The official language of Italy is Italian with 93% of the population speaking it has their native language. There are several different dialects of the language spoken including, Sardinian, Friulian, Neapolitan, Sicilian, Ligurian, Piedmontese, Venetian, and Calabrian.

 

Family life in Italy is very important in the Italian culture. Italians focus more on extended family rather than a nuclear family which is just a mom, dad and kids. Italians have family get-togethers often and children are encouraged to stay close to home and focus on an extended family when they are older.

 

Italy is primarily Roman Catholic. Vatican City, the home of the Pope and the Vatican, is located in Rome. Around 90% of the Italian population is Roman Catholic however only about one-third of that population are practicing Roman Catholic.

 

Italy is the home of several different architectural styles such as Renaissance, Baroque, and Neoclassical. The Colosseum and the Leaning Tower of Pisa, two of the most famous structures in the World, are located in Italy. Art is everywhere you look in Italy, however, perhaps one of the most famous paintings in history, the Sistine Chapel painted on the ceiling of the Vatican is in Italy.

 

Italy is also home to Gucci, Versace, Prada, Armani, and Benetton.

 

Italian cuisine has influenced food culture around the entire world. Wine, cheese, and pasta are all staples in Italian meals. Family gatherings are often based around the meal, making Italian cuisine a huge part of Italian life. The food American’s view as Italian such as pizza and spaghetti come from central Italy. In northern Italy, fish, potatoes, sausage and cheeses, pasta with tomatoes and stuffed pasta are the main ingredients in Italian meals. In southern Italy, the food contains mostly tomatoes, capers, peppers, olives, eggplant, and artichokes.

 

Italians celebrate most Christian holidays including Christmas and Easter. Pasquetta, the Monday after Easter, is a time for family and usually consists of a family picnic. November 1st is Saints Day. On Saints Day, Italians decorate the graves of their deceased relatives. Many different Italian towns celebrate the feast day of their patron saint. Epiphany, a holiday that is much like Christmas is celebrated on January 6th. According to legend, an old lady names Belfana, flies around on her broomstick and delivers present to children. April 25th is Liberation Day marking the 1945 liberation marking the end of World War II.

 

 

 

 

 

Zimmerman, K. A. (2015, January 29). Italian Culture: Facts, Customs, and Traditions. Retrieved from Live Science : http://www.livescience.com/44376-italian-culture.html