The day starts early, with shutters rattling open and neighbours calling to each other across the street. By noon the shade is the best seat in town and lunch stretches into the afternoon. When the heat softens, people stroll together, and the night belongs to talk and small plates.

The coast follows a Mediterranean climate, with hot dry summers and mild wet winters, while the inland hills turn cooler and continental, so pack for both. A Local Friend tells you when to set out early and when to linger, whether that means a lake shore at sunrise or a table that is only just warming up.