Having just spent week in Florence, I'd like to share my thoughts on the social atmosphere. I think most european countries are generally know for being more friendly, especially in Italy. I think this is due to traditions back from Roman times; people believed then that beggars who came to your door could be gods in disguise so you always had to be nice to them. I think this still is part of the culture. Once I did get lost walking around Florence and some random guy helped me find my way home without hesitation. However, I did go out into the Tuscan countryside and there I visited a little cheese-making facility run by a woman from some old shepherding tribe..she didn't want to talk to foreigners AT ALL, and that's apparently part of their whole culture. So I guess unfriendly people come from all sizes of communities.