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LA BELLA VITA

La Bella Vita: How to do the Italian cheek kiss and Italy’s deepest rivalries

From the unwritten rules regulating Italians' trademark greeting to some of the fiercest rivalries going on in the country, our weekly newsletter La Bella Vita offers you an essential starting point for eating, talking, drinking and living like an Italian.

Palio di Siena
Far from being just a horse race, the iconic Palio di Siena is a vibrant celebration of the age-old rivalry between Siena's 17 city districts. Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE / AFP

La Bella Vita is our regular look at the real culture of Italy – from language to cuisine, manners to art. This newsletter is published weekly and you can receive it directly to your inbox: go to newsletter preferences in ‘My Account’ or follow the instructions in the newsletter box below.

From how to order your coffee to which pasta shapes to pair with which sauce, to hand gestures and usage of tu and Lei, Italy has no shortage of unwritten rules.

And falling foul of these rules, especially as a foreign national, can occasionally result in slightly awkward situations involving moderately befuddled locals.

Among a plethora of etiquette protocols, the double cheek kiss – Italians’ trademark greeting – is one of those with the highest potential for embarrassment as newcomers are faced with the ‘to kiss or not to kiss’ dilemma each time they meet someone new.

So, to clear up at least some doubts on the topic, here’s some essential info on the Italian cheek kiss, including when to do it and how.

Here’s how to do the Italian cheek kiss

Italy is a country of romance, even more so onscreen as Italian cinema has over the decades gifted international audiences with a long list of critically acclaimed films about love.

Federico Fellini

The Dolce Vita by Federico Fellini (pictured) is largely considered one of the best films of all time. Photo by AFP

So, we have selected some of the best romantic Italian films of all time to give you some inspiration for your next movie night. 

11 of the best romantic Italian films of all time

While the north v south divide (and the numerous stereotypes associated with it) may be known well beyond national borders, Italy is home to many more fierce and long-lived rivalries. 

And you may be surprised to know that one is all about the popular tiramisù dessert. 

From football to tiramisu: A look at Italy’s deepest rivalries

Finally, visitors often balk at the sight of Italy’s coperto charge on their restaurant bills and complaints about the fee abound on social media. 

But what is the coperto charge really about and what does Italian law say about it?

‘A rip-off’: Should you really get mad about Italy’s table charge? 

Remember if you’d like to have this weekly newsletter sent straight to your inbox you can sign up for it via Newsletter preferences in “My Account”.

Is there an aspect of the Italian way of life you’d like to see us write more about? Please email me at [email protected].

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LA BELLA VITA

La Bella Vita: Italy’s city tourist taxes and key Italian vocabulary for dining out

From knowing how much ‘tourist tax’ you’ll need to pay when visiting Italian destinations this summer to mastering essential Italian words and phrases for dining out, our weekly newsletter La Bella Vita offers you an essential starting point for eating, talking, drinking and living like an Italian.

La Bella Vita: Italy’s city tourist taxes and key Italian vocabulary for dining out

La Bella Vita is our regular look at the real culture of Italy – from language to cuisine, manners to art. This newsletter is published weekly and you can receive it directly to your inbox, by going to newsletter preferences in ‘My Account’ or following the instructions in the newsletter box below.

The summer months are by far the busiest time of year in Italy as millions of visitors travel to the peninsula from all over the world to explore its so-called citta’ d’arte (‘art cities’, including Rome, Florence and Venice), beach resorts or natural parks. 

But whether you’re staying in a big city, a seaside holiday spot, or a mountain resort, if you’re one of the 216 million tourists expected in the country this summer, there’s a good chance you’ll have to pay a local ‘tourist tax’ on top of your accommodation bill. 

The fee, which is used by local authorities to offset the costs of public services, is a frequent source of confusion for tourists as not all cities apply it, and those that do tend to vary their rates by type and star rating of accommodation, time of year or location.

As some cities plan to raise their tourist taxes this summer, we’ve looked at the rates (and exemptions) you can expect in Italy’s most popular destinations.

Tourist tax: How much is it increasing in Italy’s cities this year?

Besides an Italian nonna’s homemade cooking and the sagre food festivals cropping up in the warm months, dining out is arguably the best way to explore Italy’s famous cuisine. 

Generally speaking, waiting staff at most restaurants in big cities and holiday hotspots tend to have at least some basic knowledge of English, meaning you should be able to order your meal in inglese without a hitch.

But that’s not the case everywhere in the country.

Whether you’re dealing with staff with a cosi’ cosi’ command of English, or are simply eager to test out your Italian speaking skills, there is some essential vocabulary that’s well worth getting familiar with.

From prenotare un tavolo (booking a table) to pagare il conto (paying the bill), here are some key words and phrases to memorise before your next restaurant meal in Italy.

The essential vocabulary you’ll need to dine out in Italy

People eat in a restaurant in the Murazzi by the Po River, on May 8, 2024 in Turin.

Diners at a restaurant along the Po River in Turin. Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO / AFP

Speaking of paying the bill, Italian restaurants have some peculiar norms around squaring the books which can occasionally catch foreign visitors off guard – or even cause them offence in some cases. 

From where and how to pay to the controversial coperto charge and the tip/no tip dilemma, here’s an overview of what to do (and what not to do) for a stress-free experience next time you’re paying the bill in Italy.

What to do (and avoid) when paying a restaurant bill in Italy

If you’d like to have this weekly newsletter sent straight to your inbox you can sign up for it via Newsletter preferences in “My Account”.

Is there an aspect of the Italian way of life you’d like to see us write more about on The Local? Please email me at [email protected].

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