I’m convinced that fairy lights and olive trees instantly brighten the vibes of a place. But this isn’t what struck me most the first time I entered Giardini Luzzati, a communal, social space in the historic center of Genoa, a port city in Northern Italy. Dozens of colorful tables are laid out on the square beneath San Donato’s bell tower and occupied by the most eclectic crowd. A group of students is vividly quizzing each other over open textbooks. Next to them, a couple is sipping spritzes, while their child makes friends in the kids play area.  An older gentleman is playing chess nearby, receiving curious looks from tourists tasting the city’s famous pesto genovese for the first time. In the distance, a musician is tuning up on stage, punctuated by screams of teenagers from the football pitch behind the bar. Giardini Luzzati is a space for everyone, a microcosm…

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