A recent news headline made its way across the international wires: a woman unsuccessfully sued an Italian hotel because its restaurant refused to serve her tap water with her meals. The Italian Supreme Court ruled against her and averred that Italian hotels and restaurants have no obligation to serve tap water to their guests and can instead charge them for bottled water.
Whether or not the lawsuit was frivolous or the rule is unjust, the fact remains: ordering tap water is just one of a long list of “don'ts” in Italy. I've lived here for 17 years and sometimes I feel like I'm still learning the ropes. But the following are some of the top faux pas — in Italian we’d call them a gaffe — I share with guests. Take note: some of these are minor; others can get you kicked out of the city. To help you avoid a lifetime ban, I’ve rated them on a scale of severity.
