Travel

13 Unwritten Rules to Know Before Visiting Italy

ByNews Center

Aug 15, 2025 #Italy, #rules, #tips & advice, #unwritten, #Visiting

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If you possibly can’t roll your spaghetti onto a fork, overlook the noodle solely and go for a brief pasta.

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Pasta fundamentals

Rolling spaghetti onto your fork takes some observe, however not a lot. A phrase of recommendation: Rather than reducing your pasta into smaller bites, you possibly can select a “short” pasta, similar to penne, tortiglioni, and conchiglie, that are simpler to eat with a fork. Remember that pasta ought to be eaten al dente. That’s not merely a rule invented by connoisseurs. Overcooked pasta is more durable to digest. Once you get into the al dente behavior, there’s no going again.

No cappuccinos within the afternoon, and different notes on espresso tradition

Coffee is severe enterprise in Italy. It doesn’t require too many modifications or variations. For an Italian, visiting Starbucks, with its ten several types of milks and lengthy menu, may be overwhelming. Why not order as an Italian would, beginning your day with a cappuccino, macchiato, or deca (decaf). In Milan it’s possible you’ll hear marocchino, or Moroccan, used for what is understood in different elements of the nation as an espressino. It’s simply widespread slang in that hospitable metropolis and there’s no greater significance to the identify. In any case, the drink consists of espresso and a bit foamed milk, poured in layers, with a beneficiant sprinkling of cocoa. If you want caffeine within the afternoon, order caffè, which for us is espresso. You can say caffè corto, caffè lungo, caffè macchiato… however you by no means say espresso.

We don’t like taking our espresso to go as a rule as a result of then it takes on the flavour of its paper cup and tastes like cardboard, and as a substitute we usually drink it at a counter. If you drop by a pleasant bakery for breakfast within the morning, bear in mind not to linger too lengthy (an exception to the lingering rule!) as a result of there’s somebody behind you ready for his or her flip on the counter.

Abide the meal schedule

Although issues are altering in some vacationer cities, kitchens in Italy are hardly ever open across the clock. Instead lunch will usually be served till about 3 p.m. and dinner service will run till 10 or 10:30 p.m. Between meals there are bakeries, gelaterias, and cafés to select from in case you want a snack to tide you over till your subsequent meal.

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Gelato makes for a superb snack between sit-down meal instances.

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If you are shopping for glass, attempt to be sure that it has been made on the island of Murano.

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Souvenir correctly

Cities like Rome, Venice, and Florence are tormented by mass tourism, the bodily results of which may be troublesome to keep away from. Stores and stalls promoting low cost souvenirs have proliferated. In a rustic the place craftsmanship continues to be widespread and infrequently glorious, there are nonetheless loads of alternatives to discover distinctive objects. For instance, a budget glass animals you’ll discover on the market in stalls round Venice’s Rialto Bridge aren’t made on the island of Murano, a well-known heart for artisanal glass, however as a substitute imported from international locations the place low cost labor is widespread. It’s well worth the effort to get off the overwhelmed path and discover workshops the place each handcrafted piece is exclusive. Tea towels and slippers, leather-based luggage hung in bunches, and plastic non secular icons actually do nothing to assist the cities the place they’re bought they usually contribute to a commerce that’s neither honest nor moral.

Most folks will tip round 5% of the invoice, up to a most of 10%. Unlike within the United States, tipping will not be important as a result of waiters are adequately compensated by their salaries, though they aren’t opposed to a bit further in case you are so inclined. Many folks will depart virtually nothing past some change. If you allow an excessive amount of, you’ll be thought-about a little bit of a idiot.

Lower your quantity

In basic, you might have considered trying to converse extra softly. Yes, we Italians typically converse loudly and on this we’re related to Americans. But when visiting monuments and different websites, discuss extra quietly and also you’ll mix in.

A word about talking English

English is now the de facto language of vacationers. You’re fortunate that nearly anyplace you go, you possibly can converse your personal language. Almost everybody world wide makes use of it, understands it, or at the least strives to accomplish that. But as a result of accents differ, it isn’t a given that everybody will perceive you with ease. If you specific your self in less complicated English, converse slowly, and keep away from idioms or acronyms, you’ll discover it simpler to talk.

And some ideas about Italian too

Have some enjoyable and take a look at to converse some Italian. We adore it when folks attempt, even when they make some errors. If there’s something that differentiates us from the French, it’s this. Don’t converse Spanish, although, please. We are two completely different international locations and whereas we love one another, we’re each happy with our variations. So it sounds unusual when Americans converse Spanish (typically poorly) considering it’s shut sufficient to Italian.