Customs practiced and laws to be up held.
Italy has rich culture and customs. Italian customs and their way of life differs a lot compared to other western cultures in many ways. They have many different customs relating to work hours, La Passeggiata (the stroll), eating and drinking, after dinner and many more. The previous topics are what are going to be talked about in this section.
Work hours:
Their hours of business for shops are usually from 9.30am- 1.30pm, this is after most shops close for siesta time and then they reopen from 4.30pm until 7.30pm. However many large companies have their set work hours which are 8.30am until 4.30pm with lunch provided for workers that usually starts at 1pm and lasts for about an hour. Commercial offices and services normally close during siesta (these include banks, post offices, museums and churches). When you are travelling to the whole of Italy be aware that at 1pm the only places that will be open are the restaurants.
La Passeggiata:
La Passeggiata (also known as the stroll) normally starts at 6pm for those who do not work during the shop hours. The aim of the La Passeggiata is to see and be seen others, especially in your latest gear before having dinner. This is the most popular even on a Sunday afternoon. La bella figura (the beautiful figure) is to be shown off at this event. This is time for socializing, catching up with your friends and meeting new people. The aim of this activity is to check out the opposite sex and let them check you out.
Eating and drinking:
Italians are not big breakfast eaters. They usually have a cappuccino and a croissant or bun for breakfast and they normally have this standing at a bar counter. It is usually the tourists who are seated paying double the price for coffee. Cappuccino is a breakfast drink only as Italians usually have the short expresso during the day. Coffee making is an art in Italy, especially in the South. Napoli could be said to be home of great and delicious coffee, where everyone has their favourite bar and the barista makes it using his/ hers own particular style- they often remember how many sugars you want and the type of coffee you want which is really nice. The large meal of the day is saved for lunch because lunch is followed by the civilised siesta and then after you can walk off you meal with La Passeggiata. Italians do not eat lunch before 1.30pm so if you arrive at a restaurant before this, the waiters might not be ready- the same night Italians usually eat at 9pm in the evening so if you are hungry at 6pm you might just like to have a quick snack otherwise you will spoil your dinner and only be accompanied by tourists at restaurants.
After dinner (Dopo Cena):
Italians do not sit around at restaurants and drink a whole bottle of wine until it is gone like other cultures. The Italians usually have their children with them and do not hire baby sitters- they do most things as a family. Drinking without eating is seen senseless to the Italians. Wine is meant to accompany food but not the extent where they get drunk. If the restaurant puts a bottle of lemoncello (lemon liquor) or Amaro (red almond liqueur) on your table, one is only meant to have a small amount not the whole bottle- you will get very sick as you are drinking pure alcohol. Once the meal is over, in summer it is time to do another La Passeggiata and to get some gelato. In all of the large cities the street lights are still bright at midnight. In Italy’s summer it is to hot and exciting to be wasted on sleep, do not attempt to go to bed early as the shouting and talking from the windows below you. DO NOT try and sleep on New Year’s Eve because there are firecrackers, rockets and cars beeping all night.
The laws in Italy are pretty much the same as the laws in Australia- this is because we share the same government system. In Italy you have to be 18 to drive a car or a truck and at the age of 16 you can drive a motorbike or a mini-car with a special license. If you want to drive a bus then you have to be 21 and you get given a special license. When you get your license you have to have been driving for three years before you can drive a car with a powerful engine.
In Italy there is no minimum age for drinking alcohol. In most regions you need to be 16 to be allowed to buy drinks of 10% alcohol or below. To buy the strong alcohol you need to be 18 (though in some supermarkets they don’t seem to worry about wines of 12% alcohol). Children over the age of 14 may drink alcohol in public places if it is bought by a parent or guardian. Although no-one really seems to worry about a young child drinking small amounts of wine if it is purchased at a restaurant. The only reason that Italy has these loose laws compared to Australia is because it is a part of their culture; they drink wine with most meals so they children in Italy have learnt to grow up with those customs.
Work hours:
Their hours of business for shops are usually from 9.30am- 1.30pm, this is after most shops close for siesta time and then they reopen from 4.30pm until 7.30pm. However many large companies have their set work hours which are 8.30am until 4.30pm with lunch provided for workers that usually starts at 1pm and lasts for about an hour. Commercial offices and services normally close during siesta (these include banks, post offices, museums and churches). When you are travelling to the whole of Italy be aware that at 1pm the only places that will be open are the restaurants.
La Passeggiata:
La Passeggiata (also known as the stroll) normally starts at 6pm for those who do not work during the shop hours. The aim of the La Passeggiata is to see and be seen others, especially in your latest gear before having dinner. This is the most popular even on a Sunday afternoon. La bella figura (the beautiful figure) is to be shown off at this event. This is time for socializing, catching up with your friends and meeting new people. The aim of this activity is to check out the opposite sex and let them check you out.
Eating and drinking:
Italians are not big breakfast eaters. They usually have a cappuccino and a croissant or bun for breakfast and they normally have this standing at a bar counter. It is usually the tourists who are seated paying double the price for coffee. Cappuccino is a breakfast drink only as Italians usually have the short expresso during the day. Coffee making is an art in Italy, especially in the South. Napoli could be said to be home of great and delicious coffee, where everyone has their favourite bar and the barista makes it using his/ hers own particular style- they often remember how many sugars you want and the type of coffee you want which is really nice. The large meal of the day is saved for lunch because lunch is followed by the civilised siesta and then after you can walk off you meal with La Passeggiata. Italians do not eat lunch before 1.30pm so if you arrive at a restaurant before this, the waiters might not be ready- the same night Italians usually eat at 9pm in the evening so if you are hungry at 6pm you might just like to have a quick snack otherwise you will spoil your dinner and only be accompanied by tourists at restaurants.
After dinner (Dopo Cena):
Italians do not sit around at restaurants and drink a whole bottle of wine until it is gone like other cultures. The Italians usually have their children with them and do not hire baby sitters- they do most things as a family. Drinking without eating is seen senseless to the Italians. Wine is meant to accompany food but not the extent where they get drunk. If the restaurant puts a bottle of lemoncello (lemon liquor) or Amaro (red almond liqueur) on your table, one is only meant to have a small amount not the whole bottle- you will get very sick as you are drinking pure alcohol. Once the meal is over, in summer it is time to do another La Passeggiata and to get some gelato. In all of the large cities the street lights are still bright at midnight. In Italy’s summer it is to hot and exciting to be wasted on sleep, do not attempt to go to bed early as the shouting and talking from the windows below you. DO NOT try and sleep on New Year’s Eve because there are firecrackers, rockets and cars beeping all night.
The laws in Italy are pretty much the same as the laws in Australia- this is because we share the same government system. In Italy you have to be 18 to drive a car or a truck and at the age of 16 you can drive a motorbike or a mini-car with a special license. If you want to drive a bus then you have to be 21 and you get given a special license. When you get your license you have to have been driving for three years before you can drive a car with a powerful engine.
In Italy there is no minimum age for drinking alcohol. In most regions you need to be 16 to be allowed to buy drinks of 10% alcohol or below. To buy the strong alcohol you need to be 18 (though in some supermarkets they don’t seem to worry about wines of 12% alcohol). Children over the age of 14 may drink alcohol in public places if it is bought by a parent or guardian. Although no-one really seems to worry about a young child drinking small amounts of wine if it is purchased at a restaurant. The only reason that Italy has these loose laws compared to Australia is because it is a part of their culture; they drink wine with most meals so they children in Italy have learnt to grow up with those customs.