Italy from the Inside

How do you say “Trick or Treat” in Italian?

How do you say “Trick or Treat” in Italian? It’s “Dolcetto o Scherzetto”. Actually, now that I think about it, it looks like Italians have inverted the sequence of words, because Dolcetto (Treat) comes before Scherzetto (Trick).

Halloween is a holiday that is gaining popularity in Italy, but for us the Carnevale (usually in February or March) is still the winner when it comes to costumes and traditions. Schools even close for a couple of days during this time. The few people celebrating Halloween in Italy take it very seriously though, I would even say more seriously than Americans. Why? Because the only costumes you see around on October 31st are only witches, skeletons, or bats, and not princesses, Spider men or dinosaurs.

Parties are also more popular than trick or treating. Which makes you think that probably adults celebrate more than kids… As for the pumpkin carving, only a few people do it, I think mostly because stores don’t sell as many pumpkins as in the States, or maybe because people are just not into that yet.

What about the candies? Italian stores don’t have aisles with industrial quantities of these sugary treats. Luckily this is something we haven’t copied from Americans yet. However, you can certainly find some delish cakes or pastries in the shape of pumpkins or spider webs. Call it Halloween on a different level.

Why I hate the takeaway coffee cup

A few days ago BBC published a video that explains why Italians refuse to drink takeaway coffee. The reasons why they prefer an espresso at the bar instead of drinking coffee from a takeaway cup are:

  1. It is fast. In literally 40 seconds your can order an espresso, drink it and be on your way
  2. It’s a work break and a social ritual
  3. It’s not too hot and you can drink it immediately

Personally, I agree with all of the statements above, however, there is another reason why Italians, or mainly me, hate the takeaway coffee cup and it can be explained with this photo collage:

The takeaway coffee cup disaster

Photos by Francesca Tosolini

This shows you how many times I’ve found coffee cups, or generally speaking just takeaway cups, on the stores’ shelves in the States.  And I’ve got so tired of this that I’ve started photographing them with the intention of writing a blog post about them one day. And today is the day. So here it is in all its simplicity: I hate the takeaway cup. It litters our planet, it wets/burns your hand and it makes you one-handed (“look at this nice dress, oh wait, I can’t see the size label, you know, I’m holding my coffee cup…”). Italy is still resisting this habit, but I know it won’t last long because you can already start seeing some signs of conversion:

Caffe' americano

Photo by Francesca Tosolini

“The American coffee has arrived. To take away”. And then it will be over…

 

 

 

Some basic things to know before using your credit card in Italy

Using your credit card in Italy- Italy from the Inside

Photo by Francesca Tosolini

With the introduction of chip cards, you might encounter some problems when using your credit card in Italy. While in the States a signature is required, in Europe they prefer a PIN number instead. To be on the safe side, contact your bank and ask if your card has a PIN number, and if it doesn’t, ask how you can get one. Also, don’t take it for granted that your credit card will be accepted everywhere. In Italy, the most popular credit cards are Visa and MasterCard, more than AmEx. Italians still use cash as their main form of payment, followed by debit cards. Major establishments do accept credit cards, but you better double check before making any purchase. Usually, a sticker on the door or window of the store will tell you if and which cards can be used, although you can always just ask someone who works there.

{This is an excerpt from chapter 11 “Banks and currency information” of the eBook “Italy from the Inside. A native Italian reveals the secrets of traveling in Italy”. To buy our eBook click here}