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Nowhere.
Italians are not religious AT ALL, but the Pope lives there and he is got a LOT of power.
Being a Catholic in Italy is like being Obamian in the US, you belong to a political party and a lobby that feeds you and your family.
Going to religious acts and festivities is just like going to the Superbowl, just tradition.
I don't think a country where 85% believe in God and 67% believe in an afterlife can be called "not religious AT ALL"
Quote:
Professions of faith in Italy are more than mere words -- something that can be seen in the respondents’ strong religious convictions. According to the survey’s findings, 85 percent of Italians believe in the existence of God and 67 percent believe there is life after death. In addition, the majority of Italian Catholics express their faith through both public and private practices, with 55 percent attending a church service at least once a month and 47 percent praying at least once a day. In no other European country do people meditate as often as in Italy.
It is Northern Italy's second city, in terms of its industrial and financial importance.
I like Turin WAY more than Milan. I felt much more at ease in Turin than in Milan. While Milan is "rescued" by its proximity to Lake Como, which is stunning, it is the city most Italians love to hate, though I think they would be most "frightened" by Naples. And for good reason - Milan is industrial, drab, and alienating...bleh. Turin has a master-planned layout with beautiful squares and ellipses, has numerous unique Baroque buildings (Stupinigi et al), has a basilica up on a hill (Superga), has a snowy mountain backdrop in season, and is 1 hour from France.
If you were going on a "meat and potatoes" tour of Italy, you would see Rome, Florence and Venice. Maybe even Milan for its FEW things. Turin would probably NOT be included.
Last edited by robertpolyglot; 04-28-2012 at 06:15 PM..
For Italians, GOD is the "Mamma".
Italians don't believe in anything unless they have to.
Yes, Italians meditate a lot after a generous lunch with lots of wine.
They call it "meditation", we call it "siesta".
Generally, the North is more industrial and its natives are more like those from adjacent countries (FR, Switzerland, Austria). They are more continental European in appearance, some are even blond, and have a lighter complexion, generally speaking. It is bordered to the north by the Alps. In some towns, snow is a regular occurrence.
Generally, the South is more agricultural and has progressed more slowly. It is more traditional and has all the "patron saint" day festivals. Extended family is more important. With the warmer climate, they are outside more and tend to be more communicative, sometimes bordering on the obnoxious. In general, the person with dark hair, dark eyes and olive skin comes from the South, though this is not always the case.
Central Italy is kind of a pleasant middle ground, at least in terms of personality. They are not as aloof as those from the north, nor as loud as those from the south. They are very good at picking out who is from where. For that matter, all Italians are. Each religion still maintains an accent, even when speaking the standard language.
Some peculiarities - in the north, those living in towns like Bolzano (in Trentino) and in Liguria are reputedly the most aloof, and do not take to immigrants, let alone transplants. Bologna, and Emilia Romagna, are surprisingly receptive to newcomers and are considered very progressive. Most Italians hate Milan, but deal with it to have employment. It is probably Italy's ugliest major city. The Florentines are also cliquish, from what I hear, and Tuscans are fiercely proud of their region and don't mind tourists stomping on it...because tourism is one of their major industries. I've lost count of how many times I've heard people coo about renting "a villa in Tuscany" or students coo about "a semester in Florence." Gimme a break.
Some peculiarities - in the south, the Sicilians are a breed unto themselves -- they are fun, mercurial and suspicious. Sicilians tend to "brood." What a tourist will experience in Sicily is either the best in customer service, or the worst....and have stories to tell about it. Sardinians, living the second largest island, are incredibly different from Sicilians. They are reserved. You are not likely to hear them "make a scene" like a Sicilian or a Neapolitan. I don't know why. They have their roots in nearby Spain and on the Italian mainland. Lastly, there are the Neapolitans. I think that, while living in a beautiful setting, their city is among Italy's filthiest. While corruption in Sicily isn't as visible, the crime problem in Naples seems to hit everyday people. They are jovial and loud, but they are all too aware of the "art of the scam," and I have too many examples of this. They make the damn best pizza. They have the accent that is most likely to be impersonated in Italy, though I find it irritating.
Then, there are some regions on the Adriatic side which are off the beaten path and people, including myself, aren't as likely to know about them. The only exception is Venice, the "Queen of the Adriatic," which is one of the most amazing cities in the world.
Great post! In general terms, can't argue with it, agree with it all.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cocoricoco
Nowhere.
Italians are not religious AT ALL, but the Pope lives there and he is got a LOT of power.
Being a Catholic in Italy ... you belong to a political party and a lobby that feeds you and your family.
Going to religious acts and festivities is just like going to the Superbowl, just tradition.
I also agree with Cocoricoco in the sense that I lived in Italy for many years in the 1990s, and I did not perceive that contemporary Italians are particularly Christian.
Having said both of the above, Tiger Bear should realize that if he spends any significant amount of time in any one place in any one country, that one place and that one country become insignificant and what becomes significant is the individual people that he becomes involved with, and on that basis anything is possible.
For Italians, GOD is the "Mamma".
Italians don't believe in anything unless they have to.
Yes, Italians meditate a lot after a generous lunch with lots of wine.
They call it "meditation", we call it "siesta".
You seem to have a major h@rd-on about Italy and Italians. What's it rooted in?
I don't know what you mean, but of course I'm not a tourist.
You have this Catalunya/Spain vs. Italy thing going, even in the food topics. Most Italians don't look to Spain for comparisons. They are more apt to look to France. In virtually all cultural and artistic endeavors in Europe, the Italians and the French take the top spots. I'm sorry, but that's a whole other thread.
It is Northern Italy's second city, in terms of its industrial and financial importance.
I like Turin WAY more than Milan. I felt much more at ease in Turin than in Milan. While Milan is "rescued" by its proximity to Lake Como, which is stunning, it is the city most Italians love to hate, though I think they would be most "frightened" by Naples. And for good reason - Milan is industrial, drab, and alienating...bleh. Turin has a master-planned layout with beautiful squares and ellipses, has numerous unique Baroque buildings (Stupinigi et al), has a basilica up on a hill (Superga), has a snowy mountain backdrop in season, and is 1 hour from France.
If you were going on a "meat and potatoes" tour of Italy, you would see Rome, Florence and Venice. Maybe even Milan for its FEW things. Turin would probably NOT be included.
You have this Catalunya/Spain vs. Italy thing going, even in the food topics. Most Italians don't look to Spain for comparisons. They are more apt to look to France. In virtually all cultural and artistic endeavors in Europe, the Italians and the French take the top spots. I'm sorry, but that's a whole other thread.
I insist, I'm not a pedantic Mexican tourist.
Last edited by Cocoricoco; 04-30-2012 at 03:29 AM..
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