For many people the dream is to escape the rat race and buy a remote Italian farmhouse, pick some olives and live happily ever after. But what's life in rural Italy really like?

1. Everything is closed

It can come as a bit of a shock to foreigners but traditional opening hours are still observed in many parts of Italy, especially rural ones. This means that shops close for lunch around 1pm and don't reopen until around 3.30pm - or even later, especially in the south. They will then stay open until the early evening.