Discovering the Facts About Italian Dating Culture

Updated on Jul 2023
Camila photo
Camila photo
Camila
Location Rome
Age 27
Occupation Photographer
Hobbies Tennis
English level Upper Intermediate
Website

There are more than enough reasons to go to Italy. Anyone who listens to the sound of the melodic language could think that Italy is pure love and passion. The Mediterranean climate and the dark eyes of the Italians do the rest. Who doesn’t want to lie in the arms of an Italian woman who whispers “Ti Amo” in your ear? But what do we know about Italian dating culture?

Key Things to Keep In Mind About Italian Dating Customs

As Federico Fellini has once said, “Life is a combination of magic and pasta.” And it’s the first secret about the Italian dating culture. They enjoy life every day by eating delicious food, drinking tasty tea or coffee, and meeting with friends or colleagues. Their life has no strict rules. But the primary thing is that you should enjoy it.

Italians Prefer Dates in Restaurants

The expected date in Italy is to meet for an aperitif: any cafe from about five to nine in the evening offers a “glass and snack” formula. These meetings are less formal than dinner and more prolonged than just drinking coffee since Italians prefer espresso. The particularity of Italian culture dating is their relaxed attitude and desire to do everything step by step. When you go on a dinner date, try to respect the independence of your boyfriend or girlfriend and don’t ask too personal questions.

Flowers Are a Sign of Deep Love

Another critical issue about Italian culture dating is their extreme love for flowers and candies. It is not customary to give flowers every day unless we talk about a birthday or graduation from a university. If representatives of Italian dating culture bring flowers to a girl for her birthday, they don’t perceive her as a simple friend.

Italian dating culture

Serenade to Express Warm Feelings

While discovering another dating in Italy customs, some can surprise you. For example, an Italian girl won’t marry a man who does not serenade her. Making love confessions by serenading proves that a boyfriend has serious intentions and wants marriage. If the fiancé’s vocal abilities are not as perfect as they could have been, singing with his friend is also a good choice.

Affectionate Treatment

Partners in Italian culture can confess their love in a hundred different ways. The words “Amore Mio!” are far from the only acceptable options for addressing a loved one. Opportunities are also possible: Tesoro – dear, Anima mia – my soul, Piccola – baby.

Love Is Associated With Particular Cities

When you discover the international dating culture in Italy, try to figure out some popular romantic places. Although all of Italy is a land of love, some cities are worth more attention. The majority of people would think about Venice.

The small town of Verona, the birthplace of Juliet from the famous play by Shakespeare, can make your weekends a fairytale. Lovers from all over the world flock here: some to touch the Juliet statue, which promises success in a romantic relationship. Others want to feel the spirit of that place and enjoy an old love story in the air.

Taking Time Is Essential in Italian Relationships

Romantic relationships in Italian culture are an unhurried business. The average length of the first dating period is long, and both partners take their time to discover more details about each other. There are also several stages of flirting in Italy.

  • The initial stage of an Italian relationship is described by the verb “frequentare,” which means going on regular dates or meetings. It also includes going to the cinema or cafés. There is no specific event that should happen to bring you to the next stage of dating.
  • When you move to the period when you are already a couple, you call your lover your boyfriend or girlfriend, or the term “fidanzato/a.” It is a synonym for the “second half,” and they add the word “official” if they move to marriage.
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Immersing in the Italian Dating Culture

Getting acquainted with a man or a woman from any European country and culture requires some time and effort to find common ground. Discovering about culture dating Europe, reading either one article or two big books is a way to immerse in its peculiarities. However, the things we tell you below help turn your dreams into a serious business.

Family Is in the First Place

Italian men and women adore their parents, siblings and feel connected to them. The family atmosphere is warm, welcoming, and stimulates sincere conversations. Many Italian dating customs prove that family members can decide whether a new partner of their son or daughter is a good choice.

Emotions Define Everything

During relationships with representatives of this culture, you find out that relationships go hand in hand with emotions. It includes being too joyful when having fun and being too passionate when going on a first date in Italy. And it also means being too expressive and emotional when arguing or having conflicts. You should be prepared to stay calm and relaxed.

Romance Makes Things More Enjoyable

After having two dates, you will associate Italian flirting with candlelights, compliments, a calm atmosphere, and pure relaxation. Representatives of this culture know that relationships work when they are full of pleasant things.

Shine Bright on Your First Date

Discovering how to date in Italy also means finding out the key tips for a meeting with a new friend. The first impression is essential to let your partner from Italian culture feel how cool you are. Choose clothes that you like most and remain yourself. If you stay sincere and open to your partner, everything should run fine without additional efforts. Italians decide everything during the first meeting, and if they like you, you won’t wait long till they invite you on a dinner date or Sunday stroll.

Following Italian Dating Rules to Succeed

Much has been said about the culture of relationships in Italy, but there are still a few rules that help people quickly adapt to new relationships. These are more minor rules, but compliance allows the Italians not to disappoint their partners.

Finding Common Interests Is a Crucial Step

In Italy, dating and marriage is not as difficult as it seems. The first key to a successful relationship is romance. The second is shared passions, shared hobbies, and topics of conversation. Many are passionate about cooking; others love football. It doesn’t matter what hobby your partner has; the main thing is that these hobbies coincide with your interests. It allows both men and women to have fun together, have an unforgettable time, and enjoy life.

Sharing Feeling Is a Must

Italians value sincerity and understand when a person is trying to hide something. They keep one directive in their heads: be honest with yourself, with others. It is one of the reasons why in Italian date culture, expressiveness is a regular thing. Compared to other cultures, it is not okay to hide what is inside.

Men Should Pay the Bill

Whether it’s a first date or going out to a restaurant when the partners are already married, the man pays for the woman. An Italian girl can say that she can pay for her order, but men are used to being leaders and spending money. In this culture, they are conquerors, seducers. Compared to other Italian dating rules, this shows how serious men perceive dating.

Italian Relationships

Success Stories from Italian Women

Success Story #1 Image
Jerry 💞 Ann AmourFactory logo
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Jerry met Ann. She was 23 years old and stunningly beautiful, and for some reason, they just clicked. They started dating and quickly fell in love. Jerry knew that this was it - she was the one for him. He proposed to her and she said yes! They were married a few months later and life couldn't be better. Jerry was finally content - he had found his one true love and they were going to spend the rest of their lives together.
Success Story #2 Image
Matthew 💞 Anastasia BravoDate logo
9.0
Matthew had always loved travelling. He found it to be the best way to escape from the mundane and everyday tasks that seemed to fill his life. However, one day he stumbled across Anastasia on a dating website and instantly fell in love with her. They started messaging each other and soon realised they had a lot in common. They arranged to meet up and after spending just one evening together, they knew they were meant to be together forever.
Success Story #3 Image
Ben 💞 Daria AmourFactory logo
9.5
Ben browsed through the profiles and eventually came across Daria's. She was beautiful and seemed like she had a lot going for her. They started messaging each other and it wasn't long before they arranged to meet up. They hit it off instantly and decided to take things one step further by flying down to Dominicana for their honeymoon. It was an amazing trip and they were so happy together. They couldn't imagine being without each other now.
Success Story #4 Image
Malcolm 💞 Alina TheLuckyDate CIS logo
9.0
Malcolm had been through a lot in his life. He had gone through a bitter divorce, and he was just ready to move on. So, he decided to sign up for a dating site. And that's where he met Alina. They had a small wedding in Brooklyn, with only their closest friends and family in attendance. It was a beautiful day, and Malcolm and Alina were so happy to be together finally. They knew that they would be able to face anything together now.

Dating Culture Italy vs Dating Culture USA

The differences between the Italian and American cultures of relationships are more than obvious. Firstly, both countries differ in their mentality, attitude to the family, which influences the vision of dating and marriage. Secondly, they express their emotions differently, including communication and talking during first dates. Below we will compare dating in Italy vs USA with specific examples.

  • What differentiates Italians from other cultures is the way they express their feelings. Everything the Italian man or woman says is exaggerated. If a man loves a woman, he will say: I can’t live without you, I’ll die if you leave me. For an American guy, it would be something extraordinary.
  • Italians enjoy talking and making plans. First, they describe them as accurate plans and then say: “No, I was just thinking how it could be.” Italian men and women are chatter-lovers compared to American, French, English, or Swedish date culture, where people try to do things and then talk about them.

Dating Relationships in Italian Culture vs American Culture

Take a look at the table to be prepared for some crucial differences.

Dating relationships in Italian cultureDating relationships in American culture
Various stages of relationships:

 

  • “We are going out.”
  • “We are spending time together.”
  • “We are having sex.”
  • “We are dating.”
Perceive relationships as a combination of kissing, going out, having sex.
Make emotional confessions and express feelings without masks.Can keep feelings secret and talk less about too personal things.
Romance is a crucial part of Italian culture and dating. Without presents, compliments, dinners in a cafe, everything is bland.Dating is a friendship, where both partners do the things they like together. The critical thing is to enjoy the activity together, even if it’s not romantic.
Family helps make decisions regarding the future spouse.Family doesn’t play such a vital role to many individuals.
Sincere and loving. Expect faithfulness from their partners.Pay more attention to the general compatibility and interests of the person than to their sincerity.

Final Thoughts About Italian Dating Culture

Italian culture is impressive not only for its traditions but also for its attitude towards relationships and meetings. Representatives of this culture are interested in openness, talkativeness, romance, passion for various hobbies, and an unforgettable pastime. If you share these concepts, it might be worth trying to register on a dating website and chat with potential partners.

FAQ

What Is Dating Like in Italy?

By dating an Italian, you will believe in romance and fairy tales because your girlfriend will show her love in all possible ways. In the early stages of a relationship, it is essential not to rush things, to remain yourself, and continue dating. You will realize that your chosen one is ready to move on to a more serious relationship.

How Long Do Italian Women Date Before Marriage?

Everything depends on a partner. Our article about Italian culture shows that they don't want to marry after one date and take time to get to know their partners. But if you make the person fall in love with your charm, things can develop faster than you imagine.

What Happens if I Marry an Italian?

If you think of dating and marriage in Italy, imagine how sincere and truthful your relationships can be. Italians value true feelings more than everything because relationships should be without secrets. Marriage will function well if you both remain interested in understanding each other's thoughts.

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