The delectable taste of freshly made pasta, the thin crust of a pizza topped with traditional Italian herbs and spices and gelato that confounds your taste buds are just a few things to expect when you travel to the beautiful country of Italy! Known as one of the best destinations for food lovers, Italy has a wide range of delicacies to enjoy and many different places to visit while doing so! As a bunch of foodies and travel lovers ourselves, we here at Flight Centre have created a list of the top destinations to visit in Italy where you can enjoy some of the finest Italian cuisines that this beautiful country has to offer. Join us and take a trip through Italy while tantalising your taste buds at the same time (feel free to blame us for the Italian dinner you order later!).
Rome, Italy
As one of the most popular tourist destinations in Italy, it is no surprise that it sits at the top of our destination list when it comes to food! While you may spend the majority of your day touring around the city and seeing all of the most spectacular sights that the region has to offer, do not forget to set aside some time to enjoy the fantastic cuisine that this part of the world is well-known to produce. One of the most popular dishes that you simply have to try when you venture to Rome is the carbonara! Now, as a foodie, I am sure you would have tried quite a few carbonara dishes, and maybe you think you have found some pretty good ones, but nothing, and we mean NOTHING, comes close to the rich and tasty pasta dish that is made in Rome! Tourists should feel free to order that large portion as you will surely be walking it off when venturing to some of the beautiful sites in the city!
Naples, Italy
As the birthplace of pizza, Naples is an obvious choice when it comes to a foodie trip in Italy! Back in the 18th century, when a chef decided that the standard Roman focaccia bread needed a bit of tomato added to it, I doubt it was ever known what a revolutionary dish this would become! From the 18th century until now, pizza has been a classic Italian-style dish, with many places around Italy making some of the most delicious pizzas, but Naples is the place to go if you want traditional and old-school style carby goodness! With dough that is prepared over days and made into the most delicious thin-style pizza, topped with traditionally made tomato sauce and succulent Italian cheese, you cannot go wrong with pizza in Naples! Maybe bring along that pair of jeans that seems to be fitting a bit lose, you may need them after a few slices!
Venice, Italy
While Venice is known for its gorgeous setting and as being the unique “floating city” thanks to its location, it is also one of the most amazing foodie destinations in the world! Along with beautiful sights to enjoy along the grand canal, another must-do when in Venice is to try the delicious tiramisu! This delectable sweet treat is well-known in Venice and you are sure to find it in just about every restaurant you visit! The delicious espresso dessert is simply divine and is sure to send your taste buds on a journey of their own!
Amalfi Coast, Italy
For holidaymakers who enjoy not just exploring the cities but are also hoping for some spectacular views of the coast, you need to make sure that you include a trip to the Amalfi Coast while in Italy! Gorgeous beaches and stunning coastal towns are what you can expect and of course, the food is an experience on its own! One of the most famous delicacies to enjoy while on the Amalfi Coast is limoncello, a delicious lemon liqueur drink that is made on the Amalfi coast! This kind of liqueur is most often served cold with a few drops of ice served over one or two shots of the drink! While they taste delectable and one could probably enjoy an entire bottle, they do have quite a kick so be careful how much you drink at one time!
Florence, Italy
When you visit the spectacular city of Florence, you should be sure to enjoy one of the most well-known delicacies of this region, which is abistecca alla Fiorentina, or Florentine steak. For meat lovers, this is an absolute must as the Florentine steak is known to be one of the most delicious steaks in the world! Cooked to absolute perfection, you can find some of the best restaurants serving this delicious meal, but be warned, you will get a massive piece of meat! You definitely do not have to worry about calories as we are sure that you will be walking them off with all the beautiful places that are open to visit in this worldly city.
Milan, Italy
While Milan is well-known to be one of the fashion capitals of the world, it is also a great place to venture if you are a lover of great food! One of the most popular dishes to make sure you enjoy when you visit this enthralling city is Mondeghili. While today this dish is considered to be an Italian delicacy, it was actually introduced by the Spanish around 500 years ago, though back during this time it was considered to be the food of the poor. Today, it is one of the most widely known dishes to be sure you try when in the city and the unique and delicious meatball-styled meal will be sure to knock your socks off! From beautiful and majestic sights to the famous traditional Mondeghili dish, Milan is a place that you definitely do not want to miss!
Lake Como, Italy
Located in northern Italy, Lake Como is vastly different from many of the more southern regions of the country. The beautiful shores of the gorgeous Lake Como are home to some of the most beautiful views, and gorgeous homes and of course, it has some of the most delicious cuisines that Italy has to offer. One of the most popular dishes to be sure to try when you visit Lake Como is lavarello, which is a freshwater fish that calls the lakes in northern Italy home. One of the best places to try this delicious and decadent freshwater fish is Lake Como, and where better to enjoy seafood than looking out over Italy's deepest lake?
As can be seen above, Italy is any food lover's dream vacation destination, with so many different cuisines to be sure to try at least once. From pizza to lavarello, there is something for just about anyone, even those pickier eaters.
For the chance to enjoy a country that is home to some of the best and most traditional dishes, make sure that Italy is your next holiday destination!
