ニューヨーク・タイムズさんのインスタグラム写真 - (ニューヨーク・タイムズInstagram)「The sharp drop in visitors to Italy since the start of the pandemic pressed a small community in the hills of Chianti to cling to the essentials: the pharmacy, the food store and agriculture. This year, foreigners, who usually would be sipping espressos on the local bar’s terrace or grocery shopping at the farmers’ market, are nowhere to be seen, writes Gaia Pianigiani of the area where she grew up. And without them, the town of Castellina in Chianti seems to have slid back in time. Many tourists and some locals were pleasantly surprised to find the Tuscan village free of crowds this past summer. The season was reminiscent of the late 1990s, before the buses loaded with tourists started arriving in Chianti. Nostalgia, though, is not good for sales. Castellina is particularly well-known for its olive groves and vineyards of Chianti Classico grapes — a popular attraction for foreign tourists. But this year, in August, those spots were “full of Italians who traveled with their own cars and stayed a few days,” said Martina Viti, 34, the manager of the Agriturismo Rocca, a small family-run farm overlooking the valley under Castellina. Foreigners tend to stay longer, she said — and spend more. “Italians have less interest in tasting wines and olive oil made by our small farm,” she said. “So this year, we mostly rented our apartments with the pool.” Tap the link in our bio to read more from Gaia Pianigiani. Phot by @nadiashiracohen」1月10日 8時00分