Northern and Southern Italians: Differences?

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Kindofblue

LOL!!!

Rome northern?!? That's really funny. Hehe sorry not laughing at you, I understand you are not italian and of course you don't have to know about that, but trust me for an italian it sounds really funny.
Ok, first of all, Italy is traditionally divided in 3 not in 2, so there are North, Central and South Italy. Rome is in Central-South. Northern italians who hate southerns (yes there are some) hate Rome and they call romans "terroni" (a dispregiative name northerns use to call us southerns), there's even a political party called Lega Nord (North League), wich has based most of its policy on the hate against South and Rome in particular (their main solgan is "Roma Ladrona", "Rome Thief").
Florence is not in North either, it's in Tuscany (Central Italy). People from Central Italy are very different from people from North. I'm a southern (I'm from Napoli) and I live in Tuscany. In Tuscany I have no problems, there are some morons who dislike me for being a southern, but they are a very negligible minority, most of tuscans kinda like southerns. At the opposite in some northern areas (except the big cities) southern italians are not very liked, in North-East in particular (I have friends and families who had to move on coz of the hate they have received).
About northens and southerns there are a lot of stereotyped stuff. Many southerns say that northern italians are too cold-hearted, introverted and self-controlled, that they think too much about working, money and career, that they are grey and got no fantasy, that they should relax more and that they don't know how to enjoy life.
Many northern italians think southerns are too lazy, too noisy, ignorants, that they complain too much, that they are too much linked to their family and some even that they are criminals. In general we could say that southern italians have about northerns the same stereotypes that italians in general have about northern europeans, and northern italians have about southerns the same stereotypes northern europeans have about italians in general. That's very interesting, it seems like southern italians are sort of hyper-italians.
It's difficult to explain the differences between northerns and southerns unless talking about stereotypes, coz a neutral point of view is impossible for an italian. We sure can say that North is richer and more industrialized and the life style is more frenetic and South is probably more religious.
Personally I've decided to stay in Tuscany coz I think tuscans are good mix of the positive sides of northerns and southerns. They are well organized, pragmatic, less religious and not very linked to family like northerns (some could find the last 2 things negative tough, but I'm an atheist and a progressist). And they are almost as social, relaxed, creative and sunny as southerns (ALMOST!!! LOL).
There are a lot of other things to say but I'll stop here. Hope it was helpful.

EDIT: anyway not sure you know you have touched a soft spot for us italians :D. I'm expecting words of fire...for me it could mean a lot of fun :D.

Giuliano

rome is center if u call'em northerner they will curse you forever :P let's say northerners are really racists, you may go there to buy trendy clothes since they are richer but you should avoid it, from florence down it's all better, people are warmer, friendly and open minded.

Personally i consider kindofblue's explanation nearly perfect.

Paul

that is so not true. first of all southerners are sicilians, i should know my family is from palermo. second of all my family has always referred to non-sicilians as northerners. or in other words main land italy. sicilians are very different from the rest of italy. sicilians speak sicilian not italian though most of them are bilingual. often italy was categorized as the "dirt poor" south and the "prominent" north. also the italian mafia was not really italian at all, cosa nostra is from sicily itself, and you could not join unless you were sicily. now however their are italians from the "north" who are similar. but yeah its kind of hard to say, i guess you just have to be from that kind of environment.

Orange B

Hi!

I must admit that the other answers are really stupid!

You can find nice people both in the North and in the South; you can find rude people both in the North and the South...

I mean there's no point in describing the differences...

If you have the chance go to Italy and visit it : it's a beautiful country, both in the North and the South! and enjoy the people!

Bye!

Mr. ioso

Hello I am north of Rovigo and we are called "polentoni," and south "terroni" but are two adjectives offensive.
The first because once you died of pellagra to eat too much polenta.
Secondds I worked only the earth because for their intelligence.
I do not discriminate, I have many friends "terroni" but they say the southern.
Those in the south take a lot more to family values and are more tied to tradition than the north.

Ciao

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