Italians on Italians
Beyond Toscano

A sip of wine before traveling

A sip of wine before traveling
“Non ti mettere in cammino se la bocca non sa di vino” (Don't walk unless you've had a sip of wine).

It's an ancient Tuscan custom to have a drink before travelling. At the end of a visit, a landlord word accompany a visitor to their horse. Just as the guest put their foot in the stirrup, he'd raise a toast to wish them a good trip and both would enjoy 'one for the road'. Today, the expression is still in use to refer to a nightcap (though drinking before riding, or driving, is of course frowned upon).