What to Watch Out for in Italy: From Pickpockets to Pasta Faux Pas

Italy will sweep you off your feet even before you’ve left the arrivals hall. Everything will seem intoxicating – the smell of espresso, the hum of scooters zipping by, the warmth of sunlight on stone.

But, beneath that rush of beauty lies a country that moves at its own pace. To love it fully, you have to slow down, pay attention, and learn the small graces that make everyday life here effortless.

This isn’t just about avoiding the obvious missteps or obsessively keeping an eye on your bag in a crowded piazza. It’s about seeing Italy as Italians do: with patience, humor, and a kind of reverence for the ordinary.

Here’s what to watch out for, so you can easily move through the country as both traveler and welcomed guest.

Watch Out for the Rush

It’s tempting to fit Rome, Florence, and Venice into one breath. Most of us arrive with a list, determined to conquer it all before our gelato melts. But, Italy doesn’t reward haste.

Instead, it opens slowly, in layers. Imagine an afternoon spent under a shady awning, or a conversation that stretches long past the espresso.

In Florence, you could skip the museum line and wander across the Arno instead, where artisans still work leather by hand. In Rome, you could sit on a quiet bench in the Aventine and listen to the bells overlap.

The country’s beauty isn’t going anywhere. But, the slower you go, the more you start to feel everything breathe around you.

Watch Out for Tourist Traps and Easy Targets

Yes, pickpockets exist, especially in train stations and crowded squares. Keep your bag zipped, your phone close, and your mind calm.

(Actually, our favorite thing to wear when we’re abroad is a slim money belt. Sure, it might ruin the line of your white Gucci tee, but it’s worth it to protect your passport and belongings.

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That said, the biggest trap is letting vigilance turn into suspicion. Italians are some of the warmest people you’ll meet, and a smile or buongiorno often goes a lot further than a guidebook warning.

Avoid restaurants that call to you in English or display photos of every dish. Step into the quieter trattorias tucked away on side streets, where the menu is handwritten and the owner waves you to a table like family.

In the end, you’ll eat better, spend less, and walk away with a story instead of a receipt.

Watch Out for Pasta Faux Pas

Italians take their food seriously, but not solemnly. Some of the rules, and we use that term lightly, are no cappuccino after 11 a.m., no cutting your spaghetti, and no cheese on seafood pasta. People follow these rhythms because they protect the balance of the meal.

If you’re not sure, watch what the locals do. They tend to finish their coffee at the bar, linger over lunch, and greet the waiter with eye contact. Try it, and you’ll see how quickly doors open for you.

Respect for the table is respect for the culture itself. When all is said and done, it’s less about avoiding mistakes and more about joining the natural rhythm. And what’s the John Wooden quote about mistakes, anyway?

If we’re not making them, we’re not doing anything? 

Watch Out for Missing the Small Towns

Italy’s cities shine, but the country’s heart beats in its smaller towns. We’re talking the ones with laundry strung between balconies and evening passeggiatas where everyone seems to know everybody else.

Take the train to Orvieto, where the streets spiral upward through tufa stone. Or visit Matera, where houses are carved into cliffs that glisten in amber light at sunset.

Wander through Alberobello, its whitewashed trulli roofs clustered like storybook domes beneath the southern sun. 

In Lucca, circle the Renaissance walls by bicycle and listen to church bells carry over terracotta rooftops.

In Lecce, you can watch old men play cards in the shade while children chase pigeons across the square.

These towns remind you that life isn’t all about performance; most of the time, it’s practice. The art is in the daily rhythm, in the sound of church bells and clinking dishes, and in the way time stretches out when no one’s in a hurry.