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

I agree with this. I lived in Germany for many years, and if I had a euro for every time someone told me that 'English beat German by one vote to be the official language of the US', I'd have, well, an awful lot of euros. I've just googled to see where this massively popular but untrue urban legend comes from, and it actually has a name (according to Wikipedia anyway), the 'Muhlenberg legend', if anyone wants to read about it!

I remember once, a long time ago, chatting to this man from the Netherlands, whose English was so good he pretty well sounded like a native speaker, but was moaning about how unfair it was that native English speakers had privilege over everyone else who had to learn it as a foreign language. I pointed out that it was a bit daft for a white, straight, able-bodied man who had all the advantages of growing up in one of the richest and most developed countries in the world to be complaining about unearned privilege, but he had a real bee in his bonnet about it.

There are also parts of Italy (South Tyrol) where most people’s first language is German as it was part of Austria until WW1.

That's a good point. We were there last year and half the staff were Austrian

The German thing is regional. In some parts of Italy they learn German at school rather than English (Germany and Austria being just up the road). Or at least that used to be the case. Not surprising really- same reason we first learn French and not something more useful, like Spanish or Mandarin.

We once went to Italy with a toddler and got completely mobbed with friendliness. They were relentless. She has grey eyes and bling hair and they kept touching her head and wanting to hold her. I think if you have some common ground like a few Italian words, a smile, children then they are the friendliest people going.

I agree with this. I lived in Germany for many years, and if I had a euro for every time someone told me that 'English beat German by one vote to be the official language of the US', I'd have, well, an awful lot of euros. I've just googled to see where this massively popular but untrue urban legend comes from, and it actually has a name (according to Wikipedia anyway), the 'Muhlenberg legend', if anyone wants to read about it!

I remember once, a long time ago, chatting to this man from the Netherlands, whose English was so good he pretty well sounded like a native speaker, but was moaning about how unfair it was that native English speakers had privilege over everyone else who had to learn it as a foreign language. I pointed out that it was a bit daft for a white, straight, able-bodied man who had all the advantages of growing up in one of the richest and most developed countries in the world to be complaining about unearned privilege, but he had a real bee in his bonnet about it.

It's interesting to note that other cultures being rude to brits because of minor cultural differences in etiquette (not greeting a shopkeeper etc) are brushed off, but if the reverse happened here it'd most likely be deemed racism/xenophobia.

Ordering a latte after breakfast of the wrong wine with food. Italians are very passionate about food and drink.

Ive always had great reception from Italians. Lovely people.

There is a certain level of disdain towards the English all over continental Europe caused by the appalling behaviour of all the lads and ladettes causing trouble wherever they go.

How many times have your heard about planes having to be diverted because a Dutch or a French person were being unruly ? None.

In Spain they make fun of the bloody idiots that fall off the balconies every summer. They have a saying down there along the lines of it is not officially summer until the first brit has plummeted from a balcony. How many Germans or Swiss do the same? None.

No Italian school teaches German instead of English. The autonomous regions have 2 official languages used in schools but their official MFL language is English.
The Italian ministry of education stipulates that, in line with the CEFR for languages across Europe, Italian school kids will be at level B2 when they go into their fifth and final year.
Linguistic high schools offer a second and third MFL and students are expected to get to B1 level by 17 in those.

If any school offers German instead of English (as a MFL not as language used in schools) it must be private.

Decades ago they had French as their first MFL but it's been at least 30 years since that was the case.

Sometimes it is just a bad experience of one or two people.

We Londoners have a terrible reputation for being rude, which is a little unfair. Just this morning I and a fellow passenger on my train this morning helped out a couple with very limited English who has got on the wrong train and were a bit distressed. Most humans are ok.

Regarding Italy, I have always found it fine and perfectly friendly. Sometimes waiters are a bit rushed and abrupt in the bigger cities but that is the same everywhere. I remember being a bit intimidated by the confusing rules in bakeries and delis in Rome but apart from that!

I was born in the UK, brought up in France and regularly travel to Singapore for work. I don’t think any complete race gates another. That said, the attitude of some might be reflected by their personal experiences. There is still a lot of “they don’t do it the same as home” attitude by visitors from the UK.

Alcohol (and l love a glass or 2 of wine) has often become a problem with Brits abroad and it can be reflected with local attitudes. Embrace the culture, when they are not busy(so not a waiter in a busy restaurant at dinner), maybe ask them questions about their town/language. Then l think you will find a different response.

Do you speak any other languages other than English? My trick for pleasant service in Europe is to try to speak the local language, then switch to my second language if that’s not going well, and then finally settle on English since almost nobody in Europe speaks my second language.

I do find that having some basic phrases like hello, can I please order x, thank you, apologies I don’t speak x language etc go a long way.