Wearing shorts when visiting a church
Italian cathedrals and churches are a must-see given their priceless art and historic appeal. Yet you’ll find most have signs prohibiting shorts.
Don’t order a latte
Let’s see… what do you want? a coffee? or milk? Latte means milk, so if you order a latte, you’ll get a glass of milk. On the other hand, if you want a coffee, ask for an espresso, cappuccino… Try to remember that.
Eating pizza and pasta incorrectly
Every culture has established a decorum around dining, including Italians. Pasta isn’t cut up or twirled with a spoon. Pizza is eaten with a knife and fork. Oh, and avoid asking for extra cheese or sauce—it’s some kind of faux pas back home.
Trusting GPS
GPS is helpful, but don’t leave it solely to satellites. It’s common in Italy for several towns or villages — in different regions — to have the same name. Therefore, you may want to dust off those topography skills and peruse the local map.
Don’t eat in the Tourist Spots
This is a pretty standard rule of thumb to follow for most countries if you’re looking for authentic food, and Italy is definitely no different.
Skip the cards, stick with cash
Having cash with you is the easiest method of payment in Italy. Most places don’t accept card payments for a bill under €10 and credit cards are not widely accepted, so it’s always best to carry cash. Oh, and gents, to avoid easy thefts put your wallet anywhere — except your back left pocket.
Don’t forget to drive carefully
In Italy, there are limited traffic zones. You’ll need a permit to go through them and they don’t give them to tourists. The ‘Centro Storico’ is usually a limited traffic area.