Some trips are all about art galleries and architecture. Others revolve around switching off and soaking up the scenery. This time, though, it’s all about a proper food and wine itinerary in Italy.
Across the country, each region has its own typical products and local recipes, shaped by history, geography and stubborn local pride. Travelling through Italy by taste is one of the most revealing ways to understand it.
Here are five must-try first courses, each tied to a destination that deserves time on your itinerary. Start planning your food and wine trip to Italy and settle in for something memorable.
The Langhe: His Majesty the truffle
The Langhe, in southern Piedmont, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014. Stretching between the provinces of Cuneo and Asti, this corner of northern Italy is all rolling hills, regimented vineyards, medieval castles and quietly elegant villages.
It is also home to one of Italy’s most prized ingredients: the white truffle. A classic example is agnolotti with Alba white truffle, finished simply with butter to let the truffle speak for itself. It's ideally paired with a glass of Barolo, the grapes grown on the surrounding hills.
Sondrio: mountain comfort in Valtellina
Mountain air sharpens the appetite, and in Valtellina, in the province of Sondrio, the local cooking rises to the occasion. After a day hiking through forests or skiing in winter, the food here feels reassuring and substantial.
The signature dish is pizzoccheri, a buckwheat pasta layered with cabbage, potatoes, local cheeses and generous amounts of melted butter. It’s hearty without being fussy, deeply rooted in Alpine tradition and usually served with a robust red from the surrounding terraces.
Bologna: the capital of ragù
“Bologna la Grassa” – Bologna the Fat – is a nickname earned at the table. Food here is treated with seriousness and affection. The local repertoire in Northern Italy is packed with dishes that have become part of Italy’s culinary identity.
During a weekend in Bologna, begin at the historic Mercato di Mezzo, just off the Basilica of San Petronio. Beneath its arches, traditional artisan products sit alongside fresh pasta counters and old family-run shops.
Art, history and portico-lined streets deserve attention, but no visit feels complete without a plate of tagliatelle al ragù in one of the centre’s long-standing trattorias. The sauce is slow-cooked, carefully balanced and never rushed, very much in the Bolognese spirit.
Bari: Italy's take on paella
In Bari, three simple ingredients say it all: rice, potatoes and mussels. Together they form a dish that locals grow up with and rarely tire of.
Known as tiella, named after the terracotta dish it’s baked in, this recipe began in the peasant tradition of Puglia, originally centred on vegetables and rice. As it travelled towards the coast, it absorbed elements of maritime culture and traces of Spanish influence, which introduced mussels into the mix.
Exploring the heel of Italy through its cooking reveals a region shaped by centuries of exchange, where flavours tell stories of trade routes, occupations and seafaring life.
Palermo: exuberant simplicity
Palermo, the capital of Sicily, has long drawn curious eaters with a cuisine that reflects its layered history. Located in the Mediterranean, the city has been shaped by successive foreign dominations, each leaving marks on its architecture and its kitchen.
Among its oldest dishes is pasta with sardines, known locally as pasta c’a munnizza, with roots stretching back to Arab rule. It’s a deceptively simple plate: fresh sardines, wild fennel, and a balance of sweet and savoury notes that feel unmistakably Sicilian.
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