The Unspoken Etiquette Rule To Keep In Mind While Walking Around And Exploring Italy

Yes, crosswalks exist in Italy. In cities, especially, you can find those iconic zebra stripes painted on the pavement. As you step off the curb, you should, in theory, expect cars to yield. That's what the law says, anyway. Pedestrians have the right of way at crosswalks, and that should settle that.

But the practical reality is different: Drivers in Italy have a reputation for blowing through intersections, whether there are people waiting to cross or not. This isn't necessarily done out of resentment or hostility; it's just a cultural habit, which pretty much all residents have come to expect. As the couple behind website Italian on Tour put it in a 2023 blog post: "Italian drivers do not expect pedestrians to jump out in front of them. Cars have the right of way over pedestrians." (Emphasis ours.)

In short: If you want to cross the street in Italy, it's vitally important you look both ways and wait for a clear opening in traffic. In many other European countries, it's normal courtesy for drivers to spot someone on the corner, stop the car, and allow that person to cross. Not so in Italy, even in small towns and on country roads. In general, assume cars take priority over people. If you're already halfway across, drivers will of course yield to you, but you should make sure you're visible and try to make eye-contact with the driver. You could easily add this to a list of travel hacks when visiting Italy.

This expectation may shock lots of tourists. After all, Italy is home to some of the most historic cities in Europe, and many street patterns have been preserved since the days of the Medicis, if not the Caesars. Foot-friendly piazzas remain vital to Italian civic life, and places like Venice are so averse to vehicles that even pushing a bicycle down the street is illegal. So why should drivers be allowed to simply ignore people on-foot, even at walkways that are obviously marked for them?

Driving in Italy has always been eccentric, and there are many possible explanations. About 40 percent of the country is covered in mountains, and communities are often built on hills with narrow streets. Parking is an art in Italy, and cobbled intersections may not have any painted lanes, leaving drivers to forge their own paths. As a result, drivers can be assertive, if not rebellious. When the national government made seatbelts mandatory in 1988, T-shirts were printed with a black stripe across it, to trick highway police. Italy has many walkable communities, but fast cars are also beloved; this is the home of Ferraris and Alfa Romeos, after all. The narrow spaces and intense traffic patterns are two reasons many people — residents or tourists alike — decide to ride Vespas instead; the motor scooter is widely considered the best way to get around the Amalfi Coast, among other destinations.

That said, Italian drivers don't want to hit pedestrians, and once you get used to the rhythm of urban life, you'll find it's not that different from most countries. (And generally less frustrating than walking in US cities.) Note that there are crossing signals that coincide with red lights, and drivers are absolutely expected to stop for them. Just note that drivers are allowed to turn right, so please look both ways.