What does 'Continuous hours' mean?
'Continuato' — con-ti-nu-A-to. Five syllables; stress on the fourth.
Look for this sign on shop or restaurant windows. It means the business stays open continuously without the traditional midday closure — a rarity in Italian retail but becoming more common in tourist areas.
'Orario continuato' (continuous schedule) is the Italian term for a business that does not close for the midday break. It is the opposite of the traditional 'orario spezzato' (split schedule) with the classic Italian lunch closure from 1pm to 3:30–4pm. Supermarkets and tourist shops tend to have orario continuato.
Fate la pausa pranzo?
Do you close for lunch?
Direct question about midday closure.
Siete aperti tutto il giorno?
Are you open all day?
Simplified version of the same question.
A che ora riaprite nel pomeriggio?
What time do you reopen in the afternoon?
If they do close, ask when they reopen.
The gradual shift to 'orario continuato' in Italian cities represents a significant cultural change. The traditional three-hour midday closure was tied to the family meal at home — a ritual declining in urban Italy due to longer commutes and two-income households.