Do Italians hate the English or is it the language barrier?

What's wrong with Sirmione?

I’ve had various experiences in different parts of Italy. Generally, very friendly men and very rude women! So who knows!

We went to Lake Garda last year and had this in maybe one restaurant. I assumed just language barrier and those people in particular - I do try hello, please, thank you and ordering from a menu but am not great. Mostly it was fine and lots of people very friendly

I’m thinking that also. I must have been in every restaurant in Bardolino over the years and never had an issue.
Lake Garda does cater for the Germans as it’s an easy destination for them to drive to, and the hotel I usually stay at seems to be 90% German (hence the great breakfasts!), but nearly everyone in the service industry speaks English.
This week is a holiday, maybe they are run off their feet a bit and understaffed.

We had a holiday in Rome recently. I had done duolingo for nearly a year but that wasn't very useful as it focused on things like "the cat eats the mouse" and "the penguin is in the zoo" rather than "please may we have a table near the window" but we did make an effort to communicate in italian. We didn't experience any unfriendliness or unhelpfulness.

Please say you’re not in Sirmione?!

Or Welsh!

I went to Rome and Naples last May, never experienced any customer service issues.

we don’t speak Italian, we did use google translate a bit

I've been all over Italy and I've never had this experience. I speak a bit of Italian (DH none) - enough to order a drink and say hi etc, to manage in the supermarket. Willing to look up questions and give it a go. I've encountered the same proportion of rude Italians as rude people anywhere. When we went to Puglia hardly anyone spoke English and they were delightful even though my Italian is pretty minimal. I find I've had many more experiences of people being rude to me in France and I can speak much better French!

Maybe it’s you rather than Italians

I’ve never had this in many trips to Italy but I know how to walk in and say hello and ask for a table for four people, ask for fizzy mineral water and then order what I want off the menu. And that is the full extent of my Italian but it seems that may buy me more goodwill than I realised!

I’ve been to Italy many times and have Always had such friendly service. I do say good morning evening, thank you, order drinks etc in very poor and rusty Italian but I don’t think that’s it. I’m really surprised op.

I've never had any issues in Italy, or anywhere else. I speak French and a little Italian but normally am just friendly and polite.

If you have been treated so poorly for no obvious reason, why would you go back? There are a lot of lovely places to visit that don't involve being treated with contempt.

Sounds like you might be inadvertently giving off bad vibes? Sorry, that's a clumsy turn of phrase but if you experienced the exact same behaviour on your last visit, I'd be wondering. Particularly as you mention that everyone seems to hate you, which is quite a strong reaction.

I've lived in Italy and never came across such widespread hostility as you report (I do speak good Italian, though). I do find that Italians generally can sound a bit abrupt to the English ear: less please and thank yous and more straight to the point.

Coffee shop woman perhaps didn't speak English? Not so unusual and would explain the not saying a word but being chatty with the next customer.

Anyway, try not to let it get to you and enjoy the rest of your holiday!

I have always been treated pretty well. But I make sure I look up the Italian for what I'm trying to do and some appropriate vocab before hand. And I smile a lot, and apologise for my terrible Italian after I've had a go.

Haven't been to Italy for years but always felt welcome in the past. However my friend travels extensively in Europe and she said there was a definite change in attitude after Brexit. People more often rude, dismissive etc.

I've always found the Italians effusively friendly tbh. I don't really speak Italian, but I know enough to order drinks, guve a greeting etc. I'd never go to a country on holiday without learning at least some useful basics in the language. Currently learning a bit of Danish on Duolingo ahead of our summer holiday fo Denmark. Admittedly I'm a languages teacher though, so I probably find that easier than most!

Interesting- I've been to Italy several times and have not noticed this. I have noticed a large proportion of German tourists there but no special treatment for them. One thing you can do that will make a difference is to expect amazing treatment- once you start assuming you will be treated badly, you will. It's a self fulfilling prophecy and your brain will start looking for perceived slights to confirm this. It's called your reticular activating system (RAS).

If you go assuming that people love you and want the best for you I think you'll be surprised by how it will come true- its a real phenomenon and it subtly changes your body language and your facial expressions during interactions.

I've spent a LOT of time in Italy. My mum moved to Italy and married my stepdad (who is Italian) when I was a child. I stayed in the UK with my dad for the most part but spent every school holiday there. Everyone was friendly. Sometimes too friendly if I'm honest. I would feel a bit annoyed sometimes how random people would come and join our chat. I can speak decent Italian and people often want me to speak to hear my accent which is funny.
Maybe it depends where you go though? I did find one or two people in Rome a bit rude.
But the shorts thing? All the men wear shorts in my mum's town. Are they short shorts though?

I am Italian and live in England, when we go on holidays people are always friendly but I also speak the language and have kids with me. Most people love kids in Italy and are immediately more friendly/chatting about the kids. Maybe try and learn some small talk and greet people nicely when you enter a cafe/restaurant. Don’t just sit down and order waiter over.

I grew up in a very touristy area and most people actually don’t like the German tourists btw. So your observation is interesting.

Because it’s true 😂

Blimey, that does sound bad, with such grumpy bad service.