Top 8 Italian Unspoken Rules

i have been living in Italy for more than 30 years now and most of what you said is correct, however I see the younger generations are more 'informal' let's say so they are saying 'ciao' to everyone, even the younger shop attendants I think its a good idea to learn a few words in Italian, they will appeciate it and will go out of their way to help you and understand you. If you only speak Englsih and don't even say 'buongiorno' the Italians tend to not be as helpful to tourists.

As a young child I was frequently ill. My parents did not imbibe. When my Dad would take me to visit my Italian grandparents they would send him on an errand and present me with a small glass of my grandfather's red wine. They'd say, "Drink, it's good for the blood" in their Italian accents. They wanted me to be healthy! My dad figured it out and told my grand parents to stop.

Mindset, Dress, Paseggiata, Italian Traditions, Socializing, Waiting!Greetings, Bongiorno, Buona Sera, Grazie Mille, Smiling☺

Italians know how to enjoy life!

SOOO TRUE. LOVE ITALY(10 VISITS AND 5 YEARS RESIDENT) RESPECT AND ENJOY!!!!!

Exactly the same goes for the Spanish and Spanish habits. El ultimo is what you ask when joining a line waiting at post office or pharmacy etc. Smiling at strangers in the street is looked at as odd too, I'm English and do it with women my age, but they don't normally smile back. Love it when I go back to England where I get a smile and a greeting.

Grazie, very useful info, I am going to Italy soon to visit my Italian partner's family and it is good to remember these basic rules

Quite accurate, but on working days lunch is between 1.00 pm and 2.00 pm and is dedicated to your meal. Aperitivo will take place from 7.00 pm onwards.

Italian men really know how to dress well. I can't say the same for the Americans.

Well done!

OMG! 😂 I'm here in Vicenza in northern Italy the dress code here is more like a damn religion (everybody must be dressed in black, grey or white, like at a funeral or something, otherwise your seen as oddball or homosexual or lesbian), it's like their gonna die if they even go outside of their own house door in the countryside without dress clothes and elegant shoes on because their scared their neighbor might see them. Then for conversations wow another point to make, most Italians here act like conversations with strangers even in a mall is flirting or most are just outright terrified about being seen in a public space talking to someone they don't know like their significant other or the palpac**zzi is watching their every move and interaction, maybe it's because I'm black IDK? 😂😅 I personally haven't been further down then Rome but already in Emiglia Romagna or Rimini people are way more friendly and chatty even towards foreigners colored or not.

Grazie

Agree!!!! Thank you! :0)

Very useful information. Thank you. Greetings from a Melanesian living in Holland.🌞

brazil = italy = lovely mediterranean mess

Just returned from my 5th and probably last trip to Rome. I know a little Italian, We are respectful, dress appropriately. We are not loud. Only eat dinner after 8:00 pm. And then after all that, restaurants serve garbage food, ask if we want coffee in the evening, have extra Parmesan cheese on the table , are rude to us. Breaking all of the supposed rules, not to mention if we want full American breakfast! . Mi scusi , I will take my vacations elsewhere. You can have the day cruise ship people spitting on the ground and eating frozen pizza on a paper plate. Restaurants we used to frequent, and were very nice have changed noticeably in the last year, and not for the better. Tired of all of the rules that only apply to tourists while Italians prostitute themselves for a buck.