I know: you want to fit in with Italians, but don’t know how. Italian traditions are the most important thing you must learn to blend in with Italians. In this article I will list you the main Italian traditions that you absolutely have to know.
Are you ready to discover how to fit in with italians? Let’s go!
The land of traditions
Italy is known around the world for its strong bond with traditions. But I want to warn you: Italian traditions are different throughout Italy. In fact, between north and south there are many differences, but in this article I collect five traditions valid all over Italy.
Don’t make a dinner reservation before 19:30!
I know: in some parts of the world people have dinner very early, but in Italy you can’t do it before 19:30 if you want to fit in with Italians. If you are in Rome or in the southern regions, don’t make a reservation before 20:00! We are Italians, especially in summer, and we love spending time outdoors before sunset.
Don’t order a Cappuccino after 11:00
Cappuccino is only for breakfast, so you don’t have to order it after 11:00 to fit in with italians. Cappuccino is one of Italy’s most popular breakfast drinks: try an Italian traditional “first meal”!
Don’t order a “latte”…
…unless you want just a glass of milk. In fact, in Italy “latte” is literally “milk”. Also, if you want to fit in with italians, don’t drink milk with your food. Instead, you can order a good glass of wine or only water.
Foods that you absolutely don’t have to order
Don’t order spaghetti and meatballs, chicken parmesan, pepperoni pizza or garlic bread. Although these are mainstays of Italian-American cuisine: you won’t find them on any traditional menus here! Try traditional Italian cuisine: it will surprise you with delicious dishes! When you finish, take a piece of bread and do the “scarpetta”: you have only to swipe up the remainder of your sauce (whether from pasta, meat, or vegetables) with the piece of bread. Try it!
Take a “digestivo” after dinner
One of the most popular italian traditions is the “digestivo”, served in a small glass after dinner (and after lunch). The “digestivo” is a short drink with a mid-high alcohol content, usually prepared by the restaurant with herbs, that will help you digest after a heavy meal. It’s important to remember that the “digestivo” is usually its dinner course! After the meal, there’s coffee (never served with dessert), and then the digestivo is rounded off. Pay attention: don’t drink it like a “shot” because Italians drink it slowly.
Do you want to drink a cocktail? Take a Spritz!
Especially in northern Italy, there is the tradition of the “aperitivo” with the Spritz, a wine-based cocktail, commonly served as an apéritif across Italy. It consists of Prosecco, digestive bitters and soda water. The original spritz veneziano uses Select as bitters and was created in Venice in 1920. Popular variants are spritz Campari, which uses Campari, and Aperol spritz, which uses Aperol as bitters. You can’t fit in with Italians if you don’t try Spritz!
“Piacere!”
Are you coming to Italy to meet italians? So you absolutely have to learn how to introduce yourself! Maybe you know the expression “nice to meet you”: in Italian is “Piacere” or “Piacere di conoscerti”. When you meet someone you don’t know, introduce yourself by holding out your right hand and saying “piacere”. Don’t be scared if the other person comes over to give you two kisses on the cheeks: it’s normal!
Driving in Italy
Be prepared for mind-numbing traffic in the city centers (and often on the Autostrada) and an overall lack of parking wherever you need to be. Also in Italy there are a lot of ZTL (a pedestrian-mainly zone of limited traffic), especially in the big cities: don’t drive through them!
Speak with your hands
If you want to act like an Italian, you must learn to speak with your hands to act like an Italian. We have mastered this art: we can’t speak without moving our hands! You can find a gesture collection in this article.
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