When you travel to Italy, you probably want to have an authentic experience and not come across like a typical tourist. If you know some Italian etiquette, it’s much easier to blend in and do things the way Italians do.
In this post, you’ll find some of the most useful Italian etiquette tips for real-life situations. Like what to do (and not do) when eating out, shopping, visiting places and getting to know people. You’ll also learn simple phrases you can actually use on your trip.
These are just the nice little things that you can do to make your trip even better, but of course nothing happens if you go against any of these “rules”. Italians understand that you might not do things the Italian way if you’re not from Italy.
Italian Etiquette when Eating Out
Dos:
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If you’re having lunch or dinner with Italians, stay chatting for a long time after you’ve finished eating. You might do this over a caffè or digestivo.
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Ask for the bill. Usually the cameriere (waiter) won’t bring it unless you ask for it.
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Split the bill. It’s very common to split the bill´in Italy, even if you’ve ordered slightly different things or amounts.
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Say “cheers” and clink glasses with the Italians near you on your table before taking a sip of your drink.
Don’ts:
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Ask for too many changes to your meal (unless you have particular dietary requirements of course).
Dishes tend to follow traditional recipes and Italians usually eat them as they are. Asking for ketchup with your pizza, or parmesan cheese for a dish with fish, is sacrilegio (sacrilege!)😁
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Don’t expect the waiter to check on you too often. If you need something, you can say scusi! to get their attention, but otherwise Italians prefer to be left to enjoy their meal.
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Order a cocktail with your meal. Italians usually have wine or water with a sit-down lunch or dinner. But if you’re ordering pizza, or having a quick bite to eat like a sandwich or arancino , other drinks like coke, beer or an aperol spritz are fine.
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Try and eat before 7:30 pm. If a place is open before then, it’s probably catering to tourists. If you want to eat with Italians and enjoy a more local atmosphere, 8 pm is a good dinner slot.
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Worry about tipping. Of course, if you do give a tip, Italians won’t complain 😅, but it’s not expected.
You might also see a charge on your bill called il coperto (lit. the cover) which is a small charge (typically €2–€3) that covers things like bread and table linen.
Here are some Italian phrases you can use to eat out the Italian way:
| Vorrei prenotare un tavolo per le otto. | I would like to book a table for eight o'clock. | Vohr-RAY preh-noh-TAH-reh oon TAH-voh-loh pehr leh OHT-toh |
| Sono allergico / allergica a… | I am allergic (male / female) to… | SOH-noh ahl-LER-jee-koh / ahl-LER-jee-kah ah |
| Sono vegetariano / vegetariana. | I am vegetarian (male / female) | SOH-noh veh-jeh-tah-RYAH-noh / veh-jeh-tah-RYAH-nah |
| Cosa mi consiglia? | What do you recommend? (lit. recommend to me) | KOH-zah mee kohn-SEE-lyah |
| Vorrei provare un piatto tipico. | I would like to try a typical dish. | Vohr-RAY proh-VAH-reh oon PYAHT-toh TEE-pee-koh |
| Vorrei una margherita e una coca cola per favore. | I'd like a margherita pizza and a coke please. | Vohr-RAY oo-nah mar-gheh-REE-tah eh oo-nah KOH-kah KOH-lah pehr fah-VOH-reh |
| Buon appetito! | Enjoy your meal! | Bwohn ahp-peh-TEE-toh |
| Possiamo avere il conto per favore? | Can we have the bill please? | Poh-SYAH-moh ah-VEH-reh eel KOHN-toh pehr fah-VOH-reh |
| Facciamo alla romana? | Shall we split the bill? (Lit. shall we do it the Roman way?) | Faht-CHAH-moh AHL-lah roh-MAH-nah |
| Deve / Dovete pagare alla cassa. | You (formal / plural) have to pay at the till. | DEH-veh / doh-VEH-teh pah-GAH-reh AHL-lah KAH-sah |
To find out how to get your coffee order right, in this video Katie and Matteo talk about the different coffees you can order in Italy.
Italian Etiquette when Visiting Places
Dos
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Avoid the obvious tourist spots. For example, you could go to a sagra (a local festival) to eat yummy, local food and listen to live music.
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Ask Italians for recommendations. It’s a great way to chat to them and find out what they enjoy doing.
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Check opening times. Some places (especially outside touristy areas) are closed for lunch, Sundays or public holidays. Some restaurants are open on Sundays, but closed on Mondays.
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Enjoy the slower pace of life, like a long aperitivo in the square or chatting a bit longer to your tour guide. Not everything will be on time, but that also means you can enjoy the moment a bit more before going onto the next thing.
Don’ts
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Wear swimsuits or flip flops unless you’re at the beach. Even in seaside towns, Italians tend to wear something over their swimsuit when they’re walking around.
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Wear gym clothes if you’re out and about, like visiting a museum or going out for dinner. Italians usually dress smartly to fare bella figura (make a good impression).
Here are some Italian phrases you can use when visiting places:
| Cosa mi consiglia di vedere qui? | What do you (formal) recommend I see here? | KOH-zah mee kohn-SEE-lyah deeh VEH-deh-reh kwee |
| A che ora apre / chiude? | What time does it open / close? | Ah keh OH-rah AH-preh / KYOO-deh |
| È aperto anche la domenica? | Is it also open on a Sunday? | Eh ah-PEHR-toh AHN-keh lah doh-MEH-nee-kah |
| Oggi è un giorno festivo? | Is today a holiday? | OH-jee eh oon JOR-noh fes-TEE-voh |
| Non c’è fretta | There’s no rush | Nohn cheh FRET-tah |
Italian Etiquette when Getting to Know Italians
Do’s
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Have a go at speaking Italian, even if you don’t know all the words or make mistakes. Using polite phrases or letting Italians know you’re learning (see phrases below) show you’re not just relying on English to get by.
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Learn some phrases for small talk that you can use in lots of situations, like talking to the waiter, taxi driver or the signora who lives in the apartment block you’re staying in.
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Bring a little gift to an Italian’s if they invite you for dinner, like a bottle of wine or some pastries from the pasticceria (pastry shop) .
Don’ts
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Leave without giving a proper goodbye. There’s a reason there’s no such thing as an “Italian exit”.
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Let your fear of speaking hold you back from saying some Italian phrases. Italians just want to communicate with you, they won’t be judging you for any mistakes you make.
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Overuse the hand gestures. It’s true that Italians definitely use them, but sometimes tourists use them too much, or use the wrong one for the context.
Here are some Italian phrases you can use to connect with Italians
| Sto imparando l’italiano | I’m learning Italian | Stoh eem-pah-RAHN-doh lee-tah-LYAH-noh |
| Parlo un po’ d’italiano | I speak a bit of Italian | PAR-loh oon poh dee-tah-LYAH-noh |
| Vorrei provare in italiano | I’d like to try in Italian | Vohr-RAY proh-VAH-reh een ee-tah-LYAH-noh |
| Fa caldo / freddo oggi | It’s hot today | Fah KAHL-doh / FREH-doh OH-jee |
| Grazie per la bella serata! | Thank you for the lovely (lit. beautiful) evening! | GRATS-yeah pehr lah BEHL-lah seh-RAH-tah |
| Ci vediamo presto | We’ll see each other soon | Chee veh-DYAH-moh PREH-stoh |
For more phrases for small talk, you can read our post on Italian Phrases to Talk to Anyone on Your Trip: Taxi Drivers, Baristas and More! .
And, if you want to know how to use hand gestures, one of our teachers, Stefano, explains a few of them in this video.
Italian Etiquette when Shopping
Dos
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If a shop isn’t too busy, greet the commessi (shop assistants) and say goodbye when leaving.
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Go to specialist shops, like the fruttivendolo (green grocer’s) for fruit and veg, or the panetteria (bakery) for your bread. Italians go to supermarkets as well of course, but these sorts of places are better for more authentic, better quality food.
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Use kilos (and not pounds). You can also use an etto (1 etto = 100 grams) to order things like cured meat.
Don’ts
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Say ciao all the time. It’s technically an informal greeting, although sometimes you’ll also hear people using it with people they haven’t met yet. But it’s best not to overdo it.
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Take any fruit or veg you buy at the supermarket to the cash register without having weighed and tagged it first.
Here are some Italian phrases you can use when you're shopping in Italy
| Salve | Hello (formal) | SAHL-veh |
| Buongiorno | Good morning | Bwohn-JOR-noh |
| Buonasera | Good evening | Bwoh-nah-SEH-rah |
| Grazie, arrivederci! | Thank you, goodbye! | GRATS-yeah Ah-ree-veh-DEHR-chee |
| Un pezzo di focaccia per favore | A piece of focaccia please | Oon PET-tsoh dee foh-KAHT-chah pehr fah-VOH-reh |
| Vorrei un etto di prosciutto per favore | I’d like 100 grams of ham please | Vohr-RAY oon EH-toh dee proh-SHOO-toh pehr fah-VOH-reh |
| Vorrei un chilo di mele per favore. | I’d like a kilo of apples please | Vohr-RAY oon KEE-loh dee MEH-leh pehr fah-VOH-reh |
K: Ciao a tutti e benvenuti! Hi everyone and welcome to Learn Italian with Joy of Languages.
In today’s episode, you’ll hear some of things that you can make sure to do, or not do, in Italy to be more like an Italian and less like a tourist. You’ll also hear some practical phrases that you can use in Italy.
M: There are resources out there that say you shouldn’t do things like litter or graffiti, but we’re going to ignore those more obvious ones because we know you wouldn’t be doing them anyway.
K: And if you ever do happen to not quite get things right in Italy, don’t worry, because Italians don’t expect you to know how to do things exactly like they do.
M: Starting with food and drink, which is very important in Italy, the first don’t is “don’t have dinner too early”. In Italy, you have dinner quite late in the evening. If you’re in the South of Italy, it’s even later compared to the North.
K: Anything around 7:30 or earlier is considered early in Italy. Many restaurants don’t even open until 7 pm. And in touristy spots, they’ll often seat tourists earlier, then have a second wave of Italians later in the evening. So if you’d like a more local atmosphere, choose a later slot.
M: For example, you could call or stop by a restaurant and say vorrei prenotare per le otto, I’d like to book for 8 o’clock. Literally:
Vorrei - I would like
Prenotare - to book
Per - for
Le - the
Otto - eight
Vorrei prenotare per le otto
K: If you are getting peckish before 8 pm, you can have an aperitivo instead, which is when you order a drink and snacks. It’s a very Italian thing to do.
M: The first “do” is to say “cheers” before drinking in Italy.
K: When you’re served drinks in Italy, it’s very common for Italians to say “cheers” to each other. You might find that Italians don’t start drinking their drink until you’ve done this little ritual.
M: And to say “cheers” in Italian, it’s salute (x2) . It literally means health, so you’re wishing people good health.
K: Another don’t is trying to make lots of changes to your food when eating out in Italy. It’s not very common to customise dishes, as they usually follow traditional recipes and are served as they are. Of course, if you do want to ask for changes, you can. It’s just less typical for Italians to do so. And if you have dietary requirements, there’s absolutely no problem asking for adjustments for that reason as well.
M: If you want to make sure you try a really typical Italian dish, you could tell the waiter, vorrei provare un piatto tipico - I’d like to try a typical dish. Literally:
Vorrei - I would like
Provare - to try
Un - a
Piatto - dish
Tipico - typical
Vorrei provare un piatto tipico
K: Or, if you’re vegetarian, you could say something like sono vegetariano. Cosa mi consiglia? I’m vegetarian, what do you recommend for me? Literally:
M: Sono - I am
Vegetariano - vegetarian
Cosa - what
Mi - me
Consiglia - recommend
M: Or, Katie would say sono vegetariana, with an -a on the end for the feminine version. So Sono vegetariana. Cosa mi consiglia?
K: The last don’t is, don’t take off your shoes when you go into an Italian’s home. Italians don’t usually take off their shoes when they go into someone’s home, I guess because what Italians wear is very important, and shoes are part of the outfit. Would you agree with that Matteo?
M: [...]
K: But this can vary a bit depending on preferences, so you can always check what your host prefers.
M: And if you want to check, you could say: tolgo le scarpe? Shall I take off my shoes? Literally:
Tolgo - I take off or remove
Le - the
Scarpe - shoes
Tolgo le scarpe?
K: Another “do” is paying a lot of attention to greeting people. Of course, this is important and polite almost everywhere, but I feel like Italians pay even more attention to these kinds of details. If you’re gathering with Italians, like at someone’s house or a restaurant, you should always make sure to greet at least the people that you know there. And Italian goodbyes can take a long time because you can’t just wave and leave. And an Italian would almost never leave without saying anything. There’s a reason there’s no such thing as an “Italian exit”.
M: If you want to sound friendly when you say goodbye to the host, you could say grazie per la bella serata. Thank you for the lovely evening. Literally:
Grazie - thank you
Per - for
La - the
Bella - beautiful
Serata - evening
Grazie per la bella serata.
K: Let’s see if you can remember some of the useful phrases that you heard with dos and don’ts in Italy.
Since most Italians don’t eat before 7:30 pm, what’s the phrase for “I would like to book a table for 8 o’clock”?
[...]
M: Vorrei prenotare per le otto (x2) .
K: If you wanted to make sure to eat a very traditional Italian dish, how could you say “I’d like to try a typical dish?”
[...]
M: Vorrei provare un piatto tipico ( x2).
K: And what about “I’m vegetarian, what do you recommend?”
[...]
M: Sono vegetariano, cosa mi consiglia (x2). Or, you might say sono vegetariana, cosa mi consiglia.
K: And when you cheers before drinking in Italy, what’s the word that Italians use that literally means “health?”
[...]
M: Salute (x2) .
K: If you’re at an Italian’s house, how can you ask “shall I take off my shoes?”
M: Tolgo le scarpe? (x2) .
K: And finally, to make sure you give a proper goodbye in Italy, how would you say “thank you for the lovely evening”, like if you’re thanking the host after a dinner party?
[...]
M: Grazie per la bella serata (x2) .
K: You’ve heard a few dos and don’ts, but there are lots more that are useful to know.
M: Like how Italians usually split the bill and the phrase they use when they do this. Or whether you should tip. Or even what clothes to wear.
K: And as always, we’ve picked the ones you’re most likely to actually come across, with more phrases you can use as well. Just click the link in the description to head over to our website, or go to italian.joyoflanguages.com/podcast and search for episode 230.
K: See you next time.
M: Or as we say in Italian.
Alla prossima!
Time to check your understanding and remember everything you just learned! Below you’ll find a mini-quiz and some vocabulary cards to help it all go in.
Quiz: Italian Etiquette: The Dos and Don’ts of Travelling in Italy
How much did you learn? Find out in the quiz!
Vocabulary
Possiamo avere il conto per favore? = Can we have the bill please?
Sto imparando l’italiano = I’m learning Italian
Non c’è fretta = There’s no rush
Oggi è un giorno festivo? = Is today a holiday?
Vorrei un etto di prosciutto per favore = I’d like 100 grams of ham please
Salute! = Cheers!
Vorrei provare un piatto tipico = I’d like to try a typical dish
Vorrei prenotare per le otto = I’d look to book for eight o’clock
Grazie per la bella serata = Thank you for the lovely evening
Flashcards: Italian Etiquette: The Dos and Don’ts of Travelling in Italy
Not sure how it works? Click here to watch the tutorial
