If you are the type of person who is always up for trying something new and doesn’t shy away from adventure, then it’s time to find an Italy travel guide to plan your trip today.
We realize that dining in Italy can be a challenge for first-time visitors. It can be tough to navigate a new city, town, or village. This is especially the case if you don’t speak the native language. Our seasoned Italy travel guide is here to help! While you will often find English speakers in larger cities, you can expect most residents of smaller, more provincial agricultural towns to speak only in Italian.
Regional Differences
Even though Italian cuisine is renowned around the world, you can expect to learn all about why locals are proud of their regional specialties. In the northern parts, French and Austrian influences mean heavy meat, cream, and butter dishes. While southern coastal cooking turns lighter and focuses on ingredients like olive oil, tomatoes, and fish. Each town or village proclaims its own salami or cheese to be the best. When dining in a restaurant or café, you may be surprised to learn that the traditional 20% gratuity is not an expectation when traveling to Italy.
Our Italy Travel Guide suggests you eat local by region first. Italy has 20 distinct regions that are either famous around the world or not quite as known. However, each of these regions has its own customs, histories, and food cultures. When you take the time to learn each of the nuances of Italy’s many regions, you basically guarantee an enjoyable and memorable dining experience.
Especially when traveling to the Emilia-Romagna region, we recommend punching up your meals with balsamic vinegar. Our Italy travel guide will encourage you to be more creative and try adding new spices and seasonings to your food to engage in Italian culture. A prime example relates to balsamic vinegar because the authentic form is a Denominazione di Origine Protetta product that is only produced in Emilia Romagna.
In comparison to the grocery store version, which is made with vinegar, sugar, and additives, the only ingredient in traditional balsamic vinegar is grape juice. These producers are sure to age grape juice for up to a decade for proper fermentation and maturation. It may take a while, but it is well worth the wait.
Schedule an Italy Food Guide Tour Today
You surely don’t want to miss out on satisfying your curiosity AND taste buds while visiting Italy. There is so much the country has to offer travelers. And, the right travel guide can teach you what to expect while leaving plenty of room for surprise and delight. Call Italian Culinary Adventures at 1-818-438-2346 today so you can schedule your trip with our renowned tour guides.