What is it like in Italy?

Question

What is it like in Italy?

Answer 1

Yes Italy can be perceived as two or maybe three different countries

Don't listen the one that tells you that the south is like the h**l whilst the rest of the country is perfect

About the rules they are followed enough in Italy, more than in other countries: you will hardly see bad behavious or violents drunks like it happens in other places of europe...and is false that in the north they are more educate...is only when it comes to drive maybe...and this only in the small cities...try to drive in Milan or Bologna and you will see that they dont follow the rules either!

If you want find the "real" warm, happy, friendly Italy you have to head to the south...don't listen the racist's statement bla bla they are only empty chats....the south is not only the bad areas of Naples or Palermo...there's more and more to visit and belive me is:clean, modern, with nice friendly people,they work hard and PAY the taxes, they got pc and electric lights ahah...dont really listen the one who tells you is a crappy place

The north can be very hard to stand...they are very cold, grumpy and distant plus they dont help you because they are diffidents specially with people who comes from abroad...the views are boring and grey, in summer is much much hot than in the south so they escape in mass (go not to the north of Italy now and you will find it EMPTY...guess where they all are?) in that place that somebody call h**l....

viceversa, while in summer is unbeareable hot in winter is BLOODY cold...fog, frosty roads and ice is very common...depressed and lonely people is more easy to find in those northern area as they tent to stay close in their houses on their own and isolated...is very hard specially for oldest one...suicides rate too is more high in the north than in the south...

The views in the southern part are something as wonderful specially the beaches, the country, the coastline is breathtaking and is the weather is more balanced both in summer than in winter, the traditions too are great and deeply historic....the south is very safe too..actually i would mind more to stay in some big northern cities (Padova, Bologna, Milano) than in the ones in the south..if you except Naples they are VERY safe

The bad side of the south is that unfortunatly the unemployed rate is higher the elsewhere...thats all

obviously there are beautiful things and bad things in  both places...

but i can tell that yes...they are like two different countries...and the one which is the best is not that obvious....

go there and you will find out how many stereotypes are falses

Tolinrome: i had just replyed that the "view" you got about the south is full of stereotype...you pictured it as h**l not me...well you should know that the south is not only the bad areas..sorry but the way you wrote sounds as you are spreading that idea...i have just show my "view" as you very clearly show yours....and believe me it was a tad...racist...it wasnt your intention now...well....what you think is still too clear really...you put your opinion i have put mine..just not confuse people never been there than reading your post can have a wrong idea of the place...big place not just quartieri spagnoli or quartiere zen... Living in Rome dont give you the idea of what ALL the south is...Rome is NOT a sample of all south, is not south either!!  there are 5 regions and they are quite all differents between each other as well !!...you understand how LIMITATED is your view or still you dont ??? You've been in rome and you think to "know" all the south...and i dont hate the northerns...just the people like you who talk bad about something they even dont know actually

cheers..

Marco S thanks for the patience you show your point of view...but i had to clarify some "things" to equilibrate what tolindrome told...he pictured the place as horrible...even if he say is not true...and i wrote clearly that as not all the north is "crappy" the same you can say about the south..is not a third world country....you can like it or not...but please i cant stand to ear bollocks all the time about the matter and how a person who only lived in Rome think to be able to judge all the south...is really wierd...and irritating...as well as Rome is not south either!!

Answer 2

wooooooooooow!! I wonder how I'm going to get a best answer here phoooooph!!this guy up here mamma mia! he must have wrote like the whole history about Italy so I'll just make it simple:

I LOVEN ITALY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 3

ok i feel like i have something to clarify:

Gigia:

"The north can be very hard to stand...they are very cold, grumpy and distant plus they dont help you because they are diffidents specially with people who comes from abroad...the views are boring and grey, in summer is much much hot than in the south so they escape in mass (go not to the north of Italy now and you will find it EMPTY...guess where they all are?) in that place that somebody call h**l....

viceversa, while in summer is unbeareable hot in winter is BLOODY cold...fog, frosty roads and ice is very common...depressed and lonely people is more easy to find in those northern area as they tent to stay close in their houses on their own and isolated...is very hard specially for oldest one...suicides rate too is more high in the north than in the south..."

NOT EVERYONE IS THE SAME.

It's partially true: southern people are famous to be the most warmthful instead of the northern ones, but that statement its extremely EXTREME.

Keeping in mind the very first rule NOT EVERYBODY IS THE SAME, people can be interested in meeting other ones, can be really creative going beyond the boredom and the only gray color.

Summer is terribly hot, this is true, and winter is surely worst instead of the southern typical weather, the fog is one of the typical "dish".

For the immigrants, most of them not regular, is quiet right: people is getting tired, it's easier vent the anger on them instead on the government that seems resolving nothing, everybody who's coming on a boat via sea, is welcome. Most of them comes to the southern coast on a boat then they cross the peninsula to come to north.

Gigia:

"depressed and lonely people is more easy to find in those northern area as they tent to stay close in their houses on their own and isolated...is very hard specially for oldest one...suicides rate too is more high in the north than in the south..."

Probably, but i also would like to remind that depressed people is everywhere, for one reason or another, when you get used to a particular weather, it's fine, in the north still there's a lot of things to do during the winter time.

People tend to stay in their homes during the working days, going out every single night can be really expensive when you also have to pay all the bills in a month. Normally, as i use to do, i go to the bar and meet and chat with friends after a coffee, something that in here in the States to me doesn't exist.

The highest rate of suicides per year are committed in the Ferrara province, 35 miles north to Bologna.

Gigia:

"The views in the southern part are something as wonderful specially the beaches, the country, the coastline is breathtaking and is the weather is more balanced both in summer than in winter"

Absolutely TRUE

Gigia:

"the traditions too are great and deeply historic...."

True, but nothing to withdraw to northern Italy, especially in the little towns, is full of traditions, celebrations, "Sagre" (a "feast" dedicated to a typical food of the area or the town itself) all over, most of them celebrated in summertime, some of them in winter, but still depends where you go. On the Alps or on the hills, small towns have traditions and celebrations of foods and wines.

Gigia:

"i would mind more to stay in some big northern cities (Padova, Bologna, Milano) than in the ones in the south."

Sad truth: i come from Bologna and it's not the safest city of 10 or more years ago, now is actually pretty dangerous, especially for a woman. Until few years ago, Bologna was the capital of the rapes.

Milan is pretty big, so it's obvious that everything rises up together, more people, more risk.

I have no clue for Padova, i just know that between Milano and Bologna, Padova is the smallest. There's a lot of prostitution, also Bologna is known as one of the city with the highest level of prostitution.

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I just wanted to calibrate the words because it looked like the scale was pending too much toward a non really rational opinion.

We must remember that every place, every person has something to offer and to avoid: i'm from north, all of my family comes from north, they all live and always lived there but i see no coincidence about what she described. She said to don't mind of what the people use to say, that's true, and i could say the same exact thing.

i'm a completely northern guy (roots) but i feel like i have most of the southern characteristics, i love to meet new people, especially from foreign countries, i'm really kind to everybody and most of the time i'm not repaid in the same way. Also i trust too much, being too good sometimes is like a double edge weapon.

I don't agree completely with the words of the first user (sorry, i don't remember the name) but i'd like to say that those words comes from someone who really lived in a place, not just as a tourist.

Italy and italians are famous for being messy and loud, it's just the way we are, people loves it or hate it.

The bureaucracy sucks so bad, we know, and waiting in line for hours is something pretty common, especially at the post office.

For the other things, i can't really say, i've been to Rome once and i've never got to see and live the city itself.

Bye :)

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hi Tolinrome

i appreciate your straight and clear opinion, personally i can't blame you, as i said i don't agree 100 percent with your words but that's simply what you lived during your stay, that's all.

If i'd have to place a choice for the best post, i'd say yours is the best, as i said for the best description of a foreigner FOR A FOREIGNER. With the main difference that you weren't just a tourist, you saw the things with your own eyes and you grown your own idea based on what you experienced.

I'm sorry, i'm really picky and i always fight for a fair opinion of the things, nail on the cross EVERYONE when everyone is not the same, is brutal and completely UNFAIR.

Appreciate man, wish you a great day :)

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Hi Gigia (oppure ciao Gigia ma parliamo inglese cosicchè tutti possano capire).

I consider the Tolinrome opinion fair because, i said, he lived there, he saw a lot of things but at the same time, this is my opinion, i think he's been fair:

He saw things in a different way of a tourist, at the same time he saw things as a foreigner.

Even if he lived there, he cannot know how is going and all the "challenge" there's between stupid people about north Vs. south, which part is better, which is c**p or whatever.

Our policy is one of the most ridiculous and complexed, so there are many factors for why the north (we must recognize this) its more developed instead the south, but this has also been a fault from our governments in the past and in the present.

In 5 years, even a stone knows this, you can't see and understand Italy very well. To get some things, you must've been living there from the beginning, when you born and grow up within the people and the different mentalities.

It's like for us to understand the constant "fight" between blacks and whites in the US and understand their policy. The only thing we can do is grow up our own idea, nothing more, we say what we thing, what we experienced.

Yes, he didn't say very nice things about South, but i can't stay here to say what it was right for him and what it was wrong. He grew up his own personal opinion.

The same is for you, with the main difference that you're italian as i am, so i have to say, with the maximum respect on your words, that i'm kinda surprised of reading what you wrote. Not completely bad, you said some true things, but it was like you met everybody from northern Italy.

So, here i am, i think i'm talking in a civilian way and just exchanging my point of view within you and Tolinrome.

Goodnite everyone, anyway... :)

Answer 4

The first thing I would probably say to you is take the American view of what Italy is and throw most of it it out the window. I'm American and grew up in America and have no Italian heritage in my family and I moved to Italy while in my early 30's and lived there for about 5 years, so I can give you a true biased view and what it's really like there.

Italy is a VERY diverse country, most would say two different countries really if you divide it geographically from North to South. in the north of Italy everything is very clean and organized and quiet and people are more reserved and all the "rules are followed" so to speak, the more north you go the more it's like this, hence being so close to Switzerland and Austrian influence etc.

Rome and below, where I lived, would be classified as "Southern Italy" although Rome geographically it's in the middle. Southern Italy is the pizza, pasta, sun, beaches, scooters etc that we as Americans have come to know, but there's way more than what TV has shown us.

Rome is a very dirty city and it's full of noise, crowds, congested traffic, chaotic and at the same time friendly, beautiful, romantic and historic.

One of the first things I noticed when I moved there was the VOLUME of everything was so loud, it seems like they are always "Arguing" with each other although they aren't, they're just very passionate and over dramatic about everything, even the smallest opinion. Mostly everything revolves around food and lunchtime. You'll hear grown men talking about how their wives made the pasta sauce the night before, I'm serious. As long as mama is making the pasta, everything is ok. The dogs on the street can bark ALL night long and the neighbors/owners wont even care because the noise is "normal". If that happened in America the police would be there in 5 minutes.

Rome is mostly historic and you'll see alot of tourists, thats the main income of the city. You can spend an eternity going to all the museums and sites and visiting the fountains and ruins etc.

Also you'll notice that Rome is much slower than America. So don't expect at all things to get done or be done in the same speed or way they are here. I can write a book on how the store sign says they open at 9am and the owner comes at 945 with the keys to open the store, and the store closes at 5pm but when you get there at 430pm it's already closed or the waiter in the restaurant will take 10 minutes to come take your order and 15-20 more minutes to give you your check when finished, even after asking a few times, or waiting at the post office for 1.5 hours in line (Literally) to get something etc..

Romans (Southern Italians) do not like to follow the rules, it's like they have to go against the rules no matter what they are.

Anyway - Romans, and southern Italians, are very hospitable people and fun.

One time I was with my wife on the bus at the depot - the bus was getting ready to leave with all the passengers on it. As soon as the driver started the engine to leave my wife said to the driver "Hey can you wait a second, I wanna go across the street to the deli to get a bottle of water" He said "Si Certo!" (Yes, of course!) and everyone on the bus was talking to each other and didn't mind at all. So she gets the water and on the way back to the bus, she stops and starts talking with someone she knows for a few minutes, still no one cared and then she gets on the bus and we all leave. Think that would happen in America? No way! Here everything is about $$$$ and this country has lost the "humaness" of life.

So, enjoy yourself in Italy if you're going there and get into the culture and experience the hospitality and culture and let your hair down and dont follow the rules and you'll get along fine.

Martolina: Are you saying that what I wrote seems unreality? What did I write that made you say "dont believe it"? I think you should really "see" for yourself what the reality of Italy is. Be honest with your views.

Gigia: Who said south Italy was h**l? It seems that you have hatred towards the north so much?

Marco: Very nice post. I have MANY friends from northern Italy who are very dear to me and beautiful people. And it is true that you cannot label all people living in a certain area as a sterotype.

Everyone: I married an Italian woman and lived in Italy for 5 years, and I've stayed in many different places in Italy from the north near the swiss border to Sicily - and I think Italy is a beautiful country and all I said about the north was that they are more organized and the towns are cleaner and the people are more reserved than in the south. Is that statement false?

Of course it's true that one cannot generalize and say ALL people in the north or the south are a certain way, people are different as individuals.

I used to love to go to northern Italy and see the different cities and beautiful scenery.

We used to eat together as friends at home and go to restaurants with friends together always from northern and southern Italy and it was FUN, I used to love to hear the different accents and dialects and stories and different views on things, I have very very close friendships with some norther Italians.

So, if anyone has taken what I wrote as anti-north, which I didnt, re-read what was written in an un-biased manner.

I only lived in Rome and know that the best and it was a beautiful experience - including all the negative and positive things about "southern Italy".

....................

Mama Mia....

Anyway, if anyone ever goes to Italy that has not been there before, enjoy the food and the environment. There are many many great pasta dishes, but my favorite is always simply spaghetti algio e olio con peperoncino e vino rosso!!!! Ho Fame......

...........

First instead of talking about opinions, lets see the truth.

What did I write so bad about the south? Please let me know.

Is it that I said Rome is a dirty city? Well, let's be honest, is it? I think we know the answer to that.

Is it true or false:

That I said Rome is traffic congested?

Didnt I also say that Rome is friendly, beautiful, romantic and historic?

Ok, I lived in Rome for 5 years and I became familiar with the culture and the mentality of the people and experienced many things, enough to see the differences in different parts of Italy. I would be foolish to say that I know or understand all because yes, I was a foreigner. But I've worked everyday in a company with Northern and Southern Italians and saw differnet points of views and different personalities.

Like Marco mentioned about the constant struggle between the blacks and whites, my Italian wife doesnt fully understand it because she was born and grew up in Italy - good point, agreed.

But facts are facts and opinions are not.

Who is to say which part of Italy is better? That would be an opinion, something that everyone decides for themselves.

But no matter if we are Italian, American or any other race, there are certain differences between the north and south of Italy that are plain and simple facts, same as any other place.

If someone thinks I said not very nice things about the south, I'm sorry that you see it that way, I love Rome and south Italy, and yes.....are you ready...I Love all of Italy. (and to clarify Gigi) Yes, Rome is geographically in the middle of Italy, not the south, but the lifestyle and culture of the city is definitely southern.

gigi, you said I pictured the south as "horrible". Please show me where, can you? Whats your definition of "horrible", congested traffic?

also, you should read again your post what you wrote about the north, is that not the definition of sterotype? Read again the proverb you wrote in Italian and apply it to what you wrote about the north.

In the end no hard feelings to anyone, life is to short.

Anyway, I think the person who asked this question didnt expect all this.....haha.

Answer 5

Italy is fantastic, it is  my state.

you will find monuments, city of art, tall fashion and a good kitchen!

Answer 6

the italy is all beautiful..don't listen the first..i'm italian

Answer 7

Hi Katie,

Your question is very general.. by the way just wanna say that what Gina wrote about Italy are pure stereotypes.

I am italian and I live in the "depressing and horrible North of Italy" as Gina said (I live in Milan). And I can assure you that here it's not that bad as pictured by Gina..

North of Italy, especially Milan, is made by "more European" cities compared to the South.. you can see it from the attitude of people, from the frenetic rhythm of life but also from the opportunities that cities offer in terms of work, cultural and social life.

South of Italy remained very close to traditions and probably life there is closer to the stereotype foreigners have about typical italians.

If you wanna come to visit Italy I would strongly recommend to go to the south because of amazing beaches, nice sea and a wonderfull weather.. and to Rome obviously for its magnificence.

If you want to move here for more than a short holiday.. you definitely have to come to the north.

You will see that people here in the North are hospital and friendly (probably not as much as in the South of Italy.. but maybe it's a positive thing). You would stay in one of richest areas of Europe (the area around Milan),

Bye