Sorry America, But Here Are 19 Things That Italy Has You Beat On

Sure, you can't run the washing machine and use a hair dryer at the same time without a power outage, but otherwise life is benissimo. 👌

1. Breakfast

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Try having a bad day when you start it with a fresh pastry and cappuccino for less than a couple bucks. In a rush? No worries, many Italians shoot back an espresso right at the counter and are on their way to work within a minute. Fast, cheap, and oh-so-delicious.

2. Language

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Italian is arguably one of the world's most beautiful and melodic languages, but combine it with the inherited emotion and larger-than-life gestures and you have a complete dance within every conversation. Nearly every region has their own dialect, so even if you get lost in translation, the language of "gesti" is universal.

3. Traditions

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Cities all over The Boot celebrate many customs and traditions that date back centuries. Religious, societal, artistic, or gastronomic — locals love annual celebrations and festivals that pridefully showcase their rich culture and heritage.

4. Transportation

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Trains, trams, and vespas — oh my! Italy knows how to get from Point A to Point B fashionably fast. Whether it's for business or leisure, high speed rail is the preferred method to get across the country for most. Trams will have you from one suburb to the next in no time. And motorini, like the iconic Vespa, help locals zip around congested city centers. So strap on your helmet, scream "Silenzio Bruno!" and get moving.

5. Bidets

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After a ~personal~ moment, before an intimate moment, for a foot soak, or even as a cat bed. The uses for this little "floor faucet" are endless. Trust me, once you've accepted the bidet, there's no going back.

6. Dogs

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Not only allowed nearly everywhere humans go like restaurants, supermarkets, and shops, but welcomed with open arms and maybe even given a treat. Did someone say pizza crust? Dogs have it good in Italy and are treated like members of the famiglia.

7. Sports

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It doesn't matter if it's calcio, tennis, or the Olympics. The Italians come to dominate and the fans always bring the passion. Forza azzurri!

8. Amore

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Maybe it's the warm glow of the street lamps in the evenings, or maybe it's the wine, but Italy is definitely one of the most romantic countries in the world. PDA is as natural as a smile and Italians aren't shy showing their admiration anywhere.

9. Luxury cars

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Maserati, Ferrari, Pagani, Lamborghini. If it ends in a vowel, you can bet it's beautiful and fast. Italians are notoriously slow, but they like their cars quick. Try your odds at a high-speed chase with the Polizia's fleet of Lambos.

10. Graffiti

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Graffiti actually comes from the Italian word Graffiato meaning "scratched". Thousands of early examples can be found in Pompeii, dating back to before 79AD when Mount Vesuvius erupted and destroyed the city. Nowadays graffiti artists are the modern-day Michelangelos of the streets and you can find snap-worthy examples in most major towns.

11. Markets

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Imagine a farmer's market in your neighborhood every day with endless options of fruits, vegetables, baked goods, flowers, antiques, vintage clothes, artisanal products and even fish! Italians love browsing markets for their daily necessities and you certainly won't find any Supercenters around. Markets spill out of tiny store fronts or small vans parked in piazzas. There's something special about fresh farm-to-table products sold by the neighborhood Nonno that everyone knows by name.

12. Food

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Unarguably one of the best cuisines in the world, Italian food is beloved by even the pickiest of palates. But there's so much more to Italy than pizza, pasta, and gelato. Every region has its own specialties and uses fresh, local, and in-season ingredients. Many restaurant menus change with the seasons, and some even daily depending on what's available at the morning market! The food is cultivated and cooked to perfection with help from three simple ingredients: love, passion, and respect for the products and their process.

13. Beaches

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Endless rows of colorful umbrellas, water that competes with the clearest of the Caribbean, and vendors hollering "COCCO BELLO" between bronzed beach-goers. What's not to love?

14. Lakes

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Minnesota may have 10,000, but Italy puts up a real fight with its more than 1,500 picturesque options for a dip. Lake life in Italy is just as desired as the coastal beaches and with options like Como, Garda, or Maggiore, it's not hard to see why.

15. Art

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For centuries, Italy has been pumping out more world-renowned artists and designers than anywhere else. Architecture, fine art, design, music, film, fashion and even literature are all strong points of Italy's past and present. Italy is synonymous with art. It is also home to 58 UNESCO World Heritage sites, more than any other country on Earth!

16. Drinking

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Alcohol is almost exclusively accompanied with food and is generally sipped slowly and in moderation. Whether it's wine, sambuca, or a spritz, alcohol is usually enjoyed as a well-crafted addition to enhance meals or aperitivo, not binged on an empty stomach in the basement of some fraternity.

17. Doors

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Knock knock. Who's there? Zero ugly doors. Zero. They're all uniquely stunning.

18. Balance

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Family is #1 and Italians don't live to work. With a minimum of 20 paid vacation days every year, months of compensated maternal AND paternal leave, and even 14 paid honeymoon days, Italians are able to spend plenty of quality time with their loved ones. Add that to a few hours of afternoon riposo (similar to the Spanish siesta) and an evening passeggiata — the family walk around town after dinner — and you don't see nearly as much of the burnout as you do in work-obsessed countries.

19. Sunsets

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Atop Piazzale Michelangelo in Florence, along the Amalfitano coast, or painting Roman alleyways golden — it doesn't matter where you are. Italy puts on a free show every night and you have a front-row seat. Che bellissimo!

Long live La Dolce Vita in the Bel Paese! What are some of your favorite things about Italy?

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