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I came across a video on YouTube, embedded below, that caught my attention (gotta love those algorithms). The title was What ITALIANS Hate About Americans. Since I’m American, my grandparents are from Italy and I’m visiting again this summer, naturally, I was intrigued.
Anna says: “The majority of my Italian friends said they like American tourists and find them very interesting and culturally different. But it was one thing that does irritate Italians a bit about you, my American friends. And this thing is the way American tourists dressed. But the most irritating is sandals with socks. Italians, same as French, do find this disgusting. So if you want to keep your socks on, wear sneakers. If you want to wear your sandals, no socks please. Second thing is when tourists are trying to get into restaurants in Rome wearing shorts and flip flops. Please don’t. Italian food is sacred for Italians and dining out is a respectful ritual. So please, be respectful when going to have your dinner out in Rome. Make sure you put on trousers instead of shorts and closed shoes to complete your look. Be classy and welcome to Italy.”
I do agree with Anna’s friends and so do the majority of the 8,000 commenters. Here are some of the most popular opinions:
@JennyOSunshine: I’m American and I don’t even understand the socks with sandals thing 🤷♀️
@johnlhm7383: French here, I can confirm that in solidarity with Italian people, we have a fashion police against the socks with sandals!
@simonazurzolo6134: I’m Italian and yes we generally appreciate if dresses are appropriate to the situation but it’s not a big deal. What really bothers us it’s the lack of respect for our monuments, like leaving their trash, the writing and damaging them etc….
@leert2698: Many of us here in America agree with you about the socks and sandals. Many of us also like for people to dress appropriately for restaurants. Have a great day everyone!
@ceasarrodriguez304: We appreciate this message. ❤ My wife and I are from Texas and recently traveled to Milan. The first thing we noticed is how people are so well dressed there. I loved it!
I’ve written multiple posts on traveling to Italy and some of my Italian friends have shared their tips, which you can read here:
–10 Things You Never Knew About Italy
–VIDEO: 39 Travel Questions with Kathy McCabe, Host of Dream of Italy
If you are traveling to Italy this summer, I suggest you do some research and there’s no better way than by getting an updated guidebook from either Rick Steves or Frommers.
–Frommer’s Italy 2025 (Complete Guide)
–Frommer’s Rome, Florence and Venice 2025 (Complete Guide)
–Rick Steves Italy (Rick Steves Travel Guide)
–Rick Steves Italy for Food Lovers
–Rick Steves Italy Planning Map: Including Rome, Florence, Venice & Siena City Maps
–Fodor’s Essential Italy 2025 (Full-color Travel Guide)
RELATED READING:
–Hotel Review: The Regina Isabella Resort in Ischia, Italy
–Did You Know You Now Need a Permit to Drive in Italy? Here’s What Travelers Should Know
Want more travel news, tips, and deals? Sign up for Johnny Jet’s free newsletter and check out these popular posts: The Travel Gadget Flight Attendants Never Leave Home Without and 12 Ways to Save Money on Baggage Fees. Follow Johnny Jet on MSN, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube for all of my travel posts.
FYI. Actually, who pioneered the socks & sandals look is the Germans. We could always spot German tourists by this combo and unfortunately Americans picked up this atrocious habit.
Now, what’s uniquely American is baseball caps everywhere even at night.
Don’t get me started….
“What Italians Hate About Americans”!
As a former teacher I would strongly emphasize to my students to refrain from ever using the word HATE especially in reference to people.
The comment about Americans wearing socks with sandals I found rather perplexing since we live in a mild temperature environment all year and we have yet to observe that “trend” developing here in the United States OR the many times we vacationed abroad including Italy.
I should think the “fashion police” could focus on something more positive. C’est la vie!
Perhaps you will share your personal observation after your vacation this summer.
Yes agreed, I am American and find socks and sandals repulsive, although I am a decent enough person and have good manners to not treat someone poorly because of it. That seems like a worse trait.
Americans do dress way to casual!!
Just walk through any Walmart you’ll find people in their PJ’s, really? That is spreading to other areas. The way some women dress you figure is to get guy’s attention but if you look at them they yell at you. Cruises are great but I see people in shorts, t-shirts in the formal dining room even on formal nights. Americans seem to have lost their design sense.
I’d like to add many Americans have no self respect anymore, it’s all about them and it shows by their dress, habits and language.
If that’s the worst thing Italians (and maybe French) hate about Americans, Americans are doing pretty good. We are blessed to go to various parts of Europe about a month a year. The thing I hate the most about the American tourists I see is the inappropriate dress in the Churches – shorts, hats, sunglasses.
Agree 100%
That’s true, and by default, they have no respect for other people or the circumstances they find themselves in. It could also be a matter of socio-economic class differences, and less about the country as a whole.
I think every culture has a set of people like these, they just differ in their particular sloppy and clueless ways.