Italians are known around the world for being friendly, helpful, respectful, polite and considerate people. They’re generally very nice and easy to get along with. In addition to that, Italians are people of tradition — and they have a few key traditions that have remained tried and true through the years. Read on to learn five important Italian traditions that’ll just never change.
Family
The idea of family is one of the most important values in Italian culture. And, although Americans usually think of family as their immediate family (mom, dad, and kids), Italians think of family as their entire extended family (aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents and more). Italians simply love spending time with their families; most Italians never stray too far from home and enjoy getting together with loved ones very frequently. Even as Italian children grow into adults, they’re taught to remain just as close to their families as time goes on.
Art and Architecture
Italians can definitely appreciate classic art and architecture. That’s because, as Italians, they’ve grown up around some of the most famous structures in the world: the Colosseum, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Sistine Chapel. In addition, art is everywhere in Italy. Even on a quick visit, you’ll find numerous museums, churches and public buildings with breathtaking art and architecture. Finally, if you’re looking for a world-renowned fashion house, you’ll find quite a few in Italy, including Armani, Gucci, Benetton, Versace, and Prada — just to name a few.
Holiday Celebrations
Italians love a good celebration, and they’ll find any excuse to throw a party! Major holiday celebrations happen in Italy on Christmas, Easter, Pasquetta (which occurs on Easter Monday and involves having family picnics to welcome spring), Saints Day (which occurs on November 1 and involves decorating the graves of deceased family members) and Liberation Day (which occurs on April 25 and marks the end of World War II in Italy in 1945). Aside from these major holidays, Italians love to celebrate the feast day of their town’s patron saint.
Food
Who could forget food? Italian cuisine might just be the most important Italian tradition. For Italians, food isn’t just nourishment… food is life. As Italians cook their meals, they view the food preparation as art. The most popular food items in Italy are cheese and pasta (penne, spaghetti, linguine, fusilli and lasagna). The most popular beverage in Italy? Wine, of course.
Now that you know these five important Italian traditions, you’ll never have to re-learn them because, well, they’ll never change! These five traditions are simply staples in Italian culture. Without them, Italy just wouldn’t be Italy.
To taste genuine Italian cuisine without flying to Italy, stop into L’amore Italian Restaurant. We promise it’ll be delicioso!
