Throughout my expat years in Italy I’ve lived with, worked with, and dated Italians who have each imparted a bit of wisdom about Italian life. At first I was confused. How come I can’t drink a cappuccino after dinner? Why would my wet hair cause a stomach ache? But as my time in the Bel Paese ticked on, I became a convert. And now, I feel it’s my duty as a traveler to pass on these unspoken rules to you. So here you go — ten easy ways to look less like a tourist in Italy.
#1. Pasta first, meat second. No ifs, ands or buts.
#5. Give up asking for butter with your bread.
#6. Iron. Your. Clothes. I’ve even had my socks ironed in Italy.
#7. Eating and Drinking on the Go? No, no.
#8. Put some pedal to metal when driving on the Autostrada, or prepare to be honked at and brighted.
#9: You ordered linguini with clams? Great. Now step away from the Parmesan cheese.
#10. Repeat after me: Gra-zi-e. Three syllables, not two.
If you enjoyed this, check out 17 Ways Italy Will Change You. I hope everyone gets the chance to travel to my favorite country in the world!