Distinct regional and cultural differences in Italy make it impossible to draw a unified picture of daily life. A Milanese businessman's day differs considerably in both style and pace from that of his Neapolitan counterpart. Nevertheless, some general observations may be made. An considerable survey of people over the age of 14, undertaken in 1988 by the national statistical agency, ISTAT, showed that Italians spent almost half of their time either eating, sleeping, or cleaning and grooming. In general, men enjoyed more free time than women, who spent more time shopping, working, and attending to the needs of their families. While women spent an average of four hours per day doing domestic work, men spent only 50 minutes. Girls over the age of 14 studied more than three times longer than boys of the same age.

According to the ISTAT survey, Italians on the average devoted less than half an hour per day to intellectual activity and a mere eight minutes to political, religious, or volunteer activity, while more than 85 % of the population spent nearly two and a half hours per day watching television. Similarly, nearly two hours per day were devoted by more than 60 % of the population to meeting friends and relatives. These figures reflect the dramatic secularization of Italian society. The overall figures, belie valuable behavioral variations. For the more urban areas the emphasis has shifted to entertainment, particularly in the home. Television ownership is widespread throughout the nation, and increasing numbers of Italians own video recorders. On the other hand, fewer Italians go to the cinema than before, and participation in sport and physical activities is low, indicating a strong element of passivity in leisure time activities