Does their religion affect their social behaviour?
ROFL.
No, not really. Italy is more open minded than the US. You have a born-again Christian as a President after all.
The Italians ooze style and the girls are very sexy. If you go in summer be prepared for lots of pretty girls wearing lots of expensive clothes.
When you're in Rome I would recommend the following:
1) Forum Romanum - this is an archaelogical park right in the middle of the city. It's where the old Roman Republican Forum was placed. The Forum was the political, social and economic heart of the city. It's where all the Senate sat (in a building called the Curia, which was restored by Mussolini, so you can see what it was like in Caesar's time!), the famous speeches where made, the Rostrum (or speaker's stage) was placed, the most important temples etc. Very impressive. It lies between the Palatine Hill and the Capitoline Hill. Pay for the pass that gets you into all three.
2) Theatre of Marcellus. On the banks of the Tiber, built by Augustus for his favourite nephew. Very cool.
3) Colleseum - More correctly, the name of this is the Flavian Amphitheatre. It was called the Colleseum, not due to its size despite what some people may tell you, but because it was built on the site of the hated Nero's old palace. At the doors of his palace Nero had a HUGE statue of himself erected, named the Coloseo (sp?); hence the Amphitheatre was nick-named after the theatre. The Colleseum is at the end of the Roman Forum. You can't miss it.
4) Castel Sant' Angelo.
This used to be Hadrian's tomb, but was converted into a castle by the Popes. Make sure to check out the special escape route the Popes built from the Vatican to this redoubt. Very interesting.
5) Vatican & St Peter's
Even if you're not religious or even Catholic, these are amazing buildings to visit. Check out the Vatican Museums too.
6) Back-street Rome
Try to get off the beaten track a little and have dinner/lunch in some small tavernas or cafe's. It makes a world of difference if you try to learn even a
little Italian, or stock phrases - "How much?" "May I have...?" etc. Don't try the usual crass American tourist technique of simply talking loudly and slowly in English at them. It doesn't work and it pisses people off...
7) Spanish Steps
Very cool hang-out area. Head towards this area late at night (around 11pm) and just sit back and watch. Amazing buzz. At the bottom of the steps is a very cool (but very expensive!) shopping area. This is the place if you want to shop for Italian designers. Feel free to simply window-shop or browse too...
8) EUR
This is an area to the south of Rome built by Mussolini as an example of Fascist architecture etc. It's quite interesting. Howeve the most impressive feature is a massive (HUGE) scale model of ancient Rome built on the orders of Il Duce. It really is truly breath-taking seeing what the ancient city looked like. I highly recommend this.
9) Catacombs.
Creepy but kinda cool I suppose. I didn't really like them, but some people might!
This is all I can think of off the top of my head.
I honestly encourage you to try to learn a few words of Italian too. It makes the world of difference.
Good luck mate and have fun...
Mr Mephisto