Italy Travel Tips for First-Time Visitors: Cultural Things to Know

Is Italy as magical as everyone makes it out to be? Yes, until you get turned away from a restaurant, even when you can see at least ten empty tables inside.

What do they mean, fully booked? Is that an excuse to not serve tourists?

Relax, friend. It’s just one of the unspoken rules of a different culture, and a beautiful one at that. After spending a month across Bologna, Florence, and Rome, I’ve had my fair share of mini culture shocks, which I’m here to share with you.

Upcoming Italy travel tips include top cultural cues that will save you from much confusion. Things like:

• Why you should never order a cappuccino after breakfast
• Why does no one bring you your food at the restaurant
• How much you should tip (It’s much less than 18%. Don’t be ridiculous!)

I honestly was like a deer in headlights on my first visit to Rome. But you, as a first-time visitor, won’t be!

An Introduction to Italian Culture

Italy is fascinating to me not only because of its “la dolce vita” or “the sweet life” mindset, but also because of its strong regional identities.

This makes it even more important for visitors to understand that no two regions will have the same culture.

Before 1860, what we know as Italy today was a collection of kingdoms, each with its own cuisine, dialect, and centuries of history. Many locals self-identify with their region before the country.

While there are common grounds, like having your espresso at the bar or not drinking milk after breakfast, most other things are highly nuanced depending on where you are. But those regional differences are what I’ll touch on more in my city guides.

For now, let’s get you acquainted with the stuff that applies to whichever city you’re visiting!

Before You Go: Practical Planning Tips for Italy

Before we jump the gun and go straight to how to blend in, let’s make sure you get there with everything you want to experience in order.

Book Inter-City Trains in Advance

Honestly, I don’t know about Italy, but booking a high-speed train is a nightmare in South Korea, especially during local holidays.

So I booked my Frecciarossa trains in advance and never at the ticket box on the day of. It doesn’t hurt, right? Omio is one of my favorite places to book transportation, and it has worked really well in Italy for me, too.

Reserve (Some) Museums and Activities

Most museums are open to walk-ins, but some more famous ones, like the Galleria dell’Accademia, where the original David is, and the Galleria Borghese in Rome, require reservations.

You can also line up to enter most churches, but not their domes. Duomo climbs, whether at the Vatican’s San Pietro or Florence’s Brunelleschi’s Dome, have ticketed time slots with a limit on how many can go up at once.

Book Restaurants You Don’t Want to Miss

If there’s a famous spot you can’t afford to miss, book yourself a table in advance.

It’s not uncommon to walk by a completely empty restaurant in Italy and find out they’re “fully booked” for the night. I’ll explain why.

I know most restaurants in Florence have online platforms that let you make reservations. That is less of a case in Bologna. If you can’t reserve online, make time on the first day of your trip to show up and book in person.

“We’re Fully Booked.”

That’s what they tell you… Meanwhile, you peek inside, and there are at least 25 empty tables, and the place is open. Is the concierge just messing with you? No, they’re dead serious.

Unlike in the States (and most other countries), where they turn tables within an hour or so, your reserved table is yours for the whole night in Italy.

Antipasto, primo, secondo, dolce, caffè, you can keep ordering course after course. No one will ever put down the check and tell you, “No rush.”

In more popular tourist spots, some places might ask, “We have a table for you until 9 PM. Is two hours okay?” If that’s the case, just be your American self and say, “Absolutely, we only need an hour!”

Plan Around Museum and Restaurant Closures

Most museums are closed on Mondays, while many restaurants are closed on Sundays. More traditional restaurants will also close for a few hours between lunch and dinner.

So, check the operating hours of those places carefully when planning your days to avoid surprises.

How to Eat Like an Italian

No, this is not about rolling up versus slurping your pasta. I’ll cover potential culture shocks for both coffee shops and restaurants. Here we go!

Coffee Culture Basics

First off, cafes are not called “caffè” in Italy. That’s their word for coffee, see?

Instead, because locals will often drink coffee with some alcoholic shots in it, most coffee shops also sell spirits and are called “a bar.”

How Bars Work

The most important part of getting coffee you need to remember is this: Pay first, order later.

If coffee is all you want, head straight to the register and tell them what you want. They’ll ask you “Al banco o al tavolo,” which means “at the bar or at the table.”

Most locals take their coffee fairly quickly at the bar, standing. Keep in mind that the price increases for “al tavolo” service.

Once you’ve paid and got a receipt from the register, take it to the bar and show it to a barista. They’ll read your order and make the drink(s) for you.

If you also want some pastries or sandwiches, then ask for those first. You’ll get the pastry to bring to the register to order your coffee.

Getting Coffee the Local Way

I mean, sure, with today’s globalization, the locals will understand that you want your morning latte. But latte actually means milk in Italian.

When in Italy, you either get a cappuccino (with milk) or a caffè (black).

There are variations to the “caffè,” like Caffè Espresso (shot), Caffè con Panna (topped with whipped cream), or Caffè Corretto (with a spirit of your choice), but all in all, an Italian coffee is black.

Another important thing to note is that it’s a bit of a taboo to drink any sort of creamed coffee after breakfast.

The only time you’re supposed to order cappuccinos is at breakfast. Anytime after that, the milk will mess up your digestion, especially if you’re having tomato-based pasta or pizza. It’s a local no-no.

How to Pick a Good Restaurant

Okay, so you’ve done your pre-trip research and booked a restaurant you really want to try. But how do you know which other restaurants to enter (or to book for another day) when you’re there?

I usually walk right past any restaurant that’s right on the edge of some famous square. They usually have outdoor seating and are packed with tourists.

Having to accommodate that many people all day long means mass food and not a slow one.

The next clue (that you can use to check those spots right off a piazza, too) is the menu. Is it four pages long with fifteen types of pasta, or is it half a page with four types of pasta?

Long menus usually mean pre-made and reheated for less business loss. A legit Ragú sauce alone takes hours to make each day.

And lastly, I’ve been told by my food tour guide to run away from any restaurant that serves other dishes along with pizzas. Authentic Italian pizzas require a different kitchen setup and are their own specialty. They need to be in Pizzerias.

How to Order Food Like a Local

You may have seen this in overseas Italian restaurants, but there are Antipasti (appetizers), Primi (first), Secondi (second), and Dolci (desserts) on the menu. These are usually eaten separately in courses.

Pastas are always a Primo, and meat dishes are always a Secondo.

It’s okay to just order one thing and be done for the night if that’s how you do it back home. If you want to pretend you live in Italy for a second, however…

Decide on which antipasto, primo, secondo, and dolce you want and order them all at once.

The server will know to bring them out in courses. In case you really want to have your appetizer with the pasta, you have to tell them to bring those two things together.

Focus on the Regional Specialties

As I touched on earlier in this post, regional pride is a huge thing in Italy. I must advise you against ordering a Carbonara (Roman) in Bologna or ordering a Risotto (Piedmontese) in Rome.

Will you get a pass as a foreigner? Yes. If there are other regions’ dishes on the menu, they’re probably there for tourists in the first place. But locals avoid ordering another region’s specialty as a sign of respect.

So, do a bit of research before you go and focus on trying that city’s best delicacies!

Always Ask for the Next Course

You finished your appetizer 15 minutes ago, and nobody’s come to give you the pasta you ordered?

It’s not bad service. In Italy, the servers will leave you to chat with your friends for as long as you’d like. The table is yours for the night.

Nobody will ever come to ask if you’re ready for the next course or for the check. It’s considered rude to do so.

When you’re ready for something to happen, you must tell them. Just a subtle handraise and eye contact. Let them know you’d like the next dish and that they can clear the plates when they walk over.

Paying and Tipping Etiquette

From what I noticed, only super fancy restaurants will take your payment at the table. Most of the time, especially in hole-in-the-wall local spots, you get up to pay at the register.

Always asking for the check or “il conto” is a good way to go.

Some places will bring you the check, so you can take it to the register. Some other smaller ones with a clear view of their tables will tell you to just pay at the register.

Tipping is not expected in Italy. Fancier restaurants in tourist hotspots like Florence sometimes expect a few euros only if you’re happy with the service.

Otherwise, just rounding up the bill and tell them to keep the change is the norm. Avoid tipping 15% at all costs. It trains the restaurants to expect those big tips and changes the local culture.

How to Spot Good Gelato

Of course, if Pistachio looks leaf-green or as bright as mint choc chip, run. But even places with a legit-looking pistachio gelato might not be in your best interest.

Flat Surface and Stainless Steel Covers

There are two good signs to look for in gelato shops.

Freshly-made gelatos come out flat in their containers, so run away from any shops where you can see mountains of gelato piled up in the fridge. Those are factory-made.

Some shops will instead have all their gelatos covered with stainless steel lids and will only open them to get scoops. This is another great way to spot quality.

Social & Cultural Etiquette You Should Know

Last but not least, how to dress without sticking out like a drunk tourist.

Dress Casual But Polished

You’re not expected to show up in a Gucci dress, but one thing you should never, ever, do in Italy is to wear flip-flops in the city.

Italians only wear them at the beach, and you’ll notice very quickly how the most casual option on any street is a pair of sneakers.

I’ll keep it to just this one hard-and-fast rule. No flip-flops outside of beaches.

Church Etiquette

This honestly sounds like I’m writing a guide for Thailand and its temples, but the same principles apply. On your church days, wear a sleeved top and pants that at least cover your knees.

In fact, make it a habit to dress this way in any heritage site you visit. If it’s a heritage site, it’s got a history, and respecting that never hurts.

Also good to note that, as beautiful as the churches are, their stone walls echo like nothing else. So, keep your conversations to a whisper if you can. You’re always louder than you think to other people.

(Very) Basic Greetings to Know

This is mainly so you don’t have to say hello and thank you everywhere you go.

I don’t know about you, but my travel buddies and I get so annoyed at ourselves if we can’t even say hi in the local language.

When entering any establishment, greet the staff with “Buongiorno” until around 2-3 PM. After that, say “Buonasera.” You can also just say “Ciao” if you’re very uncomfortable with foreign languages.

On the other hand, the phrase gets a little longer when you’re about to leave. If it’s daytime, say “Buona Giornata.” If it’s in the evening, “Buona Serata.” These literally mean “Have a good day” and “Have a good evening.”

To thank someone, say “Grazie.” If you’re extra happy about it, say “Grazie Mille.“

Is Florence or Bologna on Your Itinerary?

Why not start brainstorming ideas from my list of favorite things to do in Florence or cultural things to do in Bologna? I spent a great deal of time in both cities and I love them deeply.

Or see my Italy Cultural Travel page for more guides, itineraries, and ideas you can use.

Want someone else to plan the trip for you? I offer itinerary planning and review services!

Get Ready For Your Trip to Italy

Below are resources to help you get ready for your trip.

• Make sure you protect your trip with a travel insurance.
• Stay connected in Italy with this eSIM
• Must-have Apps: City Mapper, Google Maps, WhatsApp

Grab My Trip-Planner Template

To help streamline your planning process, I’ve decided to share the template I’ve created and have personally used to plan my own trips. You can grab a copy of it for free below!

Italy Travel Tips FAQ

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