8 Italian Traditions

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception is celebrated each year on December 8th, which is a public holiday. Since 1953 it has been the tradition for the pope to lead the celebrations at the Colonna dell’Immacolata. There, he blesses a floral wreath which is placed on the Virgin Mary’s right arm, a task given to the head of the Fire Brigade.

Why is number 17 considered unlucky?

In Italy, it is number 17, not number 13, that is viewed with suspicion and Friday 17th is supposedly the unlucky date. Some say this originates from the followers of philosopher Pythagoras, who apparently disliked the number as he found it to be imperfect, unlike the more arithmetically appealing numbers 16 and 18.

Others say the Romans found the number unnerving because when written in numerals (XVII) it’s an anagram of the Latin word VIXI, meaning ‘I have lived’, which they thought suggested death.

It may be useful to know that number 17 is often omitted from Italian street numbering and hotel floors.

More Italian superstitions

Spilling olive oil is thought to bring ill fortune. You should never toast with a glass of water. In fact, the whole tradition of toasting is a minefield. In some regions of Italy it is bad luck to cross arms with anyone as you clink glasses; to avoid eye contact while toasting, or to put your glass down before having a first sip.

We have a saying ‘touch wood’ after saying something that might tempt misfortune. In Italy, look for some iron instead. ‘Toccare ferro’ (touch iron) is an abbreviated form of ‘toccare ferro di cavallo’ (touch horseshoe) which dates back to when horseshoes were thought to ward off devils, witches and evil spirits.

Why does Italy celebrate Liberation Day on April 25th?

April 25th has been a public holiday in Italy since 1946. It marks the end of the Italian Civil War and the end of the Nazi occupation. The Liberation was a major turning point in Italy’s history, as it led to a referendum on June 2nd which resulted in the end of the 85 year old monarchy and the creation of the Italian Republic.

On this day, Italian cities hold marches and parades and political rallies often take place in Rome and Milan. Italy’s partisan resistance movement had been going since the start of the war. You’ll hear the song ‘Bella Ciao’ at most of these events because it became known as the anthem of the Italian resistance movement and reminds listeners of the sacrifices made by those fighters.

Many shops and services including restaurants and public transport are closed on this date. The Italian Air force aerobatic unit flies over Rome, leaving smoke trails of green, white and red, representative of the Italian flag.

Why is June 2nd a national holiday?

Monday 2nd June 2025 is Italy’s Republic Day. It is a national public holiday commemorating the birth of the Italian Republic as we know it today. It is traditional for most of the official Republic Day celebrations to take place in Rome. Other major cities around the country also hold celebrations including Milan, Florence and Venice. Again, there are military parades and a spectacular display from the Air Force jets flying over Rome.

Why do Italians take such long summer holidays?

The long August break is generally one of the most baffling aspects of Italian life. After all, Italy as a whole pretty much grinds to a halt in early August, with millions of Italians leaving for their holiday destinations at the same time. Private business, hospitality places, public offices and banks close for two to four weeks. Forget about getting any sort of official paperwork done!

No doubt history plays a part as experts believe the lengthy break may trace back to Roman times, and specifically to emperor Augustus, who first established a long period of rest for farm hands and labourers to be celebrated after the end of the harvest season. Given August is the hottest month of summer in Italy with daytime temperatures hovering between 35 and 40 degrees plus a high level of humidity in many parts of the country, the holidays are considered a necessity for a whole range of occupations involving hard manual labour done outdoors.

Why do Italians have such clean homes?

Italians have a reputation for keeping their homes in immaculate condition at all times, but what’s behind the obsession with domestic cleanliness? Contrary to belief, Italians don’t actually love doing domestic chores. The reason is more likely to be cultural because a sparkling home is essential if you want to fare una bella figura.

This translates as ‘making a good impression’ which seems to be in the DNA of most Italians from an early age. It’s about showing people that you care deeply about having a tidy home and that you take pride in it.

Why do Italians have a reputation for being late?

Most Italians have a peculiar notion of punctuality and being 15, 20 or even 30 minutes late for a social situation is generally seen as perfectly acceptable. Is it because of the relaxed Italian lifestyle? It has become so ingrained in Italian culture to now be considered the norm. Know that if meeting socially, the arrangements will be ‘around 8:00pm’, not ‘at 8:00pm’. However, it is important to understand that this does not apply to formal meetings, appointments or in a work situation.

What is dating an Italian really like?

I can only speak from limited experience, however, the perception that the fiery, passionate Italian lover is a stereotype is not completely inaccurate. They are incredibly romantic, intense and expressive about their feelings and once in a relationship, extremely caring and affectionate. The flip side is they can also be sensitive, possessive and jealous. Really helps if his mother likes you . . . a lot.

I leave you with this . . .

In European Heaven:

The chefs are French, the police are English, the lovers are Italian, the mechanics are German and the whole place is run by the Swiss.

In European Hell:

The chefs are English, the police are German, the lovers are Swiss, the mechanics are French and the whole place is run by the Italians.

Ci vediamo la prossima settimana.

Deb