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Il Caffè (Coffee)

The Italian day begins and ends with coffee, and more cups of coffee punctuate the time in between. To live like the Italians do, drink as they drink, standing at the counter or sitting at an outdoor table of the corner bar. (In Italy, a “bar” is a coffee bar.) A primer: caffè means coffee, and Italian standard issue is what Americans call espresso—short, strong, and usually taken very sweet. Cappuccino is a foamy half-and-half of espresso and steamed milk; cocoa powder (cacao) on top is acceptable, cinnamon is not.

If you’re thinking of having a cappuccino for dessert, think again—Italians drink only caffè or caffè macchiato (with a spot of steamed milk) after lunchtime. Confused? Homesick? Order caffè americano for a reasonable facsimile of good-old filtered joe. Note that you usually pay for your coffee first, then take your receipt to the counter and tell the barista your order.

Il Calcio (Soccer)

Imagine the most rabid American football fans—the ones who paint their faces on game day and sleep in pajamas emblazoned with the logo of their favorite team. Throw in a dose of melodrama along the lines of a tear-jerking soap opera. Ratchet up the intensity by a factor of 10, and you’ll start to get a sense of how Italians feel about their national game, soccer—known in the mother tongue as calcio. On Sunday afternoons throughout the long September-to-May season, stadiums are packed throughout Italy.

Those who don’t get to games in person tend to congregate around television sets in restaurants and bars, rooting for the home team with a passion that feels like a last vestige of the days when the country was a series of warring medieval city-states. How calcio mania affects your stay in Italy depends on how eager you are to get involved. At the very least, you may notice an eerie Sunday-afternoon quiet on the city streets, or erratic restaurant service around the same time, accompanied by cheers and groans from a neighboring room.

If you want a memorable, truly Italian experience, attend a game yourself. Availability of tickets may depend on the current fortunes of the local team, but they often can be acquired with help from your hotel concierge.

Il Gelato (Ice Cream)

During warmer months, gelato—the Italian equivalent of ice cream—is a national obsession. It’s considered a snack rather than a dessert, bought at stands and shops in piazzas and on street corners, and consumed on foot, usually at a leisurely stroll.

Gelato is softer, less creamy, and more intensely flavored than its American counterpart.

It comes in simple flavors that capture the essence of the main ingredient. (You won’t find Chunky Monkey or Cookies ‘n’ Cream.) Standard choices include pistachio, nocciola (hazelnut), caffè, and numerous fresh-fruit varieties. Quality varies; the surest sign that you’ve hit on a good spot is a line at the counter.

La Passeggiata (Strolling)

A favorite Italian pastime is the passeggiata (literally, the promenade). In the late afternoon and early evening, especially on weekends, couples, families, and packs of teenagers stroll the main streets and piazzas of Italy’s towns.

It’s a ritual of exchanged news and gossip, window-shopping, flirting, and gelato-eating that adds up to a uniquely Italian experience. To join in, simply hit the streets for a bit of wandering. You may feel more like an observer than a participant, until you realize that observing is what la passeggiata is all about.

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