When you talk to people who have just come back from Italy, don’t you often hear comments like, “The food was amazing, but the restaurant service was slow,” or “The trains didn’t come on time”?
In fact, many of these complaints may come from bringing one’s own cultural standards into Italy without first understanding the local culture.
Recently, overseas media have also been discussing the mistakes travelers often make in Italy. One of the most common is trying to see all of Italy in a short period of time.
For example, I remember being stunned when I heard that some people try to visit Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan, and Naples in just one week on their first trip to Italy. They may look close on a map, but in reality, the travel time and physical strain add up quickly. On top of that, train delays are very frequent, in Italy, and trains can be canceled because of breakdowns or other reasons. With suburban buses, there may not even be a cancellation notice, so it’s important to leave plenty of room in your itinerary.
Another common misconception among travelers is how to use “Ciao!” In Japan, “Ciao” is known as one of the most representative Italian greetings, but in actual usage, it is a word for people who are close, such as friends and family. Of course, it won’t necessarily be considered rude, but “Buongiorno” or “Buonasera” sounds more natural when addressing shop or hotel staff for the first time. Italians place great importance on greetings. When you enter a shop, or when your turn comes and you make eye contact with the staff, simply greeting them first can make their response much warmer. So be generous with your hellos.
Another thing that confuses many travelers is restaurants. Common complaints include things like, “No one’s taking my order,” “They don’t bring the bill after the meal,” “The service is slow.”
But in Italy, this is actually normal. For Italians, a meal is not simply about filling the stomach. It is more like an important ritual for sharing time with family and friends. They also enjoy lively conversations with the server, and that exchange becomes part of the meal.
Speaking of meals, many foreign tourists visit Italy hoping to try “authentic pizza and carbonara.” There is nothing wrong with that in itself. However, I have heard that this popularity has gone so far that many restaurants now feel they have no choice but to serve carbonara for tourists, even in regions or restaurants where it was never a local specialty.
In reality, the appeal of Italian cuisine lies in its regional diversity. Milan has risotto, Venice has seafood, Bologna has tagliatelle, and Naples has pizza. Each area has its own traditions.
Yet when tourists order the same dishes everywhere they go, they end up missing the flavors that are unique to each region.
Don’t pack your schedule too tightly. Take your time and enjoy the culture and cuisine of each place. That may be the greatest secret to experiencing Italy more deeply.