10 Tourist Mistakes to Avoid in Rome

2. Don’t Order Cappuccino After Noon

Coffee etiquette in Rome is a little different to what you know from Starbucks. North Americans used to mega-grande cups of joe are often shocked by the thimbles of espresso found at Italian caffes. Just the ordering process at the bar can be intimidating, like being in the pit of the stock exchange in the 1980s. You might be more comfortable paying a little extra for table service than trying to assert yourself in the fray of a morning coffee rush. One thing to keep in mind is that, for Italians, cappuccinos are considered a breakfast beverage. Ordering one of those frothy, milky concoctions after 12:00pm will seem odd to the barista. There’s a belief that the milk interferes with digestion of main meals like lunch or dinner, so sipping one beyond breakfast is frowned upon (you may literally trigger a furrowed brow for this blunder). If you want what you want and don’t care what anyone else thinks about it, go on and order one any time you like. But if when in Rome you want to do as the Romans do, skip the dairy-laden coffees after noon.