When the Italian Night Comes Alive (and Tries to Eat You)

 Okay, fellow night owls and adventurers, let's talk about Italian nightlife.

If you're like me, you might arrive in a charming Italian town, say, a place like Biella, and think, "Wow, this place is so… serene." By 8:00 PM, the streets are quieter than a library during a lockdown. You could literally hear a pin drop (or, more likely, the distant clinking of a fork on a plate from a single, still-open trattoria). It's beautiful, don't get me wrong. But you can't help but wonder, "Where is everyone? Did I miss the memo about the town-wide pajama party?"

I was starting to think the only nightlife in Biella involved watching Netflix and trying to decipher Italian news reports. But then, as all good adventures start, a new plan emerged. The Perseid meteor shower was happening, and I, being the intrepid (and somewhat naive) astronomer that I am, decided the best place to watch was from the mountains. Specifically, the Sanctuary of Oropa.

I packed my camera, my sense of wonder, and a vague notion that I was about to spend a quiet evening alone with the stars.

I was wrong. So, so wrong.

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