One last question about ordering in Italian restaurants. Can you order just one item like Lasagna or are you expected to order a 3 course meal

It is not required to order any specific number of courses - but keep in mind that portions are smaller than in the US so you may want to order more than just a pasta course (not considered a main course).

Also - if you order a meat course you get the meat - it does not come with veggies (contorni are side dishes that are ordered to share among 2 or 3 people) or pasta on the side, although there may be a small garnish.

I often order just a pasta course and a contorno (vegetable). The contorno will normally be brought as a second course, unless you ask for them to be brought together.

When dining with my husband, we often order two first courses (or one first course and one antipasto (appetizer)) and then one second course and one contorno. Then we share these.

You can order as many courses as you want, but you have to tell the server how you want them delivered.

The courses are
Appetizer (antipasto)
First course (Primi)
Second Course (secondo)
Side Dish (contorno)
Dessert (Dolce)

As an example I will often order an appetizer and the a second course and my husband will often order a Primi and a second course SO to get them at the same time I say the name of the appetizer and say it is for a primi then the second course. Or I often order a salad and a meat but you must tell the waiter that you want the salad as a primi then you want the secondo.

Have a great time.

You should make an effort to learn what the typical dishes are in the region you're visiting. That way you'll be able to order things that are at their best in that area, not dishes that are really the forté of a different region. For example, ravioli, tortellini, and other stuffed pastas are typical of northern Italy.

Lasagna is very ancient, and is found all over Italy, but I find that's also best in northern and central Italy, especially in Emilia Romagna and Le Marche. The vincisgrassi of Le Marche is, in my biased opinion, the very best lasagna of all.

You'll find that even in say a Chinese restaurant in Italy the same rules as described above apply. Work out what you want to eat and then order it, no need to order every dish/course at all

you can also order, say, a pasta dish first, and then see if you want any more afterwards.

no need to order the whole meal at the same time.

you might need to wait a little while of course, but you can always drink some more wine while you're waiting.

Having stumbled (with Mrs Bilbo) into a restaurant after a long day in the saddle without food I can admit to having wolfed down 9 courses as part of a special meal that the waiter told me "no one has ever finished" it took from 7:30 to 11:30 and we were still ordering bread to fill up when they chucked us out.

During our meal other Italian guests left for a ciggie, to take phone calls, to drive to the nearbye town and still tried to keep up.

Italians, I've learnt can be very flexible. They also understand that "madam" is not having any pudding, but "sir" could order a pudding with two spoons, for which "sir" has no use as he does not eat pudding.

You will love Italian restaurant style and humour and even better, for at least one night, let them open a large Puglian red and any waiter worth his tip will do the whole, swirling wine in the large glass to open up the wine thing, even in a pizza restaurant.

WOW! great responses from ALL!!! To bvlenci: I was pleased to see that we can 'share'. I wasn't sure that might be frowned upon. Also doing the research on area offerings is a good idea. Again thanks to all 7 replies. I'm printing for my 'book' of suggestions.