Roiate, open to “meraviglia”

Roiate is a small but charming village between the Sacco valley and the Aniene valley and when I was little and I crossed it to go skiing in Campo Staffi it always reminded me of the nativity scene that my mother made under the tree.

Its mayor Antonio Proietti was among the first to join the Town Ambassador project, but I had met him on a cold and foggy day and had not been able to go around the ancient village. With Antonio we share the passion for horses and for the beauty of the villages in our area.

Roiate has already identified her Town Ambassador, Silvia de Rubeis from New York and I can't wait to interview her. I spoke to her father who divides his time between Roiate and his grandchildren in America.

But de Rubeis is also a family of artists and the De Rubeis studio is immediately noticeable in the main square of the ancient village, what looks like a courtyard. In this square I found the narrowest house I've ever come across. So narrow that it seems to have only two dimensions and to be a scenic backdrop to add beauty to the square.

Today, however, the sun is shining and I returned to Roiate to take some photographs of the historic center to breathe the air in the alleys. The ancient castle is no longer there, but from the names of the squares and the shape of the houses you can recognize the courtyard and the defense wall system.

Walking in the area of the old courtyard, I come across three girls who have come to visit their grandparents and are chatting under a strange portico with a canopy in the colors of the Italian flag.

I get closer and in addition to the tricolor roof, I find a painted statue and a cheerful sign with the inscription 'life is freedom'. It will be the sun, it will be the three young girls chatting cheerfully, it will be the colors of the flag, but this house has put me in a good mood and joy.

I don't know why but the first thing that came to mind was the Ministry of Tourism's 'Open to Meraviglia' campaign. There were real cats and white, red and green cats. There were real girls chatting and a colorful classical statue with a red guitar. In short, the light-hearted, irreverent life but always to be enjoyed with a profound irony. We are passing through and let's enjoy this sun, these perfumes and these moments.

I ask for information about this strange structure but the girls don't know anything, so I go to the town hall to ask for some additional information. I'm now at home and Paola tells me about two brothers, Domenica and Franco Orlandi. Domenica lives in this house in Roiate and Franco is the artist and lives somewhere in Italy.

Franco was a carabiniere with a passion for art and travel, since he retired, he moved to another region. As a carabiniere, I also understand his attachment to the tricolor and to the flag that he wanted to make manifest.

Paola was telling me about a newspaper article that described him, when a cheerful lady in shorts, cowboy boots and some sequins appears at the door: it's Sunday.

“My brother turned our house into a museum of memories of his travels and then added some of his creations. But it can't be visited. It's just that we're a happy family and we wanted to let everyone know!”

Domenica tells me that she doesn't know where her brother is and that they talk mostly at musical events.

I leave Roiate with the feeling that this house brings good luck. Seeing Domenica and the girls chatting happily, in my opinion we should all come and take a selfie in Roiate.

Roiate, open to wonder.