7 things you are doing wrong in Italy

In a little over a week, I can go again. Just a few days of culture slurping in Volterra, Italy. And then a long summer awaits me in Puglia, where I will drown myself in all the deliciousness the country has to offer. And despite the fact that I have been to Italy so many times and for so long, I will definitely do something wrong again. Kissing, for example: we always start on the left, but Italians start on the right with the ritual kisses. So that will go wrong right away. Other things I have now mastered, and I would love to share those with you.

1. Cutting spaghetti (don't do it!)

This is really the number one sin. You roll spaghetti around your fork, on the edge of your plate, until a nice bundle forms. You then elegantly let it slide into your mouth. Many people push that bite onto a spoon to then work it down, but the real Italian only eats spaghetti with a fork. What you absolutely must not do: ask for ketchup with your pasta. Just. Don't. Do it.

2. Ordering cappuccino after twelve o'clock

They won't throw you in jail, but they will find it strange. Milk in coffee is something for the morning – a kind of breakfast. You eat a cornetto with it, drink a few cappuccini, and then switch to black coffee. By the way, in Italy, it’s not called espresso (that’s the machine), but caffè.

And you know: Italians usually drink their coffee at the bar, al banco. You order, pay, get your coffee, and drink it standing up. Often you get a glass of water with it (choose between lisce or gazzata). And if you leave some coins on the counter, you might be greeted with a kiss on the hand next time.

3. Wanting pizza at lunch

It can sometimes happen, but usually, pizza in Italy is a dinner meal. So don’t expect to find standard pizzas on the lunch menu.

4. Thinking everything is open during lunchtime

Nope. Even in Northern Italy, shops often close between 12:00 and 16:00. Pharmacies and other daily businesses also happily participate in the siesta.

5. Wanting to pay everywhere with a card

One of the classic things you do wrong in Italy: assuming you can pay with a card everywhere. Especially in small cafés or coffee shops, paying in cash is still the norm. So make sure you always have some euros on hand.

6. Getting drunk

Italians love a drink – you sometimes see them having an aperitif at eleven in the morning – but getting drunk is really not done. Italians value decorum, not loss of decorum. Cheers, but in moderation.

7. Arriving too early at a restaurant

If the kitchen opens at 19:30, you better walk in around 20:30. Otherwise, you’ll be sitting there sadly all alone. I once sat in a restaurant (this was it) where all the tables were empty and I felt sorry for the chef. But when we started on dessert, the whole place filled up.

Source: Italiamo.nl