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Etiquette & taboos

Etiquette & taboos

Understanding local customs is where a journey begins. Find the topics that matter to you and feel at ease wherever you go.

Italy · Florence

7 rules found

Essential restrictionsTemples & religious sitesCountry-wide guidance · Italy

Italy: Cover shoulders and knees in churches – the Vatican turns away those who do not

Do

  • Cover your shoulders and knees, whether you are a man or a woman
  • Take off your hat before going in
  • Carry a scarf or cardigan and put it on before entering
  • Switch your phone to silent and keep quiet
  • Smaller churches vary: follow the notices and staff

Don’t

  • Don't wear sleeveless or low-cut tops, shorts above the knee or miniskirts
  • Don't walk around or take photos during Mass

The Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica admit only appropriately dressed visitors and check at the door, so you can be stopped even after queuing; other major cathedrals often check too.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Official site: Vatican Museums – Useful advice

Cultural sensitivitiesPhotos & dronesCountry-wide guidance · Italy

Italy: No photos in the Sistine Chapel, and no flash elsewhere

Do

  • Put your phone away and keep absolute silence in the Sistine Chapel
  • Elsewhere, take personal photos only without flash
  • Watch for no-photo signs at temporary exhibitions and loaned works
  • Leave large backpacks and umbrellas in the free cloakroom
  • Apply for permission for commercial or publishing use

Don’t

  • Don't sneak photos or videos in the Sistine Chapel
  • Don't use selfie sticks, tripods or stands
  • Don't touch exhibits or block the way

The Vatican Museums ban photos and video with any electronic device in the Sistine Chapel, and guards can make you delete them on the spot; flash damages pigments and disturbs others.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Official site: Vatican Museums – Useful advice

Cultural sensitivitiesDressCountry-wide guidance · Italy

Italy: Dress neatly in town and keep swimwear for the beach

Do

  • Wear clean, well-fitting smart-casual clothes in town
  • Wear comfortable flat shoes for cobbled streets
  • Put on a cover-up or change before leaving the beach
  • Dress a little smarter for dinner and aperitivo
  • Carry a scarf or cardigan in case you visit a church

Don’t

  • Don't walk around town or enter shops in swimwear or bare-chested
  • Don't go to restaurants in scruffy or worn-out clothes

Italians value a neat appearance (bella figura), and scruffy clothes come across as disrespectful; some seaside towns also have bylaws against wearing swimwear in town, with possible fines – check local notices.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Cultural Atlas: Italian Culture – Etiquette

Local customsEveryday mannersCountry-wide guidance · Italy

Italy: Shake hands and say "Buongiorno" at first; let others start the cheek kiss

Do

  • Shake hands with eye contact and a smile when you first meet
  • Say "Buongiorno" by day and "Buonasera" in the evening
  • Use "Signore" or "Signora" with the surname until invited to use first names
  • Cheek kisses among friends are usually one on each side – follow their lead
  • Touch cheeks lightly and kiss the air

Don’t

  • Don't say "Ciao" to people you have just met
  • Don't start a cheek kiss with someone you have just met
  • Don't imitate hand gestures you do not understand

Being too casual or going in first for a kiss carries no penalty but can make people uncomfortable; in the south, men often kiss only family members, so following the other person's lead is safest.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Cultural Atlas: Italian Culture – Greetings

Local customsRestaurants & barsCountry-wide guidance · Italy

Italy: Drink coffee standing at the bar, and order cappuccino only in the morning

Do

  • Drink standing at the counter (al banco) like locals – it is cheaper
  • Check prices before sitting down: table service (al tavolo) costs more
  • Watch whether locals pay first or order first
  • Order a "caffè latte" if you want a latte
  • After a meal, order an espresso or a caffè macchiato

Don’t

  • Don't order just a "latte" – you will get a glass of milk
  • Don't order a cappuccino after lunch or dinner
  • Don't pay the bar price and then carry your coffee to a table

You will rarely be refused a cappuccino in the afternoon, but you will be marked as a tourist; Italians usually drink it in the morning and have espresso after meals, believing it aids digestion without milk.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Wikipedia: Cappuccino

Local customsTippingCountry-wide guidance · Italy

Italy: Understand "coperto" and "servizio" on the bill – tipping is up to you

Do

  • Check each charge on the bill before paying
  • "Coperto" is a per-person cover charge, not a tip
  • If "servizio" (service) is listed, no extra tip is needed
  • If you are pleased, round up or leave a few euros in cash
  • Ask for the bill with "Il conto, per favore"
  • To tip by card, tell the waiter the total before they key it in

Don’t

  • Don't treat the coperto as the tip and refuse to pay it
  • Don't snap your fingers or shout for the waiter
  • Don't feel you must leave a large percentage

A coperto shown on the menu is a charge you owe; tipping itself is optional, and an oversized tip looks out of place. Practices vary by region and restaurant, so go by the menu and bill.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Wikipedia: Coperto (Italian)

Site-specific notes 2

Taken from the "don'ts" on each site page here. Open a site for its full etiquette and background.

Uffizi Galleries

  • Touching the exhibits
  • talking loudly or eating in the galleries
  • pushing ahead in queues

Florence Cathedral

  • Do not stop on the stairways for selfies or walk against the flow — the shell passage is one-way and passing is difficult
  • no flash photography, eating, drinking or loud conversation inside the cathedral, and no sightseeing during Mass
  • do not touch the Baptistery's replica bronze doors or the statues inside the cathedral — view them from behind the barriers