevi Fountain in Rome. Tradition says that those who throw a coin into the fountain are guaranteed a return to Rome someday. While I did have a deep moment of wishing for a return to Italy, I did not toss in a Euro. Maybe I should have.
2. Giulietta’s statue
A less-known practice of good luck takes place at la casa di Giulietta in Verona–Juliette’s house. Below her balcony is her statue, which tourists swarm around for the chance to commit the act of good luck: rubbing her nipple….which is now quite faded. Yes, absurd; no, I did not partake. But I did get a kick out of watching others leap at their chance as if all their happiness depended on it. (Maybe I should’ve given this a go too).
3. Il Porcellino
Perhaps the least-known superstitious act of making dreams come true is located right in my other home town, Firenze.
For months I heard about “the pig” from my housemates. “I bought this by the pig!” “There’s this great guitarist playing by the pig!” “We should take pictures at the pig!” “Come meet us at the pig!” I would be told, only left to wonder Where and what the hell is this pig?!
Well, this little piggie went to the market…He’s a bronze fountain nicknamed “Il Porcellino” (“Piglet”) and located at one of the leather markets near the Uffizi. This is something I didn’t learn until late April, on what happened to be the most romantic night of my life. Something about the translation for “wish upon a star” came up while my date and I were on the Ponte Vecchio admiring the starry sky’s reflections on the Arno River. This topic then led to this damn pig statue that I constantly heard about yet knew nothing about. “You never visited il porcellino?!” he asked in amazement. “No, e non so dovè.” I finally admitted it: I just did not know what or where this pig was. My Florentine date was shocked. “Elisabetta, you must come make a wish!” He took my hand, and all of a sudden we’re running through the cobblestone streets of Florence so that I can rub the boar’s nose, make my wish, and put a coin in the piggie’s mouth to ensure a return to Florence someday.
My wish can still come true 🙂
Lizzie in Firenze 