Travel with Rick Steves · Saturday, July 4, 2026
Michaela Tartaglia shared insights into Italian culture, noting that Italians are known to exaggerate, suggesting that their pronouncements should be taken with a grain of salt. She also mentioned that wine is often included with workers' lunches in Italy.
“We also you know Italians, they're well known to exaggerate. As an Italian, I would warn everybody that whatever Italian say on issimo, you should take it a good 25, 30 percent down.”
“In fact, many factories in Italy that they provide, like a voucher for lunches, the glass of wine is included in the meal. In the workers lunch? Yes, even if you work with machinery. One one glass.”