Ciao, i miei amici!  (Hello, my friends!)

As we’re preparing to anticipate traveling in Italy, I thought I would start with some general information; some ‘no-frills data’, if you will, for the next couple of blogs.  Before we get to the real ‘meat & potatoes’ of big cities and their attractions.  Let’s look at some “Cultural Patterns of Italy”:

·         As you’re traveling from the north to the south, one thing that will be important to remember is that the pace of daily life in northern Italy is faster than it is in the southern portion of the country.  So, don’t be frustrated when suddenly no one seems to be in a hurry to do and/or get anywhere.

·         Don’t hurry your meals…in any part of Italy.  And, try always to eat everything you are served.  At dinner, you’ll have plenty of time to do just that as dinners are much longer than in the United States, and are really more social events than meals.  Lunches are the biggest meal of the day and they too are spaced out accordingly.

·         If you’ll be attending to any business on your trip, ‘dress for success’.  Wear your best clothes.  Italians consider it a matter of great personal pride to wear their finest clothing when conducting business.

·         If you’re lucky enough to be invited to an Italian home, take the host or hostess a small gift to show your appreciation.

·         And, here’s a funky little tidbit to note: Should you raise your index finger to a bartender intending to imply you’d like another drink, you’ll likely get two more.  In North America that gesture might mean one, but in Italy it means two.  The thumb is always counted as one.

·         Remember to add a little extra gratuity to your bill for the waiter even though there may be a service charge already included.  And, tips for most service-related jobs  are expected.

Next time we’ll cover some motivating factors for visiting Italy…and address some common concerns among travelers.  Fino ad allora, arrivederci.  (Until then, good-bye.)