Italy is a funny country, and Tuscany is even funnier. Versilia is almost like a clown.
Just think, every time we mention in one of our reels that Massarosa, Viareggio and Camaiore are in Versilia, all the residents of Pietrasanta, Forte dei Marmi and Seravezza start firing off incredible rants in the comments! “Viareggio isn’t Versilia! Massarosa isn’t Versilia!”
Actually, spoiler alert: it is. It’s just that they’re tied to a centuries-old tradition stemming from a Papal Decree of 1513, which refers to Versilia as comprising only Pietrasanta, Forte dei Marmi and Seravezza. It’s a shame they haven’t realised that this is the so-called ‘Historical Versilia’ and that today Versilia is, as you rightly point out, made up of seven municipalities.
When I moved here and looked for a house to rent, I went to an immobiliare in Pietrasanta, because that is where our original Airbnb was. We wanted an official affito. I made the mistake of asking the agent: "We don't want to go to Forte dei Marmi, but how about Viareggio, do you have rentable places there?" - She gave us a 30 minutes speech about how Viareggio is no-go-zone, all they have is the carnival, they are not even Versilia, and you should not rent there.
I'm a straniero so to me it's super funny to see how Italian identity is this hyperlocal, they can literally rant about the village next to them. My old tenant gave us same long rants that Forte dei Marmi is how horrible. Mind you, he lives in Pietrasanta, and we live on the marina, so like, idk, 10 minutes of walk is Forte dei Marmi? :D
This happens pretty much all over Italy. It’s so deeply ingrained that there’s even a word for it: ‘Campanilismo’ – an exaggerated and partisan attachment to one’s own town or city. It derives from the word ‘campanile’, the visual and historical symbol of small towns, and translates into a deep devotion to one’s own customs and traditions, often accompanied by fierce rivalry towards neighbouring areas.
In Tuscany, this is multiplied by ten.
If you think it’s strong in Versilia, try going to Livorno and asking what they think of the people of Pisa! 😁
Did you know there’s even a satirical newspaper sold throughout Italy called Il Vernacoliere, which was founded to poke fun at the people of Pisa?
Just for the record, this is a historical issue that dates back to Etruscan times, stemming from the city-states. It subsequently became more entrenched during the Middle Ages.
Oh, and my favorite: throw in a word and let them explain what they mean. Example: Cacciucco. Let Viareggiani and Livornese people explain what they mean by cacciucco. It takes around 5 minutes, where they end up shouting to each other where the Viareggiani say its all about bati bati and shellfish, and the livornesi say its all about good fish and not the seafood. :D
Il Vernacoliere - Why am I not surprised :D And yes, I figured this is coming from the city states history. Italy as a nation is quite new, you can't undo thousands of years of city state history and expect to turn it into a national countrywide identity under 100 year. :)
Italy is a funny country, and Tuscany is even funnier. Versilia is almost like a clown.
Just think, every time we mention in one of our reels that Massarosa, Viareggio and Camaiore are in Versilia, all the residents of Pietrasanta, Forte dei Marmi and Seravezza start firing off incredible rants in the comments! “Viareggio isn’t Versilia! Massarosa isn’t Versilia!”
Actually, spoiler alert: it is. It’s just that they’re tied to a centuries-old tradition stemming from a Papal Decree of 1513, which refers to Versilia as comprising only Pietrasanta, Forte dei Marmi and Seravezza. It’s a shame they haven’t realised that this is the so-called ‘Historical Versilia’ and that today Versilia is, as you rightly point out, made up of seven municipalities.
When I moved here and looked for a house to rent, I went to an immobiliare in Pietrasanta, because that is where our original Airbnb was. We wanted an official affito. I made the mistake of asking the agent: "We don't want to go to Forte dei Marmi, but how about Viareggio, do you have rentable places there?" - She gave us a 30 minutes speech about how Viareggio is no-go-zone, all they have is the carnival, they are not even Versilia, and you should not rent there.
I'm a straniero so to me it's super funny to see how Italian identity is this hyperlocal, they can literally rant about the village next to them. My old tenant gave us same long rants that Forte dei Marmi is how horrible. Mind you, he lives in Pietrasanta, and we live on the marina, so like, idk, 10 minutes of walk is Forte dei Marmi? :D
This happens pretty much all over Italy. It’s so deeply ingrained that there’s even a word for it: ‘Campanilismo’ – an exaggerated and partisan attachment to one’s own town or city. It derives from the word ‘campanile’, the visual and historical symbol of small towns, and translates into a deep devotion to one’s own customs and traditions, often accompanied by fierce rivalry towards neighbouring areas.
In Tuscany, this is multiplied by ten.
If you think it’s strong in Versilia, try going to Livorno and asking what they think of the people of Pisa! 😁
Did you know there’s even a satirical newspaper sold throughout Italy called Il Vernacoliere, which was founded to poke fun at the people of Pisa?
Just for the record, this is a historical issue that dates back to Etruscan times, stemming from the city-states. It subsequently became more entrenched during the Middle Ages.
Oh, and my favorite: throw in a word and let them explain what they mean. Example: Cacciucco. Let Viareggiani and Livornese people explain what they mean by cacciucco. It takes around 5 minutes, where they end up shouting to each other where the Viareggiani say its all about bati bati and shellfish, and the livornesi say its all about good fish and not the seafood. :D
(i prefer the viareggio version btw)
I’m laughing my head off, because to a foreigner all this must seem really ‘silly’ and naive
Il Vernacoliere - Why am I not surprised :D And yes, I figured this is coming from the city states history. Italy as a nation is quite new, you can't undo thousands of years of city state history and expect to turn it into a national countrywide identity under 100 year. :)