Normality was tiptoeing back on Monday (May 18) in Italy: you could shop for shoes, go to mass and visit museums – but many cultural centres said they did not yet feel ready to open their doors to the public despite lockdown guidelines easing.
At the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rome, doors were opened in the morning but hardly anyone took up their offer to view the artwork in peaceful calm.
But while Italians seem to have momentarily ditched culture, they have returned with enthusiasm to other national pursuits: a sit-down coffee or an aperitif with loved ones.
In the central Monti area of Rome, a few friends gathered in the evening for a well-earned pre-dinner drink. Making the most of the warm weather, most people opted for drinks outside.
VIDEO SHOWS: VISITORS WEARING PROTECTIVE MASKS IN EMPTY MUSEUM, PEOPLE TAKING DRINKS FROM BAR AND DRINKING IN SQUARE, PEOPLE CHATTING BY FOUNTAIN, ROME RESIDENTS COMMENTING ON THE EASING OF RESTRICTIONS