Gennara de Borbón

Music

Street musicians for two grani

In Sicily, street musicians playing instruments like the fiddle, mandolin, or flute could be hired for two grani to play popular dance music such as the tarantella or fasola.

Daily life

Lack of public water and sewage infrastructure

Public water pipes were rare; by the late 19th century, over half of municipalities lacked them, forcing people to draw water from wells or public fountains. Sewage systems were also non-existent in over 77 percent of municipalities, often leading to contaminated water.

What it cost

Domestic servant wages in Naples

In Naples, a domestic servant could earn as little as 8 lire per month, while a housemaid might earn 30 lire.

What people wore

Wedding attire and color norms

For weddings, pastel colors were still common in this period, and it was considered inappropriate for brides over 25 years old to wear a white dress and veil.

Getting around

Stagecoach travel was slow and exhausting

Before widespread rail, stagecoaches were primary for intercity travel, with a journey from Bologna to Florence taking up to 15 hours. Travel was slow, often requiring numerous stops at post stations to change horses.

At the table

Frugal flavor for polenta

For peasant families, one salted herring was considered sufficient to flavor a large serving of polenta for at least three people.