Italy is, unsurprisingly, one of the most popular vacation destinations on the planet. After all, American citizens are Italy’s biggest tourism spenders! Italy’s a multifarious country, with something to enjoy for practically everybody, from the unparalleled natural landscapes of its northeastern mountains to the bustling urban centers rich in ancient cultural history.
Perhaps the best reason to visit Italy, though, is for its food. Italy’s culinary culture precedes itself, the nation having given us a great many of the most popular dishes on the planet. As well as being the origin point for some of the best recipes you’ve ever eaten, Italy is also a haven of food geography. Everywhere you go, you’ll find local recipes lovingly crafted from hyper-local ingredients – and your life will get all the richer for it. But where are the best places to go? Read on and find out!
Northern Italy’s Gastronomic Treasures
Italy’s northern reaches are rich in culinary heritage, and particularly so with respect to rustic, traditionalist foodstuffs. It’s easy to forget Italy’s prestige in this area when its famed dishes couldn’t be much further from stew in style and flavor; and yet, these styles are the backbone of hearty, soulful Mediterranean cooking.
Lombardy, for example, is the home of osso bucco – a veal-au-jus-ish meal that combines the gamey richness of veal shank with the carefully balanced flavors of a slow-cooked broth. Lombardy has also given us risotto alla Milanese, which is commonly served alongside the former.
Italy’s north is also an excellent place to visit for the meat-and-cheese experience – being, after all, the birthplace of Parmesan, parma ham, and balsamic vinegar amongst other delectations. Visit Parma, and get yourself into a tasting session post-haste.
Central Italy’s Rustic Delights
The theme of rustic, wholesome foods continues as you make your way into Italy’s creamy middle – where you’ll start to find essential pasta dishes and core wines. Indeed, this middle belt of the Boot is winemaking country through and through, and one of the key reasons why hiking holidays in Italy are so well-attended.
Tuscany is an ideal place to visit for this rustic experience, with its rolling vineyard-flecked hills; why not traipse your way through Chianti and sample one of the most iconic Italian wines money can buy right from the source? If you’re not a big drinker, head on over to Florence for some incredible Bistecca alla Fiorentina – or to Rome, for the simplest and yet most sublime pasta dishes.in carbonara and cacio e pepe.
Southern Italy’s Sun-Kissed Flavors
As you track yet further south, you get the opportunity to kiss the coast via Naples – arguably the home of pizza as we understand it today. Settle in for some true pizza Napoletana, or scooch along the Amalfi coast to try some of the best seafood dishes in the Western hemisphere. About as south as you can go, you’ll find the island of Sicily, which harbors the best fried things in the country: arancini and cannoli.
