6 things you could do that are disrespectful in Italy! 🫣

[everyhandlesalreadytaken]

From an Italian living in a very touristic city: please, don't scream and sing at 2 in the morning in streets that are so very clearly inhabited. *You* are on vacation here, but for us locals, it's a day like every other and we'd like to sleep peacefully at night!

[marti]

I am Italian and I confirm that you should not insult mother, mother is sacred

[SuperBluesify]

I'm learning Italian and when I went to Italy, everyone (restaurants, bars, shops, gas stations, etc) was SO HAPPY just to see me attempting it even if it wasn't perfect. They all took the time to speak more slowly to me so I could better understand them, complimented me, and encouraged me to even move out there. The only time I got pushback was when a worker was trying to move a line of 200 people along quickly which is more than understandable.

[surlespasdondine]

This is a good list for everywhere in the world! I remember reading someone's post about moving to Japan, this person was complaining that the people he ran in to in Japan didn't make many efforts to speak English to him and I was thinking - dude, you moved to a foreign country, you are the one who has to learn the language.

[Katt-._..]

This is a good list of what not to do, wherever you are as a tourist! I will add disrespect historic monuments, I think especially in Italy this can be a problem. It is so terrible when you are a guest in a country and you do not behave.

[gaiamorgosi]

We’re getting actually better at english, especially in the bigger cities, but when a foreigner just says a random word like “buongiorno” is a different level for me. It shows that they went online or on any other platform, and looked the translation, it’s another level of caring for me.

[maryj]

I'd like to add: please, PLEASE don't go around in museums and especially churches in super short shorts, see-through or cropped clothes or half naked in general. It's not a theme park. It's not a safari. It's not the beach.
Love you all and thank you for visiting. I know the language barrier is a lot and I wish you the best time.

[jennyh]

As a German (with an interest in different cultures) I have to say, that those are things everyone should always do.
Well, the mafia thing might be something else in another country, e.g. Nazis and the Holocaust in Germany, but yea, those are rules to obey everywhere you visit.

[a.c.]

I really appreciate the point about the mafia!
I know most us-americans like to joke about italians getting mad about food, but that's mostly a self fulfilling meme at this point. We know people like it when we play up that stereotype and we like attention, so we pretend we care a lot more than we actually do

The mafia, on the other hand, is an actual real problem that gets people killed every day, especially in poorer areas. It's really not a laughing matter, at least not coming from someone who isn't affected by it

[inerciasart]

As a spaniard: all this apply here too! And to anyone from an english speaking country visiting a non-english speaking country: DO NOT assume everyone speaks english, and DO NOT get mad if they don't. You are in another country and aren't entitled to others speaking YOUR language on THEIR country. We have wayyy too many english tourists that get mad at workers for not speaking english, please be nicer than that (and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE just because you're visiting a loud country like Spain DON'T speak loudly AT NIGHT. Way too many times I've visited my grandpa in the South just to have tourists screaming and partying at 2am. Always remember the place you're visiting is someone elses home, respect the locals and let people sleep)

[annainspain]

In Spain all of these apply too, although lots of English people come with the intention of getting blind drunk. To us, wine and beer are food, not recreational drugs. You drink to enhance what you're eating. Putting your feet on the table in the waiting area of an office or hotel lobby: just NO. And along with "don't insult Mama", don't insult the Virgin Mary. Even avowed atheists have a soft spot for the Blessed Mother.

[monicastamant]

I made it my goal to get through one sit down meal where I only spoke Italian! I was only visiting for two weeks but had an Italian friend show me around and eventually I learned how to ask where the bathroom was, if they had wifi, ask for the menu/check, order what I wanted, and I actually was never spoken in English to during that whole meal and it was very fun ❤ But another time, I tried using Italian to order gelato and they responded in English 😂

[fuletiopia]

Another thing we consider very rude, but completely ok in other countries, is to chew gums in formal situation, like in class, in office, in a meeting and in general when you are speaking to someone you don't know

[beckyunderwood]

When we were traveling we told our daughter that if you need help, look for a “mama”. It works in almost every town or country. Never be rude to a mama; they are the ones who make things happen!

[M.C.P.]

As an Italian I confirm ALL that you've said! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🤝🏻

[danielaf]

I'm Italian and used to live in the UK. I had a British boyfriend for 3 years while I was there, got to know his parents and they were lovely people... but my ex boyfriend's dad was obsessed with the Mafia, especially when I first met him. He kept asking me questions about it, asking me if I'd ever happened to see mafiosi in a restaurant while I was eating out in Italy and stuff like that! (as if they'd be so instantly recognisable as mafiosi!). He had a very glamourised vision of the mafia, thinking they were kinda cool like the mobsters you see in Hollywood movies and he had no idea that all of this was kind of offensive to me. My ex's dad was a good man but he was naive and didn't just stop and think that mafia might mean something very different to an Italian compared to a Brit. That said, they were very proud of their son having an Italian girlfriend and made me feel glamorous and interesting for no good reason whatsoever, even when I wasn't being either of those things. 😂

[laracroft]

Those things should be considered disrespectful everywhere, they’re basically moral things. Especially the last one, pretty sure you do that anywhere you’ll be swallowing your teeth.

[viatico]

You are very fun and it is very interesting to me to see the cultural differences that you notice between the 2 countries. I really hope you are having a great time living in Italy :)

[grantottero]

Number 3 is really VERY, VERY, disrespectful and surely it will arouse extremely hostile reactions, which will most likely also be accompanied by derogatory comments about all the flaws of your country and the worst stereotypes generally associated with your people. Therefore, it is better to avoid.

As to the last advice: YES! "Mamma" is sacred! Nevertheless, Italians often insult other Italians using obscene insults concerning the other's one mother. But this happens only when you are so angry against the other one that you consciously want to start a harsh quarrel and you are even ready to fight. So, it is a "special" situation...

[joaodavid]

Be like Kacie; be respectful and understanding 😃