HOW TO BEHAVE IN ITALY: 10 Things you should NEVER DO when you go to Italy. Italian Etiquette

Italian etiquette? Exactly! Remember these basic rules and please avoid doing them when you are in Italia next time

⏱⏱⏱ TIME CODES
00:00 - WELCOME to ITALY 🇮🇹
01:02 - Don’t Buy Drinking Water in Rome
02:14 - Don’t Expect Everyone to Speak English in Italy
03:49 - Don’t Expect Swiss Punctuality in Italy
05:04 - Don’t Assume all Italians are related to Mafia
06:00 - Don’t Catch Taxi in Italy on the side of the road
06:58 - Don’t Toss Coins in EVERY Fountain in Rome
07:55 - Don’t Wear Inappropriate Clothes visiting Churches
10:06 - Don’t Order Cappuccino after 11am in Italy
12:43 - Don’t Put Cheese on any Dish fountains Fish or Seafood
13:16 - NEVER CUT SPAGHETTI WITH a KNIFE!
14:29 - NEVER DO IN ITALY: Bonus Advice

✅ - 1 Don’t buy drinking water in Rome
Did you know that Rome is blessed with more than 2,500 drinking fountains, known as nasoni, which provide residents and visitors with free fresh water all year round.

Why are Rome's drinking fountains called nasoni?

The iconic fountains, also known as fontanelle, get their nasoni ("big nose") name from the curved metal spout which pours cool fresh water round the clock.

✅ - 2 Don't think you can just speak English everywhere in Italy (and that everyone will understand you)

In Italy English isn't spoken very widely, so don't get your hopes up. You will not have any problem travelling in the most famous and touristic cities, but in the rest of Italy, the situation is different.

I would highly advise you asking a person you want to talk to: Parli Inglese? - which means do you speak English?

✅ - 3 Don't expect Swiss punctuality in Italy
Many shops and facilities close at lunchtime (and also many restaurants) and at least two days a week. Always check that the place you want to visit or where you want to eat is open.

✅ - 4 Don't assume all Italians are related to Mafia

The majority of Italians have no problem with talking about it but it is quite offensive to assume they’re all related to murderers and corruptors.

"Pizza, mafia e Berlusconi?" The image of the country in the eyes of a foreigner is often accompanied by numerous (unfounded) stereotypes.

✅ - 5 Don't call the taxi as if you were in "Sex and the City". I mean don’t raise your hand trying to stop a taxi as we usually do in England or in the United States.

In Italy you can't stop a taxi on the street, by simply raising your hand. You have to call or go to special stops and wait.

✅ 6 - Don’t toss your coins in every fountain in Rome!
The only fountain in Rome you supposed to toss your coins is Fontana di TREVI.

The rest more than 2 000 fountains here - leave them alone and please do not toss anything into them!

DRESS-CODE:
✅ - 7 Don't wear shorts, tank top or flip-flops when visiting a church. You better don’t wear flip-flops at all in big cities like Roma and Milano.

In sacred places in Italy you must be dressed appropriately and it is not possible to enter with clothes as if you were at the beach.

Did you know that Italy has 3 official religions?
Catholicism
Food
Football

✅ - 8 Do not order your cappuccino after 11am in Italy
Cappuccino is a morning drink and if you order it after 11am or even after 12 noon — aww you are such a tourist!

So yes, remember! Cappuccino is considered one most famous Italian drinks for breakfast and is often consumed in the morning with cornetto or a sweety pastry.

✅ - 9 Don't put cheese on a pasta that contains fish or seafood
In Italy, this offense is comparable to high treason. Italians have a very strong relationship with food and extremely precise ideas about what can and cannot be done. This is one of the things that should never be done.

✅ - 10 Don't cut your spaghetti with a knife and fork, ever

Don't cut spaghetti!!! Non in Italy! Here the spaghetti is eaten more than anywhere else in the world and 'pasta etiquette' is a real thing. This one is one of the most horrible things for an Italian to witness.

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#italianetiquette #italytravel #firsttimeinitaly

[AnnaGoldmanTravel]

⏱⏱⏱ TIME CODES
00:00 - WELCOME to ITALY 🇮🇹
01:02 - Don’t Buy Drinking Water in Rome
02:14 - Don’t Expect Everyone to Speak English in Italy
03:49 - Don’t Expect Swiss Punctuality in Italy
05:04 - Don’t Assume all Italians are related to Mafia
06:00 - Don’t Catch Taxi in Italy on the side of the road
06:58 - Don’t Toss Coins in EVERY Fountain in Rome
07:55 - Don’t Wear Inappropriate Clothes visiting Churches
10:06 - Don’t Order Cappuccino after 11am in Italy
12:43 - Don’t Put Cheese on any Dish fountains Fish or Seafood
13:16 - NEVER CUT SPAGHETTI WITH a KNIFE!
14:29 - NEVER DO IN ITALY: Bonus Advice

[Felishad]

“Don’t assume all Italians are related to the mafia.” That’s not something that even crossed my mind 😂

[optekdesigns]

I spent a year and a half learning Italian before I went. One thing I would add is make sure you know numbers at least to 100....if you ask "quanto costa?" or "quanto fa", be ready to hear a response back in italian. This really applies to any question you ask....know different answers you might receive. Also important to know the differences between singular and plural because that can cause confusion as well. Most italians appreciate the attempt to speak their language and will be helpful if you get something wrong.

[qaryoko]

I was in Italy in 2018 or so. Knowing nothing, i traveled there on such short notice i had not prepared for the culture difference from the west. First, though i am American, I'm Latin decent however. I speak Spanish fluently. I was surprised how well I could hold a conversation with people in Italy while they spoke Italian and I spoke Spanish. It was awesome. One shop keeper didn't speak English and I asked "Espanol?" The shopkeeper said, "El Italiano es similare". She was right. allot of the words are quite similar. I spoke Spanish form there on and had a great time in Italy.

[robertoagrippino]

Hello Anna, I've just finished to watch your video and I really appreciated it! I'm Italian and I live in Rome, so very often I can see many foreing tourists. Welcome to Italy, Friends!! The most you said is absolutely correct (above all about pizza and spaghetti!!) but I'd like just to add one thing about "dressing rules" in churches. The importance to be dressed in an appropriate way, isn't about our traditions or way of life, it's about the proper respect for God. It's unappropriate and disrespectful to enter the church with some clothes which can be considered "sexy": miniskirt, transparent shirt or vest, little shorts and so on. As you said many times, during your video, if you respect the culture and the behaviour (ideas) of the locals, they will respect you!

[cherrylleallan]

Being a tourist from Down Under, couldnt speak Italian but funny we managed to relate with a few words and body language, Love the Italians yes Bonjourno ~ wonderful people, thank you for our anazing time ❤️❤️

[calcagnolibero]

I'm Italian and live in the northern region of Liguria. This stereotype of all Italians being late always makes me mad. That's simply not true, here in the north we are always on time.

[pvairo]

Enjoyable video with several good points. As an Italian born and raised, I'd like to clarify the fact (it's a very common misrepresentation) that just like me, many Italians enjoy cappuccino at any hour of the day. Whenever i have a "coffee" break, no matter it is morning or afternoon, even "aperitivo" time, my drink of choice is always cappuccino and you'll be surprised to see how many more Italians do the same.
Take care!

[FrecciaBensino]

As Italian, I can say that just 3 of these things are right

[ddrid]

Cool blog, those that seriously think that ALL italians are related to the mafia are mentally disturbed

[Gigi_Latrottola]

"Don’t Order Cappuccino after 11am in Italy" it is not true. You can have your cappuccino whenever you want, just don't take it with your lunch or dinner.
Would you like pasta with sauce soaked in milk? It's like saying: "would you put fish on cheesecake?"
Or I don't know ... would you put pineapple on pizza? Ah yes ... you do that ... 😱😱😱

[mjdinjv]

Many people goes to Italy and see always the same places.. Rome, Venice, Florence.. There are thousands of amazing places and towns; try to visit Cremona, Mantova, Vicenza, Parma, lake of Orta, Bolzano, Trieste, Aquileia, Genova, Lucca, Ancona, Perugia, Gressoney Valley, Bardonecchia, Novara, Torino, Elba island, Cagliari, Alghero, the Gargano, Orbetello, Lecce, Lipari

[shaktiduende]

Thank you for these picturesque descriptions, actually reasonable people everywhere in the world must share the same basic politesse as long as they are civilised.

[odomarenko]

I'm Italian, and there are some mistakes. For example at the end of the video when u tell to not mix oil with balsamic vinegar like in the salad sometimes they are mixed it depends by personal favourite taste, and the second one is butter with bread, surely not to a restaurant but back in the time a traditional afternoon snack was bread with a little bit of butter and sugar on top, I hope u will like it

[mercuryinformatica]

I like your video but you forgot to mention that Italy is a country specialized in the hospitality sector. If you come to Italy feel free to do and ask for what you like... no one will judge you. Italians are tied to traditions but have an open mind.

[richardmarianetti]

My family comes from Abruzzo and my dad and all my uncles rolled their pasta with a spoon. They were all born and raised in Abruzzo. My mom and my aunts rolled their pasta with the "corner" of the plate. When polpette ( meatballs) are served, yes they are not mixed together on the table. One big bowl will have the pasta and the other big plate will have polpette, sausage and thick pork ribs. On the plate, the pasta is placed first and then you place the meat of your choice on the pasta and enjoy. My point is this: there are certain traditions that are regional specific and one region does not speak for all of them. Remember that Italy is a country of 20 different provinces and those provinces were separate countries until the unification that happened in the 1870's. But before the unification, those provinces were separate countries for over 2000 years. To compare this to America, in New York City, you can hail a taxi on the street but in Las Vegas, you must use a cab stand.

[manuelmeneghin]

Yeah, english is not really spoken in Italy especially by old people, but we are kind people so if you ask something we will do our best to tell you the answer using an italian-english mixed language and lots of HAND GESTURES. In other countries like France is very common for people to ignore you if you don't speak their language, even if they are the tourists (this is only based on my experience though)

[teti]

you're right, in Italy food is a religion. But I have a clarification on milk and cappuccino, it is not true that you can't order a cappuccino after 11 am, for example I love to drink a cappuccino in the afternoon, for a snack. The problem is when you drink it for lunch or dinner. Milk is not a simple drink, like water, it is a real food, so it is absurd for us to drink it during a meal.

[spark_]

This is probably the best Don't do in Italy video !!! Everybody who is going to Italy should watch this !!!
Reg. Using a spoon for pasta ...I thought Italians in South do it though ! I don't myself ! I am Japanese, but I've known those things you mentioned in this video !!! I love Italy 🇮🇹 !!! Viva Italia !!! 👍👍👍💜💜💜💜🥁🎵🐉🎤🎶💕💞

[blackbird]

As a frequent traveller to Italy I think you did a good job, but a lot of it is common sense. You don't go into a church with naked legs no matter which country. And of course, not every Italian is related to mafia, I mean, really, who would think that? There is no need to insult the readers' intelligence. I liked the comments of the Italian readers, so overall a useful material, thanks.