Foodie destinations for Italian cuisine lovers

Extravaganza for the taste buds

Italy is a large country with many regions and each has something to add to the national cuisine. There are large farms growing olives, citrus fruits, and many vineyards. The bread is a staple item coming in all shapes and sizes, with items on top of it or between it. While in some cities close to the farms, particularly in the south of the country you will find lots of veggies in your food items while the cities close to the beaches will be offering lots of seafood items. The different cheeses are among the ingredients for various items. Among the other items popularly consumed are salami, and gelato, the Italian ice cream.

Bologna for authentic Bolognese sauce

If you try pasta regularly, you will be used to the tomato sauce and the white creamy sauce. As for the tomato sauce it originated in Bologna and hence the term Bolognese pasta or Spaghetti Bolognese. You will find a number of restaurants large and small offering this dish with different ingredients giving different flavors. Mortadella is another popular offering, a thick and large sausage whose slices are offered with other items. Tigelle is a round bread, with hard exteriors and smooth interiors, and it is offered with a variety of fillings, making it a different kind of sandwich and a popular street food.

To reach Bologna from the USA, you can fly into Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport (BLQ). While direct flights are not available, you can take connecting flights via European hubs like Frankfurt (FRA), Paris (CDG), London (LHR), or Rome (FCO) with airlines such as Lufthansa, Air France, and British Airways. For affordable options, explore cheap flights to Bologna here. The airport is just a 20-minute drive from the city center.

Naples for Neapolitan pizza

Pizza is one of the most popular Italian inventions and you will find it on streets where you can have a slice or at restaurants with indoor or outdoor seating. The pizzas vary from one region to another in Italy, not just in terms of ingredients but the way these are prepared. The Neapolitan pizza, a specialty of Naples, has a thin crust and you can try the Margherita version of its which comes with a layer of tomato sauce and cheese. If you are looking for fine dining options for seafood in the city you will find some open-roof restaurants where you can choose a wine from a long list of regional red wines.

To find affordable flights to Naples, you can explore various deals through FlightsChannel. They offer flight options from the USA to Naples International Airport (NAP), with connections through major European hubs like Rome and Paris. You can check for budget-friendly options and book flights by visiting the Cheap Flights to Naples page.

Florence for Tuscan flavors

Most Italians have multi-course meals for supper and in Florence, these start with the ribollita. This is a soup with mostly vegetarian ingredients, mostly from the local produce. Meats of different animals are used to prepare different items including steaks. You will even find different types of salamis like Finocchiona and Lardo. The desserts are prepared with different kinds of flours like necci with chestnut flour. You can always order coffee once you are done dining. If you are a coffee lover you should know that Cappuccino, Latte, and espresso originated in Italy. You can even purchase Tuscan wines from the wine shops to take back with you as souvenirs.

Palermo for street food lovers

This Sicilian city has a few old markets, where you can enjoy the ancient architecture while enjoying the street food. You must try the stigghiola, usually lamb meat grilled on skewers with each eatery adding different herbs for different flavors. The other must-try dish is babbaluci, literally meaning snail dish, prepared with a variety of sauces. You will also find arancine rice balls, stuffed with veggies and fried offered locally here, though you will find it in other Italian cities too. You can even try cheese slices or sliced watermelon, which will be offered in the summer. If you enjoy veggies there are a few eateries offering fried veggies.

Rome for a classic treat

The items on offer and their recipes vary from one season to another depending on the produce, though olive oil is a must for most items. You can try the Carbonara pasta with a lot of meats or the Arrabbiata with veggies, both the invention of Lazio, the region the capital of Italy is in. The white wines here are a specialty and you can try slices of Pecorino Romano, the local cheese with it. You will find more than a few high-end restaurants here with the menu of most dishes of this nation. If you love ice cream you will find plenty of gelato vendors here.

Conclusion

If you have always wanted to enjoy the ambiance of the restaurant, the settings, and everything around you, Italy will be the right choice for you. You may be used to items from Italian cuisine, but outside the country, these will be modified versions of what is prepared in this country. This makes a lot of foodies travel to the various cities here to get the real taste. Above we have listed some cities that are known for their offerings and their originality.