Greetings:
•    As a guest, you will be introduced first. The most senior or eldest person present should always be given special deference.
•    Shake hands with everyone present when arriving and leaving. At a large gathering, if no one is giving formal introductions, it is proper to shake hands and introduce yourself.
•    Handshakes may include grasping the arm with the other hand.
•    Handshake is firm with eye contact.
•    Women may “kiss” good friends on either cheek (it is rather more like pressing the sides of each face together).
•    Close friends and male relatives often embrace and slap each other on the back.
•    Women should extend their hand first to men.
•    Buon Giorno (bwone JOR-noh) means “Good morning” or “Good day” and is used until 1 p.m.
•    Buona sera (BWONE-ah SAY-rah) means “Good afternoon” or “Good evening” and used after 1 p.m.
•    Ciao (chow) means “Hi” or “Goodbye” (an informal greeting) and is used between friends only. Never greet a stranger with Ciao.

Meals:
•    Dinner is the main meal of the day and may last two to four hours.
•    The female guest of honor is seated next to the host; the male guest of honor is seated next to the hostess.
•    Allow the hostess to begin eating before guests begin.
•    Italians do not use bread plates. Break bread and place it next to your plate on the table.
•    Butter is not served with bread.
•    Roll pasta with your fork against the sides of your pasta plate. Never use your spoon to help roll pasta.
•    Use only a fork to eat salad; never cut salad with a knife.
•    Keep your hands on the table at all times during a meal—not in your lap. However, keep your elbows off the table.
•    Use your knife (not your fingers) to pick up pieces of cheese and put it of your bread or cracker.
•    Grated cheese is never served with a fish dish or with pasta that has fish as an ingredient.
•    Take a small amount of food when being served; your hostess will always offer a second helping, and it’s impolite to refuse.
•    The knife and fork above your plate are for dessert.
•    Eat fruit with a knife and fork, except for grapes and cherries.
•    Try to eat everything on your plate, but if you are full, it’s not considered rude to leave some food on your plate.
•    When finished eating, place your knife and fork side-by-side on the plate at the 5:25 position. The fork should be on the left and the knife on the right with the blade facing the fork.
•    Do not leave the table until everyone is finished eating.
•    Ask for your check when you are finished eating. It may not be brought until you ask.
•    If you invite someone to a restaurant, you pay for the meal.
 
Food (typical):
•    The main meal may include soup, pasta, main dish, salad, fruit and cheese or dessert.
•    Mortadella: Bologna with peppercorns.
•    Prosciutto: Dried, salted ham.
•    Totellini: Ring-shaped pasta with filling.
•    Gnocchi: Potato-flour dumpling.
•    Pesto: Sauce made of basil, garlic, olive oil, parmesan cheese and pine nuts.
•    Cannelloni: Tube-shaped pasta filled with meat or cheese and covered with tomato sauce.
•    Pizza: Various regional styles, many unlike what we’re familiar with in the US.
•    Polenta: Cornmeal porridge.
•    Panzanella: Crust bread mixed with herbs, tomatoes, onions, garlic, olive oil, vinegar and spices.
 
Gestures:
•    The more refined Italians do not use hand gestures and many even consider them rude.
•    Italians are known for using the most body language of all Europeans, but its use is declining.
•    The fingertip kiss means beautiful; used to show appreciation for food, art, a woman, etc.
•    The “hand purse” (finger tips held together) means a question, something good, fear, etc. It is considered almost the Italian national gesture. Do not ever mimic these gestures.
•    Latins “talk with their hands,” and most gestures are usually both expressive and innocuous.
•    You may see a disgruntled man quickly stroke his finger tips under his chin and thrust them forward. This is a sign of defiance and/or derision, somewhat like thumbing you nose in the United States.
•    Another gesture has two versions: Holding your hand palm down with the index and little fingers straight out, and the other curved inward, symbolized the devil’s horns, and the message is to ward off evil. If the same gesture is done with the fingers pointing upward, it is an obscene message.

Cultural:
•    Maintain eye contact while talking—otherwise Italians might think you are hiding something.
 
Social:
•    When being entertained in a home, guests arrive 15 to 30 minutes after the time specified on the invitation.
•    Foreigners are expected to be on time, but you may be kept waiting by your Italian colleagues. Call with an explanation if you are delayed.
•    It is extremely impolite to break an appointment.
•    Cover your mouth if you must yawn, but try hard not to.
•    Remove your hat (men) when entering a building.
•    Do not make impolite bodily noises—belching, etc.
•    Never remove your shoes in public.
•    Do not be nosy or ask people where they live or what they do for a living.
 Tipping:
•     Tip anyone who provides a service for you.
•    Restaurants: Most have a cover charge. In addition, a service charge of 10 or 15 percent is always included in the bill; small change (minimum of L1,000—never coins) can be left as an additional gratuity for good service. An extra tip is expected.
•    Waiters in Europe are professionals—not students or people between other jobs. Respect them as such and tip accordingly.
•    Taxis: 15 percent of fare.
•    Hairdressers and barbers: 15 percent.
•    Cloakroom attendants: L500-1,000. an amount generally is posted.
•    Washroom attendants: L100.
•    Doormen: L1,000 if they call a taxi for you.
•    Ushers: L1,000.
•    Porters: L1,000 to 1,500 per bag.
Shopping:
•    Bargain in stores or markets. Shopkeepers may say no, but they won’t be insulted if you ask politely.

References for cultural study:
1) Kiss, Bow and Shake Hands, Compiled by Terri Morrison, Wayne A. Conaway and George A. Borden, Ph.D. Copyright 1994 by Adams Media Corporation
2) Put Your Best Foot Forward—Europe: a fearless guide to international communication and behavior / Mary Murray Bosrock. Copyright 1995, 1994 by Mary Murray Bosrock