Italian Culture Shocks That Will Blow Your Mind (And Save You From Embarrassment!)

I still remember the first time I arrived in Italy from Canada, I was like What’s happening here? There were so many things that looked different, so many things that people were doing that I was not used to… It was a total cultural shock for me. Even now, after living here for more than 7 years, some things still make me shake my head, but hey, that is part of the rich and interesting Italian culture, and if you know what to expect, you will have a wonderful time here in Italy!

Today, we’re sharing with you the top 10 culture shocks you might face in Italy, plus one bonus tip at the end that will save you major embarrassment.

#10 – Regionality: Italy isn’t one-size-fits-all

Do you think Italy is the same everywhere? Think again! It has 20 regions, each with its own traditions, foods, drinks, and dialects.

To make things even more complicated, every town might have its own version of pasta, cheese, wines, or even gestures, so what’s normal in Rome might not be common in Venice. This regionalism is particularly true with food. In fact, every region, or even town sometimes, has its own dish, and there, and only there, is it made perfectly. Let’s see some examples:

Pasta alla Carbonara: This dish is typical of Rome, and it is only in Rome that you can experience the best carbonara. 

Pasta al pesto: this pasta dish is typical of the Liguria region, and it tastes best when it is made with the basil that grows on the hills of Genova. 

Tagliatelle alla Bolognese: this rich and complex meat sauce is typical of Bologna, but there are some minor variations all over the Emilia Romagna region. 

Bistecca alla Fiorentina: this thick, juicy, and tender T-bone steak is typical of Florence and the surrounding areas.

Now these are just a few examples of the thousands of dishes that Italy has to offer. 

Moral of the story: do a little research about the region you’re visiting and try the local food. It will make your trip so much richer

Now, if you’d rather not spend hours researching and you want to experience the best food and culture hands-on, we recommend trying a food tour of Italy. 

For example, there are tons of day trips pretty much all over Italy – and it’s for every budget. You can taste authentic Carbonara in Rome, pesto in Genova, and even a Fiorentina steak in Florence, without stressing about logistics. 

#9 – BATHROOMS ARE NOT FREE!

Public bathrooms in Italy are usually not free, and sometimes they are not easy to find. In big cities like Rome, Venice, and Florence, you’ll have to pay between € 0.50 and € 1.50 to use the bathrooms. Most of the time, they only accept coins; however, this is changing, and now a lot of bathrooms accept cards, and you can tap with your phone to use them.

If you can not find a public bathroom, you can go to any coffee shop, but to use the bathroom, you have to buy something like a coffee, a bottle of water, or a pack of gum.  But we are sure that you know everything about using bathrooms in Italy because you watched our video, right? If you didn’t, you can watch it up here!

And then there is the bidet! The moment you step into your hotel room bathroom, you will immediately notice that there is a bidet. Italians can not live without one. You don’t have to try it if you don’t feel like it, but trust us, if you do, you will never be able to live without one. 

#8 – LIQUOR LAWS: DRINK RESPONSIBLY, BUT FREELY

In Italy, the drinking age is 18, and yes, you can buy wine or beer at supermarkets, convenience stores, and even coffee shops. Drinking on the street, in parks, or at the beach is totally legal and normal. But here’s the thing: Italians rarely get drunk. Wine is about enjoying the meal, socialising, and taking life slow, not to get drunk.

In fact, being drunk in public is considered rude and disrespectful in Italy.  Also, going back to regionalism,  every town has its own local wine, and Italians are proud of it. So drink local and sip wisely! One thing that you will also notice in Italy is how cheap wine is. In general, you can get an excellent wine in Italy for under €20, and sometimes at a restaurant, you can have the house wine for just a few euros, and it is totally delicious. 

#7 – SMOKING IS STILL POPULAR IN ITALY

Unfortunately, smoking is still quite common in Italy. In fact, one in four adults still smokes. That’s higher than in countries like the U.S. or Canada, where the numbers are closer to one in eight. You’ll see people lighting up outside cafés, at train stations, and even while walking through the piazza. It’s not unusual, it’s just part of daily life. Smoking is banned inside restaurants, hotels, and public transport. But outdoors, it’s fair game. That means if you’re eating outside, say on a patio, someone at the next table might light up a cigarette. So if you’re sensitive to smoke, pick your seat carefully. And don’t be afraid to politely ask for a different spot it’s normal, and Italians won’t take offence. Here are a few things to keep in mind while travelling to Italy:

1. Expect smoke at outdoor restaurants, cafés, and bars.
2. Train platforms and bus stops? Smokers are everywhere.
3. If you’re renting an apartment, double-check the rules; some still allow smoking indoors.
4. Most hotels still allow smoking on balconies. If you are sensitive to smoke, you should keep your windows closed. 

#6 – COLD AIR IS BAD FOR HEALTH

Italians are afraid of the cold; they truly believe that a cold draft will make you sick or it will cause a sore neck. It is not unusual to see people walking around with a scarf even in the middle of the summer.  For the same reason, Italians do not like AC and they keep it at the lowest setting all the time. It is not unusual to hear people mention that they got a cold because they walked into a room with the AC on. 

This fact about Italians is very important when you book a hotel in Italy in the summer: make sure the room has AC and, most importantly, that the AC is turned on and available to use. 

On the same topic, Italians believe that cold drinks and ice will give you an upset stomach or interfere with digestion, so it is quite rare to get any ice with a drink in Italy- unless you’re ordering a spritz, maybe. If you want ice in your soda, you will have to ask for it- and unless you’re in a big tourist town, be prepared for the answer to be no.

#5 – STORE HOURS: NOT 24/7

Unlike North America, small family-run shops close for lunch usually between 12:30 to 3:30 PM and may close completely on Sundays. They may even be closed on a random day during the week, like a Wednesday or Thursday, because that’s the town’s tradition.

Big chain stores, shopping malls, or stores in touristy areas have longer hours, and sometimes they are open until late at night. 

Local Restaurants each have their own opening hours as well. Normally, restaurants are open for lunch between 12:30 and 2:30 p,m and then for dinner between 7:30 and 10:30. In fact, dinner time in northern Italy is between 7:30 and 8 pm, while in the south it is between 8:30 and 9:30

In major tourist areas, nowadays restaurants are open all day long, but be aware that those restaurants target tourists and most of the time the food is not 100% authentic. 

You might ask, “What happens if I am hungry at 5 pm?”  In that case, you can go and have an Aperitivo. This consists of a drink, like a spritz, with some finger food served with it. It is very popular and most coffee shops, bars, and restaurants serve it. We made an entire video about Aperitivo, and you can watch it here.  

#4 – RESPECT THE PASTA

Pasta in Italy is almost a religion, and there are a few unwritten rules that revolve around pasta. The first rule is that pasta is not a side dish. Nobody in Italy would serve pasta as a side of steak or chicken, or anything else. Pasta is always a primo (first course), and it is served on its own. Also, pasta is never served with a salad; this is a big no-no in Italy, especially putting the salad on the same plate with the pasta.

The second rule is never cut the pasta. Cutting spaghetti in Italy is considered almost a crime, and only very young kids are allowed to do it. 

The third rule is that the type of noodle depends on the type of sauce it is served with. So if you see on the menu Tagliatelle alla Bolognese, please don’t ask for spaghetti, you will not get it, period!  

The last rule about pasta is never ask for cheese on a seafood pasta. Italians believe that seafood has a mild flavour, and the taste of cheese would cover it. For this reason, they will not put cheese on it. (Now there are a few exceptions to this rule, but they are exceptions.) 

Lastly, never ask to put ketchup on pasta! This would be a sin in Italy. You can have ketchup with your fries in Italy, but that’s about it!. 

#3 – COFFEE CULTURE: FOLLOW THE RULES

When you visit Italy, you’ll notice right away that Italians like to take life slowly, they like to sit at lunch for hours, they like to enjoy people’s company and talk for a very long time; however, there is one thing that they do incredibly fast: drink coffee!  Espresso in Italy is king, and if you ask for a “coffee,” expect a tiny shot, delivered in seconds to drink at the counter (al banco).

Italians look down at American coffee like it is some sort of weird soup. Also, Italians do not drink coffee to go; it is not a thing here (well, there are a few exceptions to this). Also, there are variations for espresso, and these are the most common ones:

• Caffè lungo: a shot of espresso with a tiny bit more hot water
• Caffè ristretto: This is an even shorter espresso if you can believe it
• Caffè macchiato: Espresso with a drop of milk
• Caffè corretto: Espresso with a shot of booze, usually sambuca or grappa
• Deca: This is a decaf espresso, and you can ask for it with all of the above variations
• Caffè d’orzo: Barley-based drink, there is no caffeine or coffee, and sometimes it has ginseng in it, most importantly does not taste like coffee!
• Caffe americano: This is the Italian attempt at an American coffee, with espresso and a lot of water in it
• Affogato: (literally, this means drowned) This is a shot of espresso with a scoop of gelato in it! 

Now we know this is very complicated; for this reason, we made a coffee cheat sheet that you can download.

Now let’s address the elephant in the room, cappuccino! Italians consider Cappuccino a breakfast drink only, and it is usually served before 11 AM. Ordering one in the afternoon immediately gives away the fact that you are a tourist. If you don’t want to be that tourist, order a macchiato, after all, it is just a mini version of a cappuccino. 

Finally, if you get invited to someone’s house for coffee, chances are that you will get a coffee made with the old-fashioned stove-top coffee maker called Moka in Italy. This coffee is very common in Italy, and we love it; however, if you have never had it before, you might not be a big fan of it. 

#2 – WATER: IT’S BOTTLED ONLY

In Italy, Tap water is perfectly safe to drink, and in some areas is also quite good, but Italians never drink it – not even in restaurants. In fact, restaurants don’t even serve tap water, even if you ask for it.  When ordering water, you’ll choose between naturale (still) or gasata (sparkling), and if you want ice or lemon, you’ll need to ask for it. 

When you are exploring a city, you can also drink water from one of the many water fountains around. The water is usually fresh and very clean, and you can refill your water bottle.  In some cities, like Rome, for example, you can now also have sparkling water from water kiosks, and it is totally free. 

#1 – RESTAURANT ETIQUETTE: LET THEM DO THEIR THING

As we mentioned before, Italians love to sit at the table and talk and socialise. For this reason, they do not like it when a waiter comes and interrupts them with funny questions like “How is the food?”.   Waiters take your order, bring your food, and leave you to enjoy your company. If you need something else, you will have to flag the waiter and ask.

So don’t be upset about the service; if your waiter doesn’t come regularly, this is just the way Italians like it. On the same topic, don’t expect the bill until you request it; bringing it early is considered rude. More recently, in a lot of restaurants, the waiter brings you the table number with your drinks, and when you are done and want the bill, you just go to the cashier with the table number and pay. 

BONUS TIP – THE BILL: IT’S SIMPLE

In Italy, the bill is usually split evenly per person, regardless of who ate and drank what. So if there are 6 people at the table, the bill is split between 6, even if one of the people did not drink wine or only had one course, it does not matter. Please do not ask to separate the bill. They simply won’t do it. Now, when it is time to pay, it is totally fine if you want to pay for more than one person, or if someone wants to pay cash and someone wants to pay by card. Lastly, you do not need to tip; if you enjoyed the service, you can leave a few euros (like 5 euros for the whole table), but tips are not required. 

So there you have it! Ten Italian culture shocks…plus a bonus tip to avoid embarrassing yourself. While visiting Italy. 

Also, if you have any questions, leave a comment below. We like to hear back from you and answer your questions the best we can.

Ciao!