ITALY

Capital: Rome  |  Population: 60.92 million

Country Overview

Welcome to Italy, home to gorgeous Mediterranean views, world-famous food, and artistic masterpieces both large and small.

Italy has been dubbed the world’s ‘living art gallery,’ covered in ornate marble floors, Roman ruins, Byzantine mosaics, baroque tombs, and Greek temples. Vineyards pepper the Italian countryside and the words of Ovid and Virgil seem to echo throughout its cities.

Italy is a republic led by a prime minister and a president, centered in Rome. Italian, in various beautiful dialects, is the official language and spoken throughout the country.

Daily Life

Italian families have an average of two children and oftentimes have dogs, cats or birds as pets. Oftentimes a family will share one car or use scooters or motorcycles to get around. 

Italians often greet people in the workplace, stores or restaurants with an appropriate daily greeting such as “buon giorno” or buona sera” and “arrivaderci” upon leaving. Eye contact is important and usually direct. 

Days begin in Italy with a breakfast of bread and butter with cheese and coffee with milk. Italian cuisine is world-famous, and centered around pastas, cheeses and bread. Wine is served with many meals, which are often large family affairs. 

Ciao!

School

Education is compulsory in Italy until the age of 14. Then, students can follow courses lasting three, four or five years, after which they enter university or the workforce. 

Upper secondary education schools are divided into specialized categories, including: classical and scientific arts, technical or vocational. Approximately 30% of the students enroll in classical education, 35% in technical, 20% in vocational and 5% in artistic curriculums.

Literacy rates are high in Italy, at 98%.

Teenagers

Italian teens enjoy meeting friends, going to parties, playing sports, club activities, dating, movies, shopping, etc. Italians teens often go out in groups. Sports are very popular, the favorite being soccer.

Jeans, t-shirts, sweaters, and sneakers are popular daily dress, but teens like to dress up when going out to a nightclub or party.

Teens start dating in groups when they are 13-14 years old. Even if teens are in a steady relationship, they will generally meet up with a group rather than go out alone.