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We have only limited information at this time on outings that Itlian boys might take. With children this often means family outings, but older children can go on limited outings on their own or with groups of friends. We suspect that there were many similarities to other European countries. City families had parks including piazzas to visit, although we have little information on Italian city parks at this time. A major difference with America is that few Italians families had cars. This restricted family mobility. This of course was a factor throughout Europe. Thus exursions into the country were limited. We think visirs to grandparents and other family members were popular. Many Italians moved to the city in the 20th century. Thus city parents liked to take the kids back to where they grew up and spend ime with the grandparents. This made picnics into the country difficult. Bicycles provided some mobility for older boys. But here again, poverty was a factor. Many Italian families could not even afford bicycles. Italy is a large peninsiula extending into the Mediterranean. Thus most Italiand live close to beaches. And quite a few cities are ports with city beaches. Thus beach visits and seaside outings became an important part of Italian life. We see Italian families at the seaside in the early 20th century, but have only limited information at this time.
City families had parks including piazzas to visitto visit, although we have little information on Italian city parks at this time. We have not yet found much information about Italian parks. The piazas in Italy play the role of urban parks with out many plants, but almost always a fountain. A piazza is an open square (usually not a cgeometric square) or public place in a city or town. They developed during the middle ages, somewhat similar to a plaza without the trees and gardens, and commonly more rectangular than square. In addition to the functions of a park, piazzas were also community gathering points, markets, and plsces to celebrate special days. They date back centuries. A few or world famous with fountains that are masterworks by Renasiisance giants. Others re nondiscript neigborhood features. Beginning in the 19th century, Italy began to build urbn parks in the major cities just like other European countries. This was a little more complicated than in many other countries. Many Italian cities wre millenia old, meaning that the entire city center was completely buit over. There are also beautiful gardens, but most are located in the country side, many are villa gardens.
A major difference with America is that few Italians families until after World War II had cars. This restricted family mobility. And of course was a factor throughout Europe. Thus exursions into the country were limited. This made picnics into the country difficult. Bicycles provided some mobility for older boys. But here again, poverty was a factor. Many Italian families could not even afford bicycles.
We think visits to grandparents and other family members were popular. Many Italians moved to the city in the 20th century. Thus city parents liked to take the kids back to where they grew up and spend ime with the grandparents and other family members.
We see images of Italian children enjoying carts pulled by animals. The children seem to enjoy them. Very young children were just passengers. Older children would actually drive them. They seem particularly prevalent in the late-19th and early-20th century. They may have been popular earlier in the 19th century, but we have no photographic evidence. After the early-20th century as automobiles became more common we see fewer examples. Propulsion for childens' carts varied. Richer children might have a pony cart. Affluent children might have a goat or dog cart. Because they were commonly pulled by goats, they were often called billycarts. We note rural images, here there was a wider social class pattern as animals were more common in the countryside. The popularity with children meant thatwe also note these carts in America, Britain, and Germany, but suspect they were also found in many other countries as well. They were quite popular and as goats never pulled them at any speed, were safe even for younger children. The pony carts required a little more supervision. We see more donkeys pilling the carts in Italy than other countries. This is probably because donkeys were a more common farm animal and beast of burden in Italy thanother major countrues. The childrn who had pony carts almost by definition were well to do, or lived in rural areas. Children with pony carts might live on estates. We see fewer Italian animal cart images than other other major countries. This is part because our Italian archive is more limited, especially our 19th century archive. It may also be an economic matter as Italy was a relatively poor country, especially soythern Italy.
Italy is a large extended peninsiula projecyting into the Mediterranean. Thus most Italiand live close to beaches. And quite a few cities are ports with city beaches. Thus beach visits and seaside outings became an important part of Italian life. We see Italian families at the seaside in the early 20th century, but have only limited information at this time.
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