So, you’re headed to Italy. You’ve packed your linen shirts, you’re ready to eat pasta every day and you’ve mentally rehearsed your dramatic “Mamma mia!” for moments of joy and/or mild confusion. Bravo.
But before you become that tourist — you know, the one locals side-eye while muttering something in rapid Italian — let’s go over a few no-no’s. Italy is glorious, but she has rules. Unspoken ones. Cultural ones. Very obvious ones that somehow tourists still break every day.
If you want to enjoy Italy without committing social crimes, embarrassing yourself publicly or accidentally offending someone’s nonna, keep reading. Here are ten things you should definitely not do when visiting Italy.
1. Don’t Order Spaghetti Bolognese in Bologna
🍝 It doesn’t exist. Not really.
Bolognese sauce (or ragù alla bolognese) is real, yes — but it’s served with tagliatelle, not spaghetti. That “spag bol” you love from home? That’s a British fever dream.
💡 Instead: Order tagliatelle al ragù and watch the waiter not cry inside.
2. Don’t Touch the Produce at Markets
🍋 No, you may not fondle the tomatoes.
In Italy, fruit and vegetables are not a free-for-all. Vendors or sometimes even designated gloved produce wranglers will pick it for you. Your hands? Keep them to yourself.
💡 Instead: Point, smile, nod. Let the experts do their job.
3. Don’t Ask for Parmesan on Seafood Pasta
🧀 This is a culinary sin.
Grating cheese over your linguine alle vongole (clams) will result in subtle gasps and possibly excommunication from the restaurant. Cheese + seafood = absolutely not.
💡 Instead: Trust the chef. Italians take food rules more seriously than their driving fines.
4. Don’t Queue Like You’re British
🚶 The concept of an orderly queue is… flexible.
Italians operate in a fluid system of polite assertiveness. If you wait too patiently, you’ll still be in line when your train has left and your gelato has melted.
💡 Instead: Gently assert your position. Eye contact helps. Elbows, if desperate.
5. Don’t Expect Tap Water at Restaurants
💧“Can I have a glass of tap water?” triggers confusion.
Most restaurants serve bottled water — still (naturale) or sparkling (frizzante). Tap water is perfectly safe, just not the norm.
💡 Instead: Order bottled water like everyone else. It’s cheap and you’ll blend in better than asking for “a carafe of H2O, please”.
6. Don’t Sit on Ancient Monuments
🪑 That 2,000-year-old ruin is not a bench.
We get it, you’re tired, Rome is a sauna and that marble column is looking very seat-like. But Italy is not your living room.
💡 Instead: Find an actual bench or café. Treat historical landmarks like museum exhibits — beautiful, admired, but not for lounging.
7. Don’t Assume Everyone Speaks English
🗣️ You’re in Italy. Shocking, I know.
While many Italians (especially younger folks and people in tourism) speak English, it’s courteous to at least try a little Italian.
💡 Instead: Learn a few phrases. Even a humble “Buongiorno” and “Grazie” gets you smiles and slightly better service. Bonus: you’ll feel smug and worldly.
8. Don’t Overdress for the Vatican — or Underdress
👗 The pope doesn’t want to see your shoulders.
Religious sites have dress codes. That means no bare knees, no tank tops and no beachwear, no matter how fabulous your outfit is.
💡 Instead: Carry a light scarf or wear modest clothing if you’re planning to visit churches. You’ll get through security and look respectfully chic.
9. Don’t Eat Near Major Tourist Attractions
🍕That pizza by the Colosseum? It’s €15 and tastes like cardboard.
Restaurants in front of famous sights often serve overpriced, underwhelming food made for unsuspecting tourists who are too hungry to care.
💡 Instead: Walk a few streets away. Real Italians don’t eat next to the Duomo — neither should you.
10. Don’t Expect Things to Happen Quickly
⏳ “Now” is not always a concept in Italy.
Dinner is slow. Service is relaxed. Trains run on “ish” time. If you’re in a rush, Italy is not here for your Type A energy.
💡 Instead: Embrace the pace. You’re on holiday, not in a business meeting. Order wine. Lean into it. You’ll thank us by the second course.
🍷Final Warning With Love:
Italy will romance you. She’ll fill you with carbs, art and inexplicable joy. But she expects a little respect in return. Don’t be the tourist shouting “grazi-ay” while eating lasagna with a spoon in a tank top on the Spanish Steps.
Be curious. Be polite. And please, for the love of Michelangelo, don’t order pineapple on your pizza.
