Is Italy top of your bucket list right now? Make your adventure as tantalizing for the tastebuds as it is for the eyes by including Italy’s top food destinations in your tour. Each boasting unique cuisine and a proud culinary heritage, explore the cities, regions and isolated islands with the most mouthwatering dishes.
Rome
As Italy’s capital city, Rome is unsurprisingly a haven for foodies.
Wander streets that conceal centuries of history with an artisanal gelato in hand, and pause at a café for a thirst-quenching aperitif. In the evenings, dine at traditional trattorias serving iconic dishes like pasta carbonara. The best trattorias are off the beaten path, down concealed alleyways and fronted by nondescript doorways.
Don’t miss the mercati, street food markets selling the best fresh produce and authentic goods. You can combine a visit to the markets with a guided cooking class so you can recreate your favourite dishes at home.
Tuscany
Spanning from the coast to the centre of the country and encompassing key cities and countryside, there’s no shortage of delicious dishes to try in Tuscany. Whether you’re visiting Florence with its glorious architecture and art, stopping off to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa or exploring the remote vineyards, make food the foundation of your itinerary.
Sample the world-renowned wines produced here, including the dry red Chianti. While in rural Tuscany, try the light yet hearty farm food like ribollita, a bean soup, and flavourful sheep-milk cheeses such as Pecorino Toscano.
At the coast, nothing beats the local fish stew cacciucco. A variety of shellfish and squid is cooked in a lightly spiced rich red sauce.
Sicily
One of the most popular destinations in Europe for bike tours thanks to its flat and spectacular coastline contrasted with Mount Etna at its centre, Sicily is a must-visit for food fans.
Although it’s a region of Italy, Sicily is a separate island that sits just off the boot of the mainland. This geography has helped to make the island multicultural as people from Spain, Greece and the Middle East sailed and settled here for centuries. Much of the traditional cuisine reflects this diverse heritage, such as the ever-popular arancine which emerged under Kalbid rule in the 10th century.
Another snack food favourite originating in Italy is cannoli, shortcrust pastry shells filled with sweetened ricotta cheese and sometimes coated in chocolate and nuts. As you may have guessed, the Sicilian pizza stems from this region too, beloved across the United States for its thick crust and deep-dish centre.
