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As dangerous as this may sound, going to Italy means going to exquisite food. Italian food is definitely part of the touristic experience. But behind the delectableness of the country's gastronomy hide eating customs common to all Italians that should not be broken - not even by the most ignorant tourists.

The typical day starts with a cappuccino or café latte with a pastry for breakfast. No eggs, bacon, sausages or anything salted. Also, coffee with milk can only be taken before 12: afternoon ones are exclusively expressos. Then start the festivities of lunch and dinner. In Italy, having a meal - whether lunch or dinner - is a collective activity and wine is at its core, so don't forget to order a glass. As for the structure of an 'original' Italian meal, it is a carefully devised series of servings, to be consumed in the right order. Starters are of course the first, consisting of antipasti such as salami, cheese and bruschetta.

Next, what we call the 'main meal' is actually divided into two parts: the 'first plate' and the 'second plate'. The 'first plate' is pasta. One noticeable thing is that you will never find chicken pasta anywhere: it simply doesn't exist. In fact, it is an absolute transgression to even think about mixing the two. Pasta with seafood, pancetta or vegetables are however plenty. Never eat pasta with a knife unless you can bear mocking looks. The 'second plate' is usually one kind of meat, accompanied by oven-potatoes or other vegetables. Pizza is of course another option. Plate 1 and 2 should be coherent: seafood pasta goes with grilled fish, carbonara with red meat, etc.

Succulent Italian desserts follow, including tiramisu, panacotta or gelato. Afterwards is the highly-needed 'digestif', a liqueur such as Amaro, Grappa or Limoncello drunk to help digestion. Last but not least and crucial to awaken your metabolism: expresso. And sometimes a shot of bicarbonate is needed to feel better. In the afternoon, aperitifs such as Sprizz are taken to open the stomach for another similar feast at dinner. So, if you want to eat Italian, you have to eat in the Italian way…