If you are planning a trip to Italy, you have probably read or heard that you don’t need to learn Italian because English is widely spoken. Well, as an Italian, I beg to differ.
Of course, the clerks in the ticket office of the Colosseum, the Vatican Museums and the Uffizi Gallery speak English, but once you are out of the touristy places, don’t expect every Italian to be fluent in English.
While cities and regions popular with foreign tourists are more likely to have more English-speaking staff, in towns that are out of the classic tourist routes or even monuments and restaurants away from the historic centres, if you can communicate with even basic Italian, you will get by much better.
Not convinced yet? Read below ten ways knowing some basic Italian sentences can transform your Italy trip.
You are more prepared for real-life situations
Whether you have some additional requests to your landlord, you are eating in a restaurant where the waiters don’t speak English, or you need to go to the bank or post office, knowing some Italian will
It’s safer in case of food intolerances
This is especially true if you are in a restaurant where waiters don’t speak English or in an offbeat town in Italy, but even in touristy places, you can always find someone who’s not too confident in English. And in the case of food allergies and intolerances, it’s always better to pay extra attention.
Knowing the right terminology, the exact words and knowing how to pronounce them so that there’s no misunderstanding is of utmost importance.
You will be more aware of the local culture
Being able to communicate in Italian, to read the local newspaper, and to read reviews by Italians for the local restaurants will ease your way into the Italian culture. This will inevitably deepen your knowledge about the local lifestyle and culture.
You can make friends more easily
Italians are always up for a good conversation, and in this case, speaking Italian makes all the difference, even in the touristy areas!
In popular hubs like Rome, in fact, you will find English speakers among those working in the tourism and hospitality industries, but not necessarily all the locals will speak English or any other language.
It’s a confidence booster
Understanding what’s being said will make you more aware of your surroundings and this alone is a confidence booster. Being able to communicate in the local language will dramatically increase your aplomb and you will look less like a disoriented first-time visitor.
You can better enjoy local markets and shops
Unless you are visiting the extra touristy morning market of Campo de’ Fiori in Rome, it’s unlikely that you will be able to communicate extensively in English at a local market in Italy.
But as a travel advisor, I can assure you that visiting a local market is an experience you hardly want to miss, whether you want to do some gift shopping or eat the delicacies of the place.
You can read in Italian
Whatever information you are looking for about Italy, be it about art, history, or literature, the most reliable and able to give you a deeper knowledge is in Italian. This will give a huge boost to all your tours and visits to local sites, from museums to historical palaces to local churches.
Anecdotes, lesser-known facts, and little-known but still important historical figures can be better explored in Italian sources and will undoubtedly make your Italy trip more knowledgeable.
You will have a more authentic experience
By visiting towns and cities that are off the tourist routes, you can experience the real Italian life as opposed to the experiences manufactured for the arrival of foreign visitors.
Authentic Italian restaurants, real Italian workshops delivering to Italian customers, real Italian farms, little-known monuments and archaeological sites are some of the places you can appreciate if you are confident in venturing out of the tourist hubs.
You can truly explore Italian gastronomy
As mentioned in the point above, by knowing a bit of Italian, you will be better able to explore the Italian culinary tradition. Every time I hear and read about “Italian food”, the dishes that are listed are pretty much always the same: carbonara and amatriciana if you are in Rome, pizza in Naples, lasagna and tortellini if you are in Bologna and similar.
Not only is talking about “Italian food” as a whole inaccurate because every region has its own specialties and ingredients, but Italian gastronomy is so diverse that if you are an adventurous eater, limiting your choice to the tourist menus is a pity.
Your travel options will increase
If you are visiting only cities like Rome, Florence and Venice, you are more likely to meet English-speaking locals, but if you visit lesser-known places, cities and regions, the only language you will hear is Italian.
In regions like Umbria, Marche, Basilicata, or even off the beaten path in the Lazio region, in Piedmont, Sardinia, and pretty much across all Italy, there are beautiful places to visit, so considering a detour from the most touristy places will definitely add value to your trip.
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