5 things not to do when you go to Italy
Bikini in your suitcase, sunglasses in your hair and off you go—the holiday can begin. At least if you know how to behave a little abroad. If you’re going to ignore these five rules of etiquette for Italy, you might as well stay home.
If you love good food, you love Italy. That’s simply how it is. If you want to make a reasonably good impression on the locals at your Italian holiday destination, behave a little like a true Italian.
Don’t do any of these things when you go to Italy
No, we don’t mean driving around on a scooter swearing, and leave the mafia alone too, but simply behaving decently and being completely in sync with the local vibe. These tips make that effortless.
Cappuccino only in the morning
If you order a cappuccino after eleven in the morning, you’re immediately out. Conversations around you fall silent, everyone in the local coffee bar looks at you angrily and you’ve instantly disqualified yourself as a tourist. Once and for all: you drink cappuccino at breakfast, and therefore not after a meal. Just order a caffe, which is basically an espresso, and everything will be fine again.
Never put Parmesan on fish
If you feel like grating a generous mountain of Parmesan over your tagliatelle al ragu or trofie al pesto, go right ahead. But if you’ve ordered spaghetti vongole or anything else with fish or seafood, don’t. Never, ever, ever add cheese to it. We don’t know what happens if you do; no one has ever lived to tell the tale.
You eat spaghetti with a fork
We know, those long strands of pasta are incredibly awkward, especially when you’re wearing a lovely white linen blouse. But you’re not supposed to cut those strands into pieces or put them on your spoon. You eat spaghetti with a fork, and if you don’t know how you’re going to manage that without creating a remake of Jackson Pollock on the tablecloth, order gnocchi. Tip: practise the pronunciation before you leave.
Tip according to the occasion
Americans are used to leaving a hefty tip on the table; in the Netherlands, we’re stingier and round up to the nearest five cents. In Italy, the tip is sometimes already included on the bill, in which case it’s called servizio incluso. Don’t confuse it with coperto, because that’s a standard charge for the oil, salt and bread on the table. Ten per cent of your food bill or one euro per person is a perfectly respectable tip. Also good to know: you don’t have to tip the taxi driver, but you should tip the tour guide.
Keep your hands to yourself
Shopping in Italy is done with your eyes, not your hands. So whether you’re at a market or in a supermarket, keep your hands to yourself. As Dutch people, we’re used to picking up vegetables, squeezing a tomato, smelling a melon and gently poking an avocado—and this is not appreciated. Hands behind your back! If you’re buying vegetables or fruit, you’ll sometimes get a plastic glove at the market so you can choose which figs or peaches you want to pack. No glove? Put a plastic bag over your hand (and then turn it inside out around the fruit so you can carry it in it).
Read also:
- Cin cin! This Italian beer gives you an instant holiday feeling
- Europe’s most notorious dishes to avoid during your holiday
- Five restaurants to plan your holiday around
