Eating in Italy

Where can you find the best cheese in Italy? From the mountains of the Aosta Valley to the sunny landscapes of Sicily, Italy is a paradise for cheese lovers.

Verona is in northern Italy’s Veneto region, with the Adige River flowing right through its centre. While it's often linked to Shakespeare’s famous couple, the city's character is really shaped by its grand Roman amphitheatre and winding medieval lanes.

There's a bit of magic in the air once the August crowds have thinned out and the intense summer heat begins to soften. Italy seems to take a collective, relaxed breath, making it a pretty special time to visit.

Piedmont is a fascinating corner of Italy, a place where grand, elegant cities sit against a backdrop of snow-dusted alpine peaks. But deciding what to see in Piedmont is about more than just ticking off the sights.

Florence is where it all began back in the Renaissance, supposedly first whipped up for the Medici court. Forgetting the bright green pistachio and fluffy mounds piled high in shop windows is the first step, and understanding the real difference between gelato and ice cream is key to the hunt.

Hunting down the best gelato in Italy is one of those essential things you have to do when you're here, but it's good to know that gelato is so much more than just ice cream. It's a proper daily ritual, a treat that's taken very seriously and is seen as a true art form.

Strolling through a sunny Italian piazza, it’s easy to think that gelato is just the local word for ice cream. The debate of gelato vs ice cream, however, goes far beyond a simple translation.

Summer in Italy means sunshine, sightseeing, and plenty of gelato. If you’re heading to Italy and looking for the perfect way to cool down, nothing beats a scoop (or two) of traditional, homemade gelato. But with so many delicious options to choose from, which flavours are local favourites?

When you think of Italian desserts, your mind probably jumps straight to Tiramisù, a creamy Panna Cotta, or maybe a scoop of Gelato. They're certainly famous for a reason, but the world of Italian sweets, or dolci, goes so much deeper than the usual suspects.

There's a special moment at the end of a good Italian meal, when you're full and happy but not quite ready to leave the table. This is often when a small glass of something sweet and aromatic appears. In Italy, dessert wine isn't just an afterthought; it’s a cherished part of the dining culture.

When you think of the most popular dessert in Italy, it's easy for tiramisù and gelato to steal the show. But Italy has a deep love for chocolate, and its dolci often showcase it in a way that’s wonderfully rich and not overly sweet.

Italy and pasta go hand in hand—it's not a cliché, it's just the simple truth.

Central Italy is where rustic countryside flavours collide with city flair, and the region’s pasta dishes are all about bold simplicity and proudly local ingredients.

Northern Italy’s pasta scene is all about comfort, richness and an eye for proper detail. The region’s love affair with creamy sauces, eggy fresh pastas, and plenty of cheese shines through in each dish, with local ingredients giving classics their unmistakable northern twist.

Southern Italy doesn’t make a big fuss—food’s woven into the day almost without thinking.

Italy is renowned for its rich culinary traditions, diverse regional dishes, and a deep appreciation for high-quality ingredients. Italian cuisine is characterised by its simplicity, emphasising fresh, seasonal produce and the use of olive oil, garlic, and herbs.

In Italy, you know that wherever you go you can eat well. But there is a real ranking of the best restaurants in the world and, according to the Compare The Market study, there are two Italian cities in the top 5: Venice, which dominates at number one, and Milan, at number five.

Tourism, both at home and abroad, is definitely settling down to pre-covid levels. However, travelling after the pandemic may be more expensive, and not only because flight prices have risen sharply. In fact, several items of expenditure have risen due to inflation.

Italy is 100,000 square miles of impeccable taste, making it the home of the most famous cuisine in the world. From North to South, the country offers a succession of unique and unmistakable flavours that are rooted in the land and its traditions.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Italy? What is the cost of living in Italy? These are just some of the questions we aim to answer in this guide to the cost of living in Italy in 2021.

Italian cuisine is known and adored all over the world for its excellent ingredients, its wide variety and its ancient culinary tradition of pizza and pasta.

Depending on the country you go to, you'll find a breakfast. How do you start your day? In every corner of the world, breakfast ingredients vary according to culture and eating habits.

Jamie Oliver's back, this time in 'pucker' Italy. After almost twenty years of TV shows, books and recipes, Jamie Oliver is one of the most famous chefs in the UK, alongside Gordon Ramsay. His cookbooks have sold over 70 million copies and he is very active on social media: he h

Everyone enjoys a good pasta dish, but there's just so many types to choose from. Pack your suitcase and set off to discover some of the most popular and typical pasta dishes in Italy, region by region, those specialties that are immediately associated with a specific location.There are many re

The Truffle is a real delicacy typical of some regions of Italy, such as Piedmont and Umbria. In the kitchen it is used to season pasta and risotto and to prepare delicious main courses enriched with its aroma, but it is also excellent spread on bread as a creamy topping.