This is the question that gets continually asked by curious people.
They are both regions part of the same country, but that doesn’t mean that they have much in common, apart from the language maybe, right?
If you really think about it… Italian history has seen the North and South walking down different paths for centuries.
Only in the late XIX century, the country was finally (politically) unified.
However, the economical differences are still big though, as well as its people and the culture.
Both Italian regions have some unique things to offer to visitors and in actual fact, it’s not that easy to compare them.
In this article, we are going to dive deeper into all the differences between Northern vs Southern Italy including some of the peculiarities.
If you dare to ask, everyone seems to have their own perfect answer on what Italy is famous for (or not). It is also quite perfectly normal to ask yourself if the north is better than the south of Italy or vice versa.
There are definitely many points to take into consideration, and every person can approach this differently.
The two regions have maybe a couple of things in common. Such as the language and the obsession with food, but everything else is like not even being in the same country.
The south is known for its turquoise sea and white beaches of the Amalfi Coast, Puglia, Sicily and places like Cagliari in Sardinia. They attract thousands of tourists from all over the world during the summer months.
Other reasons why it’s popular are for the food like pizza and parmigiana and the chilled vibe of the fishing villages and towns.
On the other side, the north has a longer list of things you can do and see with the fortune to have both mountains and sea.
Let’s put Italy’s capital city, Rome, and romantic Venice on hold for a second and start this off by looking at Southern Italy’s finest features.
Southern Italy
South of Italy is all about pizza and fried street food, coastal towns, and villages facing the Mediterranean with their undeniable laid-back vibe.
However, these are only some reasons why Southern Italy is on the bucket list of so many travelers.
Now let’s look at the pros of Southern vs Northern Italy in more detail.
Food in South Italy vs North Italy
Food is one of the first points to compare between north and south Italy.
All around the country the deep love for food is strong as well as the passion and knowledge of regional land and sea products.
The millenary gastronomic traditions are handed down from generation to generation. This allows south and north Italian cuisine to be kept alive.
All around Italy, people give great importance to the seasonality and freshness of the ingredients.
Southern Italian cuisine is known for its fresh seafood, rich tomato sauces, the best olive oil and deep-fried dishes.
Being able to fry food in the south is a religion and this tradition is passed over generations. Naples in Campania is the birthplace of pizza, and a small town called Battipaglia is famous for the best buffalo mozzarella.
Puglia is known for the sandwich with grilled octopus and taralli whilst Sicily has strong Arab influences in its cuisine.
If you’re around here, don’t forget to try the seafood couscous!
Northern Italian cuisine on the other hand is famous for its strong and starchy flavors.
In this part of the country, you can eat the best risottos and gnocchi dishes, as well as mouthwatering meat-based main courses.
Milan is the birth city of the Milanese steak, and the delicious radicchio risotto comes from Treviso in Veneto.
Here it’s much more used the butter instead of olive oil in many preparations, because of its connections with northern countries like Slovenia, Austria and France.
Cost in South Italy vs North Italy
The cost of living in the North is higher than in the South.
The north of the country acts as the train locomotive of the Italian economy, and the more you move towards the south, the economic strength starts vanishing.
But higher incomes in the North mean a higher cost of living for families living in the cities of regions like Lombardy, Piedmont and Veneto.
The situation can be slightly different if living in the countryside, where rents and house prices are lower all around the country.
The cities where the prices are higher are Bolzano, Bologna and Milan, while those with the lowest prices are Naples, Campobasso, and Potenza.
If the cost for a 3-course meal for 2 people in a mid-range restaurant in Milan is 75 euros, in Naples is around 55 euros.
The difference is about 20 euros for a meal! For this reason, if traveling to Italy for holidays, the south is better than the north and you’ll definitely find cheaper prices for hotels, restaurants and activities.
Weather in South Italy vs North Italy
Between April and October, weather is pleasant and warm all around Italy. The south is characterized by hot and dry summers and cooler winters (that only last 3 months).
This part of the country is heavily influenced by the Mediterranean Sea which helps to mitigate the climate. The north has a lot more diversified range of microclimates.
Here you have lakes, mountains, hills, and the seaside. In general, summers are hot and humid (some days are drier than others) and winter is quite cold, snow can happen as well as frequent rains.
In some parts of the north, like in the Pianura Padana, it’s not uncommon to see a thick fog during the winter months and in some parts of the day.
The south is much better for the weather, as the winter months have milder temperatures around 15 C° and summers are warm and dry.
This is a good point to take into consideration if you want to go to the beach as well visit the historical centers and sights all year round.
Beaches in South Italy vs North Italy
The most popular pictures you can see of Italy all around the Internet are the ones of its beaches.
On the top list of the most Instagrammable landscapes are the Amalfi Coast and the Ligurian coast.
Both south and north of Italy are lucky enough to have amazing beaches and a long list of fishing villages and coastal towns facing the Tyrrhenian and the Adriatic Sea.
The north is famous for having more infrastructures and services that are better organized, and apart from the Ligurian Riviera and the beaches in the Marche region, the sea is much better in the south.
Have you ever heard about the ‘Maldives of Italy’?
Puglia is the region where the most crystalline waters of the peninsula are situated, and more specifically in the Salento region.
Visit beaches: Pescoluse, Punta Prosciutto and Punta della Suina!
All the other southern regions have similar stunning beaches that you should visit at least once in your life.
Some of our favorites:
- Stintino in Sardinia
- Amalfi Coast in Campania
- Tropea in Calabria
- San Vito Lo Capo in Sicily
These are just to mention a few, of course. But we have to say that Calabria has become one of our favorite regions in Italy to explore.
Northern Italy
Medieval castles, romantic lake views, trekking or skiing in the Alps, and the best risottos of the country are the workhorses of the north of Italy.
Now we’re going to find more reasons why Northern vs Southern Italy is better and what you can expect from these regions.
Culture in North Italy vs South Italy
The Italian peninsula was unified as a single nation in 1861. Before, the Italians had their own kingdoms and spoke their own unique languages.
Although this unification took place 200 years ago, Italians still retain a strong regional identity, with the term ‘campanilismo’ referring to ‘neighborhood pride’.
The gap between the North and the South can be explained via history.
Arabs, Greeks and Spanish people reigned in southern Italy, while French, Celtic and Germanic tribes reigned in the north.
For this reason, the culture, customs and cuisine have been strongly influenced by these different countries.
These strong differences make the country a really vibrant and unique place to visit!
Visitors have the chance to really understand more about Italian history and culture by approaching northern and southern Italians along the way.
In general, northern Italian are workaholics and put extra attention on managing their lives properly and what their cities and regions look like and can offer to tourists.
Southern Italians are famous to be welcoming and much more relaxed.
One of the consequences of this attitude is that there’s a lot of untapped potential for all the beautiful sights and beaches of these regions.
This reflects in a lack of infrastructure to help visitors move around and in many missed business opportunities.
City breaks in North Italy vs South Italy
Italian cities are all incredibly beautiful and there’s always so much to do and see both in the north and in the south.
When visiting the historical centers, you’ll notice the mix of different people and cultures influences the architecture and urban landscape.
🇮🇹 Depending on where you’re going we recommend you carry an Italian phrase book so you can familiarize yourself with the language.
In the south you can find traces of the Greeks, Romans, Phoenicians and Arabs in the churches or archaeological sites, in the north the Romans, Celts and German people left their strong mark too.
Even if, the southern cities have a unique laid-back vibe, that feels like you’re stepping back in time with all the fascinating Mediterranean whitewashed houses. The north is way better in terms of city breaks.
Just think about Milan, Turin, Florence and Venice or the lesser touristic Verona and Bologna.
These places in the north of Italy are great city breaks and during your time here, you can spend days just visiting their landmarks, museums and art galleries or take a train or bus to visit their outskirts.
Things to do in South Italy vs North Italy
In terms of things to do in Northern vs Southern Italy, the north is always the undiscussed winner!
Yes, the south has a range of mouthwatering dishes, and you can spend days relaxing at the beach and visiting its fishing villages…
However, it doesn’t have the same fortune as the with its snow-peaked mountains and stunning lakes (some of the largest in Europe).
From the French Alps of the Valle d’Aosta to the Dolomites bordering Slovenia, the opportunities to spend time outdoors going hiking, climbing and skiing are incredibly huge!
Every section of these mountains is worth discovering and you can spend literally years doing it. You can get into nature with this special tour in the Dolomites mountain range that leaves from Lake Garda.
From their glaciers down to Como or Garda lakes, in this part of the country, it’s all about connecting with nature.
That said, the list of things to do in northern Italy goes on…
Here the best wines of the country are produced on the hillsides of Valdoabbiadene, Langhe and Chianti.
The beaches of the Ligurian and Romagnola coasts attract visitors the whole summer and the historical city centres of Venice, Milan and Florence are perfect cityscapes for a day or two.
Safety in North Italy vs South Italy
Safety is not a big problem all around the country, but in some areas of the South (see this guide on safety in Calabria for example), poverty and the mafia’s presence can lead to more frequent criminal episodes.
The spread of small and large forms of crime is not just a drama for those involved, but a problem for civil coexistence.
These confined crimes strongly reduce the quality of life for the communities, with effects on families and professional choices.
The slow and corrupted system affects political decisions and the economy of the south.
As a result, there’s a lack of business development activities and many young people leave the south to move to the north or abroad.
Visitors shouldn’t be concerned about safety in both regions, but what they can do is avoid neighborhoods or remote towns, particularly in the south if locals suggest doing so.
As usual, when visiting Italy and you’re in tourist places always keep an eye on your belongings, and don’t leave anything valuable in your car!
If you’ll be driving in cities like Rome or Naples, be mindful of careless drivers that frequently don’t respect the road rules.
Southern vs Northern Italy FAQs
Do north and south Italy hate each other?
No, north and south Italy don’t hate each other, but there’s some rivalry between them. Mainly, this division is related to the economical differences between the North, in general, which is more developed than the South. There are also some cultural differences between people from the north and south that constantly lead to localism conversations and arguments about who’s better than who. Italians from the south tend to conduct a more laid-back lifestyle and are generally more friendly and welcoming than northern people. In the north there’s a more work-oriented culture and people are considered less friendly.
Why is northern Italy richer than the south?
The north has been the industrial center and economic engine of the country even before the reunification of Italy that took place back in the year 1848. Southern economy was mostly based on the primary sector (agriculture and breeding). As a consequence, the economic development of the South has always been backward compared to the North. The north of Italy had more roads and railroads, canals were used to transport people and products plus the literacy rate and life expectancy were definitely higher.
What is southern Italy known for?
Southern Italy is famous for some tourist attractions such as the Amalfi Coast, Sorrento and the island of Capri, the archaeological sites of Pompeii and the Valley of the Temples in Sicily, the Sassi of Matera, the Trulli of Alberobello and Naples. Other things it’s known for is the Mediterranean diet and some foods which are originally from here such as the pizza and mozzarella from Campania, ‘nduja and Tropea onion from Calabria and taralli from Puglia. Unfortunately, the South is infamous for the mafia and because it’s affected by political corruption.
What food is northern Italy known for?
Northern Italian tables never fail to have polenta, prepared with corn flour and water, and rice used to cook risotto dishes. Foods that come from northern Italian regions are: the Parmesan cheese (Parmigiano Reggiano), the Parma ham, the Gorgonzola cheese, balsamic vinegar from Modena and the prestigious Alba’s truffle. Some of the most famous dishes from the northern Italian cuisine are: pasta with bolognese sauce and tortellini from Emilia Romagna, risotto alla milanese and costoletta alla milanese from Milan in Lombardy as well as the panettone for dessert, apple strudel and canederli from Trentino Alto Adige, the baccalà alla vicentina or mantecato, risi e bisi and tiramisù from Veneto.
Northern vs Southern Italy: Which will you choose?
Now, do you have a better idea of what Northern vs Southern Italy offer?
Italy is such a diverse country in terms of landscapes, cuisine, languages and culture that you won’t regret traveling and exploring both regions.
It’s a very personal decision if you like the south more than the north and there’s no right answer.
In order to make up your mind, we suggest you read our 2 weeks in Italy itinerary and learn more about both north and south.
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Alright, let's break down the concepts mentioned in the article comparing Northern and Southern Italy:
Food:
South Italy: Known for fresh seafood, rich tomato sauces, olive oil, and deep-fried dishes. Birthplace of pizza in Naples and famous for buffalo mozzarella in Battipaglia. Puglia offers grilled octopus sandwiches and Sicily has Arab-influenced cuisine like seafood couscous.
North Italy: Famous for starchy flavors, risottos, gnocchi, and meat-based dishes. Birthplace of Milanese steak in Milan and radicchio risotto in Treviso. Butter is more common than olive oil due to historical influences from northern countries.
Cost of Living:
South Italy: Generally lower cost of living compared to the North. Cities like Naples, Campobasso, and Potenza have lower prices for meals and accommodations.
North Italy: Higher cost of living, especially in cities like Bolzano, Bologna, and Milan. The cost for dining out or staying in mid-range restaurants is notably higher.
Weather:
South Italy: Hot and dry summers, milder winters (around 15°C). Influenced by the Mediterranean Sea, providing a more favorable climate, especially for beach visits and exploring historical sites year-round.
North Italy: Diversified microclimates with hot, humid summers, cold winters, and occasional snow or heavy fog in some areas. Offers diverse landscapes with lakes, mountains, hills, and seaside.
Beaches:
South Italy: Known for stunning beaches like those in the Amalfi Coast, Puglia's crystalline waters, and Sicily's San Vito Lo Capo. Generally, the southern region is famous for its beautiful beaches.
North Italy: Although it has beaches along the Ligurian and Romagnola coasts, infrastructure and services for beaches are typically better organized in the North.
Culture:
South Italy: Strongly influenced by historical reigns of Arabs, Greeks, and Spanish, leading to a more laid-back vibe and unique culinary influences.
North Italy: Influenced by French, Celtic, and Germanic tribes, resulting in a work-oriented culture. Cities like Milan, Turin, Florence, and Venice offer rich history, art, and architecture.
Activities:
South Italy: Offers relaxing beach days, fishing villages, and delicious cuisines. However, lacks the natural features like snow-peaked mountains or extensive outdoor activities.
North Italy: Rich in outdoor opportunities like trekking, skiing in the Alps, and exploring stunning lakes. Also, renowned for producing the country's best wines.
Safety:
South Italy: Some areas affected by poverty and the presence of the mafia, leading to more frequent criminal episodes. Visitors advised to be cautious in certain neighborhoods or remote towns.
North Italy: Generally safer, but tourists advised to remain vigilant, especially in busy cities like Rome or Naples.
Regional Identity and Economic Differences:
The historical and economic disparities between Northern and Southern Italy stem from their different historical influences, economic structures, and cultural practices. The North has been historically more industrialized, leading to higher economic development compared to the primarily agrarian economy of the South.
Relationship Between North and South:
There's no outright hatred, but there's a rivalry stemming from economic, cultural, and social differences. The North is generally considered more developed, while the South is known for its laid-back lifestyle and friendliness.
These comparisons help understand the diverse offerings of both regions, emphasizing the unique cultural, culinary, economic, and geographical differences between Northern and Southern Italy.
