Telling an Italian not to be superstitious is a losing game. Even when we generally don’t believe in old-fashioned tales of misfortune and malocchio, I can guarantee you we probably still avoid opening an umbrella indoors and wince in horror if a mirror breaks. I mean, ”io non ci credo ma” it’s always seven years of bad luck, they say… 

Evil eye and superstition aside, the truth is that many of these peculiar and, to non-Italians certainly odd, habits have deep cultural and historical roots. They are part of the country’s heritage and lore. Every place has a special ritual, one everyone follows even if they don’t believe it.