Cultural Differences: U.S. & Italy

Words and photos by Anika Woelffer, our Jetsetter Journalist who is studying abroad in Sorrento, Italy, during Spring semester 2024.

While I’ve been living abroad for the past seven weeks, I have experienced a lot of cultural differences in Italy compared to the U.S. For starters, I appreciate both cultures and the knowledge I have gained from living in Italy. I learned things aren't “right or wrong” and instead you have to find appreciation for both cultures.

Italians live a pretty different lifestyle from Americans. They have a different work/life balance throughout the week, which includes a siesta. The siesta is during the day between 1-4 pm when shops, businesses, and schools close and the purpose is to spend time with family and share a meal. It's also very common for businesses to be closed on Sundays. This is to devote a day for rest and spending time with family.

I have noticed many other differences between Italian and American culture, and below are just a few that stand out the most!

BREAKFAST. Italians have a very quick breakfast and their bigger meals are at lunch, whereas in America, it's promoted practically everywhere that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Italians have a quick breakfast because they value working as soon as they get up in the morning. America promotes a big breakfast to give you the energy to start your day. 

FOOD VARIETY: Italians have had the same diet for over 2,000 years, except for a few foods like tomatoes and potatoes. If someone were to come back from thousands of years ago, they would be familiar with all of the food Italians currently eat. Americans eat so many different kinds of foods; we constantly change our diets or switch up what kind of foods we eat. This isn’t very common in Italy, especially in Sorrento where only recently they opened a Sushi restaurant. 

Colosseum in Rome

HISTORY: Another huge difference I never thought about before is how old Italy is and how much they value history. In America, there isn't a lot of history because it's not a very old country. When comparing, Italy has 59 UNESCO Heritage sites; to name a few, the Colosseum, Pompeii, and the Cathedral of Santa Maria. These all are super old and well-known sites and the Colosseum was built in 80 AD. America, on the other hand, has 25 UNESCO Heritage sites but almost all of them are National Parks. Although nature can be very beautiful, Italy’s history, in my opinion, is much more interesting to learn about. 

CONVENIENCE: One thing I miss about America is how convenient it is to get anything. As I mentioned before, Italian shops are closed from 1 pm-4 pm and on Sundays. In America, there are dozens of places that are open 24/7, so if you're craving a snack at night you'd be able to get it. This only impacts me in Sorrento on my travel days since we come back on Sundays. The grocery stores close pretty early and there aren't any fast food options to grab something quick after a long day of traveling.

TRANSPORTATION: One big thing I've noticed about living in Italy is public transportation. This is specifically about Sorrento, but the only public transportation they have here are trains and buses. This might not seem like a big deal, but they don't run 24/7 and they don't take you to exact locations. In America, there are Ubers and more stops on bus routes. In Sorrento, they have private transfers, but this can be pricey unless you have a large group. The best part about Italy's public transportation is how cheap it is; it only costs €5 for a train ticket from Naples to Sorrento!