“This Italian “more is more” attitude shows up throughout Italy.”
In Italy, you’ll find signs about face masks with 40 words in bureaucratic language. No smoking signs consist of 109 words of legal text, and simple toilet signs can be made up of 122 words. What reasons can we find for this in Italian society? READ MORE
If you want to “parla Italiano” well, then you have to learn how to punctuate your words with the myriad hand gestures that are such an important part of Italians’ spoken communication. Those gestures convey subtle differences in meaning which can be hard to pick up on. One article in the New York Times claims that Italians use around 250 gestures daily.
Sometimes gesturing can get out of hand, even in Italy. Last year, Italy’s highest court ruled that a man who inadvertently struck an 80-year-old woman while gesticulating in a piazza was liable for civil damages. The judges ruled: “The public street isn’t a living room!”
According to some, the origin of the habit of communicating with one’s hands can be traced back to the Greek colonization of southern Italy; in those times, cities were extremely crowded and body language was particularly important to catch each other’s attention at all levels. Other experts think Italians develop a special language made of gestures and signs between the 14th and 19th century, when large sections of the peninsula were occupied by foreign powers, namely France, Spain and Austria.
There are plenty of Italian hand gestures tutorial videos out there, but there is one that is particularly pleasing to the eye – with the male models of Dolce&Gabbana! Can you tell the models who are Italian from those who aren’t, just from the way they use their hands?
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Commemoration of Pasqua
The most celebrated holiday in Italy (after Christmas, of course) is Pasqua, the Italian word for “Easter” whose etymological roots are found in the Greek Pascka and Hebrew Pasach, which mean “Passover.” And while Pasqua is celebrated throughout Italy, each region, commune and village has its own traditions – deep and rich – to commemorate the death and resurrection of the Christ In the Eternal City of Rome, just outside the Colosseum, many watch and participate as the Pope leads a procession through the 14 stages of the Passion on Good Friday, reading meditations along the way. READ MORE
As legend has it, Rome, Italy, was founded by the twin brothers, Romulus and Remus, in 700 B.C. The former Caput Mundi, or Capital of the World, sits beneath Palatine Hill, where the ruins of its original incarnation are open for exploration.
No Rome tour is complete without stopping by the remains of the Temple of Saturn and Arch of Septimus, both located in the Roman Forum. Get in touch with your inner gladiator and stop by the Colosseum, a relic of Roman bloodsports and perhaps the most recognizable element of the city.
Toss a coin into the Trevi Fountain to ensure you’ll return to Rome one day; don’t toss in two coins unless you’re ready to fall in love with a Roman. Continue your Rome sightseeing in St. Peter’s Square, home of St. Peter’s Basilica. The world’s largest church, designed by Michelangelo, is both a remarkable structure and a tribute to faith. You can look down from the famous dome to the Holy Square, which is usually filled with the faithful looking to obtain a blessing from the Pope. After this, it’s just a few steps to restaurants filled with Italian food. Forget coming back to Rome – you’ll never want to leave.
What’s your favorite memory of Rome?
Click here to visit our La mia Roma Italian language travel guide page for more information or to plan your next vacation!