10 Things to Know about the Italian Man

As you know, through Ville in Italia’s blog, our aim is to give travellers or simply the curious, many different ideas to learn more about the Italian fashion manBelpaese. We like to describe the “beauty of Italy” through traditions, products made in Italy and insights on various topics including art and cooking. Today we decided to go a little bit off topic and, with the help of the ironic Italian blogger Silvia Pizzi, we suggest a small “Italian portrait” sketched with humour and a decisively much more light-hearted tone… here are the 10 myths to unmask (or not) on the Italian man.

If you are a woman who is planning a trip to Italy and still has a little romance at heart, you probably already started building a small expectation of your next vacation in the Belpaese… Don’t you already see yourself with the wind in your hair, hugging a tall, dark and handsome man, riding on his Vespa that brings you around the streets of the Eternal City and takes you for ice cream, to throw coins in the fountains, out for supper and dancing? Of course.

“Roman Holiday” is to blame.

If these are your expectations, here are 10 things you should know on Italian men before your departure (and must remember once you arrive at your destination in case you decide to embark on a romantic Italian adventure…)

1) Italian men are romantic and passionate.

False: you can surely still find some men representing this category on the Italian territory. But they are dying out. So consider that meeting one while on vacation is more or less equivalent to winning the lottery.

2) The Italian man is a mama’s boy.

True. a mother is always a mother; therefore, it is better to know right away that you will never stop competing with her. Especially in the kitchen.

Italian men national football team3) All Italian men love soccer.

False: certainly not all men. However, for the record, there are some who support their team in a manner so encompassing to touch the peaks of fanaticism similar to religious integralism.

4) Italian men are jealous.

It is impossible to generalize. However, a research conducted by the University of Pisa seems to tell us that it is True. And surprisingly, it reveals that men in Northern Italy are even more jealous than those in the South!

5) The way to an Italian man’s heart is through his stomach: a nice plate of pasta or pizza will win him over. Ok, it seems trivial but we’ll say it anyway. False: Italians do not only eat complex carbohydrates.

6) Italian men cannot wait to “settle down” with a nice girl.

Yes, but in the 1950’s. The road to the altar today is a long and winding one, littered with doubts as well as “existential crisis” and “I’m still too young”. And the young in Italy are also over 40 years of age.

Marcello Mastroianni7) Italian men are very explicit, speak loudly and gesticulate a lot.

False. Some Italian men achieve certain levels of hermeticism that in the attempt to pull out any type of statement, a woman could even lose her mind.

8) Italian men are creative and have artistic talent.

Unfortunately, no. There are many men in Italy that do not write poems, draw very badly, cannot sing and do not know how to play the mandolin.

9) It’s best not to trust an Italian man.

False. Even Italian men know how to be faithful and reliable. For example, they would do anything to not disappoint or betray a friend. You, however, when in doubt, do not trust too much.

10) The Italian man is handsome, has a strong character but also knows how to be affectionate and has an irresistible irony.

No girls, forget Gregory Peck.

Did we just dampen all of our readers’ dreams? No!

We are sure that you will be able to “read between the lines” with the right spirit and above all that you are fully aware of how many wonderful things await you on your next trip to Italy between cities, sea, food tastings, exhibitions, shopping and maybe, who knows, unforgettable encounters…