When in Rome….you know the rest. But if you really want to submerge yourself deep into Italian culture during your visit, it might help to know a few of their quirky customs, traditions and superstitions.

Throwing small change into a new car

If you are lucky enough to have any money left after buying a new car in Italy, it is customary to throw some coins into the back seat or onto the floor. This quaint custom dates backs many hundreds of years, to the days when money was offered to the Gods to ensure safe passage on the roads, and has since passed into superstition. With the reputation Italian drivers have, if you are considering campervan hire or car hire Italy it may be worthwhile throwing a few coins in!

That’s one way to pay for the honeymoon…

It was once traditional for the tie of an Italian groom to be cut into pieces and sold to the wedding guests. The proceeds would go towards funding the honeymoon. Given the cost of a good silk tie these days, it is unclear if this particular custom has survived!

While we’re talking about weddings.

Everyone loves a good wedding, so here’s another Italian custom from that most special of days. In years past – we’re not sure if it still happens – the groom would take his vows with a piece of iron in his pocket to protect him from evil spirits. No mother-in-law jokes at this stage please. As for the bride? She wore a veil for protection. That one has stood the test of time.

You shouldn’t have.

They say it’s the thought that counts but if you wrap a gift in purple paper, the recipient might not think too highly of you. A gift wrapped in this hue is considered bad luck as purples and black are the colours of mourning.

No, you really shouldn’t have…

Gift giving in Italy can be equally problematic if you gift someone a knife. Such a gift could ‘cut the friendship’. Therefore it is customary for the recipient to give a small coin to the gift-giver. By doing this, the knife is no longer a gift, and becomes an everyday purchase. Hmmm, maybe stick with a toaster.

Say it with flowers…but don’t say that

Giving chrysanthemums to your Italian lover is not a good idea. These flowers are associated with death and are taken to funerals and grave sites. Play it safe, and stick to roses.

Ears to you on your birthday

If you’re ever invited to an Italian birthday party, you might see the birthday boy or girl receive a special treat – that is, having their ear lobes pulled once for every year they’ve been alive. This might explain why our ears grow bigger as we grow older.

Praying to the Patron Saint of Television

Do not adjust your set. You read this heading correctly. You can make it your custom to pray to Clare of Assisi, the Patron Saint of Television. Born in Assisi in the 12th century, legend has it that she was once too ill to leave her sickbed and attend Mass. However, she was able to see and hear the Mass on the wall of her bedroom – some transmission! You might pray to Clare of Assisi for a night of television viewing without repeats. That would truly be a miracle.