The delights of the terrace

‘An apartment with a terrace’ – what a magical expression! It impels us to read on, whets our curiosity and draws us into a state of rêverie. To own a terrace at the top of a building, with a sweeping view out over the city and a few plants to provide shade on sunny summer days, is to live a life filled not with luxury but with unique and special moments.The fine weather is coming – those al fresco aperitifs are not so far away.

What better way to celebrate terraces in a year at the beginning of which we lost the great Ettore Scola – the great director of Roman scenes that will go down in cinema history.

Who does not remember ‘A Special Day’ from 1938, with Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni, all alone hanging out the washing when the entire city had flocked to see Mussolini greeting Hitler? A tragic moment, but an unforgettable duo, against a stunning backdrop.

Who does not remember those giants of the film world who came together once again in 1980 in ‘La Terrazza?’ Playing a group of world-weary intellectuals were Ugo Tognazzi, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Marcello Mastroianni, Vittorio Gassman, and Serge Reggiani. You can still hear the singsong accents, the clinking glasses and the lively conversations. On Scola’s terraces, the hours slip by in an intoxicating haze for the spectators.

Terraces are places for celebration with friends, for relaxing away from the busy streets, for getting away from it all without leaving home, with your head in the sky but your feet on the ground. A special place for all those who enjoy life at the summit, their ideas light and airy, far from the grind of daily life.