4 Lifestyle Lessons to Learn From Italians
In our Alpine Hotel, we get many foreign guests who are intrigued at Italian culture, and we’ve got to admit, If you're a foreigner travelling to Italy, you will be intrigued by the quirks and behaviours and customs of the Italian people. As with any other culture, there are its pros and its cons. But undoubtedly, there are many lifestyle lessons to learn from the pasta capital of the world. Yes, there is a large diversity of cultures within Italy. Think about how Venetians could be different from the Sicilians, or how the Florentines are different from the Romans. But without a doubt, all Italians aim to achieve 'la dolce vita' aka, the 'the sweet life', and there are many ways the Italian lifestyle exhibits this. Don't get me wrong, Italians have a reputation for talking fast, driving fast and throwing hand gestures around. But they also know how to savour life's pleasures - food, family and wine, the core of Italian living.
SLOW LIVING
“A GLASS OF APERITIVO”
In the hustle and bustle of modern daily life, it can be hard to slow down and take a break, which, in return, affects our mental health and our stress levels. In Italy, they have something called 'Lo struscio', which refers to the art of slow living. You can find Italians stopping to chat, stroll down the street and even enjoy a nice glass of Aperitivo in the afternoon. It seems that Italians have a knack for putting their worries aside and enjoy the moment. Another demonstration of 'lo struscio' is the custom of 'passeggiata' or an 'afternoon stroll'. This is when people take time out of their day to walk down the street to socialise or just to breathe some air. This 'slow living' ideology is a great lifestyle lesson for anyone in the world, especially for those who spend a lot of their time in the city.
Source: ItalianCulturalCentre.ca
VALUE YOUR FAMILY
“THE FOUNDATION AND CORE COMPONENT TO ITALIAN CULTURE”
La Famiglia is critical to many Italians; it is the foundation and core component to Italian culture. The idea of 'family' extends further than the West's concept of the Nuclear family. It doesn't matter how distant a relative you are, or whether your a cousin or a sibling - they treat everyone in the family with such care and respect. You will find that Italians have frequent family gatherings and spend a lot of time together, and even countless Italians run their businesses together with their families, just like us at Albergo Miramonti. Though this value might be dissipating, especially in more urban areas, la Famiglia remains to be the core of the country's social structure and acts as a stabilising influence to its members.
APPRECIATING THE LOCAL FOOD CULTURE
“FRESH, LOCAL INGREDIENTS”
Food is deeply ingrained in Italian culture. From festivals, fresh markets and gourmet ingredients - Italians are passionate about cuisine. In fact, UNESCO recognised Italy as being a representative of the 'intangible cultural heritage of humanity'. Whether it's grabbing a slice of a freshly-baked Neapolitan Pizza, twirling some al dente Tagliatelle ai Porcini or giving a taste of Pistachio gelato, it’s popular to people all over the world. On top of that, the ingredients are highly regulated and maintained by organisational bodies. Think, cheese, wine or specific recipes - each of these is checked to ensure the food is authentic and high-quality.
MAINTAIN A ‘BELLA FIGURA’
“KEEPING A GOOD IMPRESSION”
Italy is a country that reveres beauty - just look at the architecture, the art or a well-tailored Italian suit. Without a doubt, keeping up appearances and impressions are very important, and is generally considered to be the social norm. This phenomenon is called 'Bella Figura', literally meaning 'Beautiful figure'. This refers to etiquette, good mannerism and gentility. A 'Brutta Figure' (Bad figure) could be someone who badmouths the family or even ill-managing an event. Though in reality, many people might find it hard to keep up a face or an exterior, it might just not feel like themselves! Despite this, you can't deny that maintaining good manners and looking sharp isn't a bad thing. So, in those ways, Bella Figura is a great lifestyle lesson to be more presentable and more accommodating to other people. On top of that, it helps increase your confidence and can make you feel great!
Why not stay at Albergo Miramonti? We are located within the Italian Alps, with a Hotel Spa, relaxing Cigar Lounge and an Italian Restaurant that serves local Valtellina Cuisine.
For more interesting articles about Italian Cuisine or Northern Italy, read our blog: