Italy Food & Wine Travel Guide

Italy produces some of the most famous cheeses in the world and is the third-largest cheese producer in the European Union. The countless flavors, textures, and recipes of Italy’s cheeses derive from all over the country and are made from various animals’ milk, including cows, goats, sheep, and buffalo. While some cheeses are best used in cooking with dishes like lasagna, tortellini, and cacio e Pepe, other cheeses, like Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano, are eaten on their own or as a garnish to elevate dishes. The possibilities are endless with Italian cheeses and the over 450 varieties.

The following list of 12 of the best cheeses to try in Italy unveils the diversity of Italian cheeses, providing an explanation of their particular attributes from flavor to texture, aroma, to common food pairings. It also shares the locations that they are typically produced in, recognized by authenticated labels so that you can plan a trip to specific regions depending on the cheese you wish to try.

Illusive white and black truffles hide in small quantities throughout Italy’s vibrant topography. The decadent morsels populate rolling hills, speckle the soil along grand cliffs, and inhabit the plentiful forests. Nature’s bounty bursts throughout the Italian peninsula, and the prized truffle is one of the country’s most sought-after locally-grown foraged goods. Below is everything you need to know about Italian truffles and truffle hunting tours in Italy.

The Italian truffle season takes place every fall, a brilliant time to visit the country if you wish to participate in truffle hunting tours and take in the array of dazzling truffle festivals that pop up across the Italian peninsula between October and November.

Celebrating the robust flavors of the distinctive truffle varieties in addition to the culinary heritage of Piedmont, Molise, Tuscany, Umbria, Emilia Romagna, and Le Marche, these festivals offer a uniquely Italian experience for you to immerse yourself in during your vacation. The following list shares the top truffle festivals by region to help you plan the route of your Italian truffle hunting tour, and your Zicasso travel specialist can suggest the best routing for your perfect vacation.

Sicily is a melting pot of gastronomic heritage found in the best cheeses and street foods that you can sample during your Italy trip to find a collection of cultures and traditions from those who have historically occupied the island.

The exceptional cuisine of Sicily utilizes local ingredients to create flavors for a culinary adventure featured in surprising spices or indulgent textures. Whether within shops displayed in the historic cheeses or stalls in popular marketplaces, the cuisine represents the eclectic heritage from around the Mediterranean.

The following list compiles the best cheeses and street foods you will discover as you wander the streets of Sicily, Italy to find cannoli to arancini, capers to ricotta cheese.

Explore the world with Zicasso and work with a top travel specialist to bring your dream vacation to life. The world overflows with wonders to explore and the sheer number of choices is exciting.

Our primary goal is to make the planning, booking, and traveling process easy and enjoyable as you create the vacation experience you want most. No matter where you go and what you do, Zicasso can help you experience the best of travel without the stress.

Working with our destination experts you can plan a trip to anywhere in the world and suit your travel style. Using insider knowledge of your chosen destination, itinerary ideas, and planning strategies, your chosen  Zicasso travel specialist can guide you through the following three steps.

Knowing your budget is an essential component of any trip planning process. Whether the sky's the limit or you have specific parameters, Zicasso is here to help you set your priorities in planning to maximize your investment.

Your interests and preferences on a couples trip will differ from a family-friendly vacation, while a highlights tour will result in wildly different experiences than one designed to take you off the beaten path.

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