Getting Married in Italy
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Romantic Italy
Italy
is the home of Ovid, known for his wise counsel to lovers everywhere, to legendary
Latin lover Casanova and of course to fictional lovers Romeo and Juliet.
Photo: A kiss in Rome. GMS
It has always been a romantic destination, the very word is derived from the name of its capital city, and it is easy to see why.
Whether strolling through the cities of Rome, Florence or Verona with their beautiful and historic buildings, exploring the the beautiful landscape of Tuscany, floating on a gondola through Venice or soaking up the rich cultural past of Trieste it is impossible not to be overtaken by the romance of it all.
Lifestyle & Culture
Italians are friendly people who enjoy relaxing and socialising
with friends and family, very often over food either at home or in a restaurant.
How they look is a matter of great pride to Italians, and both men and women who
pay a great deal of attention to their appearance. The love of good design
extends beyond fashion to home design, ceramics, jewellery,
glassware, even cars.
In most cities and towns you will find boutiques and small shops with breathtakingly lovely clothes, jewellry and household items, and many of them thronged with people who look as though they stepped from a magazine.
The Italians are mad about soccer, parading through the streets with flags and painted faces - or even cars - when the local team is playing. A
national celebration follows any victory by the Italian team and a national depression descends if they lose.
In sharp contrast to the normally easy going way of life is the Italian approach to driving, which is fast, furious and dismissive of rules and regulations - and truly terrifying for the uninitiated!
Except in towns, where it often comes to a standstill. A feature of the streets is the ubiquity of the scooter, weaving
though often stationary traffic - and occasionally even mounting the pavement and startling pedestrians!
While the people are laid back and determined to enjoy the simple pleasures of life, they seem to change completely once it comes to anything official. Their bureaucracy is legendary and the police - particularly the military police or Carabinieri - can look quite terrifying.
Eating & Drinking
Italian food is enjoyed and eaten the world over, but often what passes for Italian cuisine overseas is far less subtle and delicious than the real thing eaten in Italy.
In fact there is really no such thing as Italian food, such is the extent of regional variation, with distinctive Neapolitan, Roman, Sardinian, Sicilian, Venetian, Piedmontese and Tuscan cuisines.
The Italians favour fresh, locally produced food and rate food and eating among life's greatest pleasures. They enjoy
communal dining, unrushed and accompanied by conversation, and can easily spend hours at the table.
Traditionally an Italian meal is served as a series of courses: antipasto (cured meats and salamis, olives, marinated vegetables etc), primi (a pasta or rice dish), secondi (a meat course, usually with salad) and finally dolci (desserts).
Ice cream, or Gelato, is a common dessert and also sold on the streets just about everywhere and in a bewildering array of flavours, one more delicious and tempting than the next.
Many savoury dishes include Olive Oil, which again varies is style and taste from region to region and is frequently so delicious that it needs nothing more with it than some fresh crusty bread.
Everywhere you will find food stores or markets stalls, vegetable shops, delicatessens and bakeries with a stunning array of food available,
all beautifully displayed.
Their stock will vary from place to place, local olive oils and wines, regional cheeses and meats or cakes, biscuits and chocolates made on the premises.
Wine, Beer & Liqueurs
These long, lazy meals will be accompanied by wines whose very names are redolent of lazy days in the sun, Chianti, Sangiovese,
Amarone, Nebbiolo. If you can, visit a vineyard and sample their wine - they all somehow taste better when enjoyed where they grew.
Meals are often finished off with a liqueur such as Limoncello, made from lemon peel and sugar, the liquorice flavoured Sambuca or Grappa, a strong 'brandy' made from the grape skins and seeds left after wine making