You greet each other with two kisses on the cheeks.
guan-CE — 'gu' before vowels is always /gw/. 'Guance' rhymes with 'Juan-che'.
Know this before meeting Italian friends or being introduced in social contexts. The double-cheek-kiss greeting is standard among adults who know each other, and at introductions in social settings.
Italian social kiss greeting: start with right cheek to right cheek (your right cheek towards their left), then switch. Always two kisses in Italy (some southern areas do three). Men kiss women; women kiss women; men shake hands with men (unless they know each other well). Air kisses are acceptable — no need to actually kiss the cheek.
Si parte dalla guancia destra.
You start from the right cheek.
Practical instruction — important to avoid bumping heads.
Con gli uomini ci si stringe la mano.
With men you shake hands.
Standard male-male greeting in formal/semi-formal contexts.
In alcune regioni si fanno tre baci.
In some regions they give three kisses.
Rare in Italy — more common in Belgium and parts of France.
COVID-19 changed Italian greeting culture temporarily — elbow bumps and distant nods replaced kisses. Post-pandemic, the two-kiss greeting has largely returned in social contexts, though with some lingering hesitancy in more formal or older demographics. Asking 'ci salutiamo?' (shall we greet?) before initiating is now considered considerate.