FOOD AND HISTORIC URBAN SIGHTS

In every community, food undoubtedly plays a unifying role. We eat primarily because we are hungry, of course, but in the selection of food we make sensory-based choices, connected with our individual knowledge, experiences and food-related personality traits. Food is easily one of the main reasons for a holiday; however, multicultural tourists are no longer satisfied with being passive visitors, and expect a temporary immersion in a “real” local life-style, starting from food, which may afford considerable opportunities for socialization. In this framework, historic urban sights, as environment inhabited by residents, be- come essential towards living an unforgettable holyday experi- ence. The idea proposed in this essay is that when tourists are looking for a place to eat, as they take a glance at the new- concept website or guidebook we are proposing, their attention can be directed to historically significant neighboring sites. Fur- ther relevant data can of course been provided on demand, but in order to avoid heaping information on the careless tourist at too early a stage, a gradual accompaniment towards the world of art is suggested. Some examples and original designs (e.g. the Pan- theon, Rome; the Acropolis, Athens) of how such a new-concept guidebook should be organized are provided at the end of the book. Special thanks are due to my friend Attilio Favaro, for crit- ically revising both the entire text and its English translation.