3 Small Things You Should Know Before Travelling to Italy
Three small but important Italian customs most tourists don’t know — from market etiquette to tipping culture and footwear rules for hiking routes.
- 4 min read
3 Small Things You Should Know Before Travelling to Italy
There are countless travel tips about when not to order cappuccino in Italy — but honestly, while most Italians stick to espresso after breakfast, they won’t mind if you ask for a cappuccino later in the day. During my last two weeks in Palermo, I ordered cappuccino at various hours and got zero side-eye—just warm smiles and perfectly frothed milk.
But there are a few lesser-known customs that can keep you out of awkward situations and makes your Italian days flow just a little smoother.
1. Don’t Touch Fruits or Vegetables at the Market
Ballarò Market in Palermo with fresh grapes priced at €0.89 per kilo in October 2025
At Italian markets, it’s considered impolite (and unhygienic) to handle produce yourself.
Let the vendor pick it for you — simply tell them what you’d like:
“Mi fa un chilo di mele, per favore?” (Can I have a kilo of apples, please?)
The same rule applies in small produce shops and local supermarkets, where a staff member will weigh and bag items for you.
It’s part of the tradition, and vendors take pride in selecting the best pieces for you.
2. Tipping Isn’t Common
Al Porticciolo café in Cefalù, Sicily, with visitors enjoying drinks on a white wooden terrace built over the coastal rocks, overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea and the historic old town
Tipping in Italy works a little differently than in many other countries.
It’s seen as a small thank you, not an obligation. Italians don’t calculate percentages — they simply pay what’s on the bill, and maybe round it up if the service was especially kind.
Most restaurants already include a service charge (servizio incluso), and you’ll often see a small coperto of a few euros per person for bread and table service.
That’s completely normal — it’s not a tip for the waiter, just part of how things are done.
If service was great and you want to leave something extra, locals usually just round up the total or leave a couple of euros in cash.
For example, if your meal was €37, you might hand over €40 and say “tenga il resto” — keep the change.
In cafés, people almost never tip.
You might leave a few coins if you’ve been sitting at a table, but it’s also perfectly fine to just say grazie and walk away.
3. Don’t Wear Open Shoes in Certain Places
Panoramic view of Cefalù’s terracotta rooftops and turquoise sea seen from Parco della Rocca, Sicily. Visitors must wear proper footwear here — open shoes are not allowed on the rocky hiking trail
Flip-flops or open sandals might be perfect for the beach, but they won’t take you far beyond it. In some Italian destinations — like La Rocca di Cefalù, Cinque Terre, Mount Etna, or the Path of the Gods (Sentiero degli Dei) on the Amalfi Coast — open shoes are not allowed on certain trails. Rangers and park staff can stop you or even issue fines for wearing unsuitable footwear.
These areas have rocky, steep, and uneven paths, and proper walking or hiking shoes are required for safety. It’s not just a recommendation — in some parks, entry is refused if you’re not properly equipped.
Don’t think you can just go barefoot either — one clever tourist ahead of me tried exactly that at La Rocca in Cefalù. The staff, smiling but firm, turned him away. Nice try — but no shoes, no views!
So if you want to reach those breathtaking viewpoints and capture the best photos, make sure you’re wearing closed, sturdy shoes — otherwise, you might miss out on some of Italy’s most unforgettable views.
These are just a few of the little rules I didn’t know about on my first trips to Italy. It took me a while to learn not to reach for those perfect bunches of grapes in small shops — it’s so tempting! And I almost missed the climb to La Rocca in Cefalù because I showed up in open shoes. Luckily, my 16-year-old daughter wears the same size, so I borrowed her All Star sneakers and made it up to the top. I took plenty of photos of Cefalù’s rooftops — I’ll share them in one of my next posts. Stay tuned!