Is It True They Close In The Afternoon?

sabina

sabina

Community Member
Dec 21, 2013
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I will be visiting Italy next year and someone told me that in Italy many stores and restaurants close in the afternoon for a brief break. Is this true? Is it only in the summer months? If so, then perhaps we should have our lunch earlier in the day?
 
I am assuming most smaller shops and cafes close for a siesta, but surely this will be in the post-lunch period? It wouldn't make any economic sense otherwise.
 
My girlfriend tells me that restaurants will be open over the lunch period, as they take a break before the dinner crowds arrive. Some stores and attractions may close between 12-4, so plan your day to include a long lunch and you will be fine.
 
Yes and no, the main supermarkets are open all day but most shops and town centre type shops will close for a period in the afternoon.

In northern Italy, shops tend to close between 13:00 and 15:30 hrs. (Then they stay open until 19:30)
In southern Italy, shops tend to close between 13:00 and 17:00 hrs (Then they stay open until 21:00)

In the main tourist places shops usually dont close at all. Bars and other places to eat are usually open all day / evening.
 
Restaurants usually close at 14, or also later. It depends. However, be quiet: you'll always find a place in which you can eat. Shops close in that hours in which few people exit and buy. But restaurants are opened in the time in which people eat. Otherwise, they'ld fail more easily that in these sad years (sad for us) xD
 
I didn't know they close for 4 hours down south :) Interesting fact.

Many small shops close (like, clothes & shoes stores, tabacchi shops, everything smaller than a supermarket) because there's usually 1-2 people working inside and they do need to take a break to eat lunch.
It's illegal not to close them... I personally know a guy who owns a tabacchi and he closes at 13 in the afternoon.... stays inside, eats, watches TV... etc, you can actually see him inside, but he locks the doors because its illegal to keep the shop open, he needs to rest and eat a proper meal :)
 
I was just in Italy last October and we did find that in the smaller towns in particular shops and some restaurants do close. In the larger town some shops closed while others did not. Mass market retailers were open while independent shops closed.
 
Smaller southern towns pretty much shut down completely starting around 2pm. We couldn't even find a place to grab a coffee! The stores and restaurants do stay open until much later then in the US though. I found a lot of people would go out after dinner for a walk in the town or just hang out in the town square.
 
It depends on the type of store, but some will close for a couple of hours at least. Most people get used to it, but as a tourist it can be a little strange. It's a way of life, and shops that do open during the lunchtime aren't usually that busy. Most tourist places will stay open, but that isn't a general rule and only when it's high season.
 
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