Lattes

Adding liquor to your coffee is the only flavor I've seen!

It is latte or cappuccino. Everything else was invented by Starbucks. And those are breakfast drinks but ordered all day long by American tourists.

Be aware that the word latte means milk - plain and simple - and that's what you'll get in a bar if you order it. If you want a milky/foamy/coffee mixture ask for a cafe latte or a cappucino - before noon if possible. I'm sure there are Starbucks around that will make you feel at home in a foreign land - just follow the burnt
coffee aroma. lol!

There are no Starbucks in Italy. No joke.

Roberta, I doubt that you're going to be able to find the same latte flavours that you're used to at home. As Michael pointed out, there are no Starbucks in Italy. You may find it helpful to read this description of your Coffee choices from the always excellent Ron In Rome website. Buon Viaggio!

Whatever you do, don't order a "latte" or you will get a glass of milk. I made that mistake once about 15 years ago.

Yep, thankfully no Starbucks or Caribou. Italian coffee is excellent. Part of the joy of travel, experiencing the difference and NOT seeing US based chains. http://goitaly.about.com/od/foodandwineofitaly/a/italian_coffee.htm

Roberta, here's the rundown on coffee: Latte is milk. You can get it hot or cold. Latte macchiato (stained milk) is a glass of hot milk with a little coffee in it. Caffe macchiato is a cup of espresso with a little milk in it. Espresso is what you will get if you ask for "caffe" or "coffee". Caffe lungo is an American-type serving of coffee (ratio of water to coffee is higher than espresso).
Cappucino is the espresso with hot foamed milk. If the barista is flirting with you, there may be chocolate powder on it, or the barista may ask if you want chocolate on it (in which case he is not flirting). If you want a quick sip you can order standing at the bar (about half the price of table service). If your hotel or B&B has an automatic self-service coffee machine, skip it and get coffee at a nearby bar. As for flavoring, you can get a variety of different liquors.

Zoe, you just made my day! The barista at Nannini in Siena put chocolate in my capuccino yesterday morning! And smiled at me!

Zoe, I wouldn't say that a caffe lungo is an American style coffee. It's more like a double espresso (double the amount, not the strength). Lungo meaning "long", it's kind of like a stretched out espresso so you get more than regular espresso. Only reason I mention this is because I wouldn't want people coming here thinking they'll get an American style cup of brewed coffee by ordering a caffe lungo. Another one you can order is a caffe ristretto, which is just an espresso with a smaller amount.

Rik, thanks for the clarification, I was referring to the serving size. In my experience, the lungo does have more water-to-espresso than just a double espresso, but it is more of a jolt than the regular espresso.

Celeste, nothing better to start the day than a cappucino and a flirty barista.

In our experience the closest to Am style cup of coffee is Americano which is a tea pot of hot water, a large cup and espresso. You mix it.

My advice to anyone traveling to Europe is don't look for what is familiar and this is especially true with food. It will lead to disappointment. You should look to embrace the culture and experience what is there which will be much more rewarding and educational. The only problem is when you return home and start looking for authentic Italian food.

Richard's posting reminded me of a women who posted a couple years ago that it was important bring instant coffee with you so that you could have a good cup of American coffee in the morning. Obviously her standards were different than mine. Go with a blank slate. Save your caramel high rise for when you get home.

You are going to Italy you may have to change your drinking habits. My daughter likes Ice Caramel Macchiato. She ended up drinking Water or Gas-Sparkling Water. It was good enough for all of us while we were there.

I had a buddy in Germany named Antonio who was from Napoli and he once told me that every time his dear mamma visited him in Stuttgart, she would bring a bottle of water from Napoli because she didn't like the way the water in Stuttgart made her coffee taste.

Thank you everyone for replying. I knew there would be no Starbucks and that's fine. I do want to enjoy everything new in Italy. I was just hoping they had flavors other then liquor to add to my coffee. So I'll be happy with what they have then.

So glad to hear that there are no Starbucks in Italy as I am going there in September. I have never liked their burnt beans for Central American anyway and living most of the year in Hawaii where we grow coffee, a cup of 100% Kona coffee in the mornings is truly addictive.