For a holiday that truly tickles your taste buds, there is nowhere quite like Italy.
The country has a rich food history, spanning from medieval times right through to the modern day and has created dishes that have become popular all over the globe.
If you want to get a flavour of where leading chefs such as Aldo Zilli and Michelin-starred Gualtiero Marchesi have got their inspiration from, you might want to take in the following cities.
Naples
Naples should certainly be on any discerning foodies’ list of places to visit, not least of all because it is the city where pizza was created.
The dish was initially sold by street vendors to the working classes. However its status soon rose after baker Raffaele Esposito created one for the Italian royal family in the 19th century. Since then pizza has become popular the world over with people from all backgrounds.
A wide range of toppings can be put on pizzas but for an authentic eating experience in the city, you may want to go for a simple, yet delicious Neapolitan pizza that features tomatoes and mozzarella cheese.
Historic pizzerias can be found throughout Naples, with the family-run Antica Pizzeria Port’Alba and Da Michele thought to be two of the oldest.
Milan
Milan is also a great place for food lovers planning a weekend break to Italy. Situated in the Lombardy region of the country, you will find much of the cuisine is focused around cheese. Gorgonzola is one of the many regional specialities, as is mascarpone – a key ingredient in tiramisu.
Antica Trattoria Della Pesa and Ristorante Da Giulia are two of the most well-known restaurants in Milan, but wherever you go in the city you can be sure that you will be able to sample some fantastic food.
Cassoeula
which is a type of meat and vegetable stew, risotto and panettone are just some of the other culinary dishes you can enjoy in Milan so if you’ve worked up an appetite after a day spent sightseeing you can look forward to a hearty meal in the evening!
Rome
Pasta forms a central role throughout Italian cuisine, but one of the best places to try it may be Rome, the country’s capital.
Spaghetti is perhaps the most popular type of pasta, so you may want to follow the example of the locals and tuck into a bowl during your Italy holiday. If you want to learn more about the dish, check out the museum that is dedicated to the foodstuff.
Cannelloni and bruschetta are also key parts of Roman cuisine, so look out for these when scanning the menu at a cafe or restaurant.
Florence
Taking a trip to Tuscany, meanwhile, offers a slightly different yet no less tasty experience.
In Florence, the region’s capital, bread, extra-virgin olive oil and grilled meats play a major role in people’s diets.
Ribollita, a vegetable and bread soup, is a particularly popular dish, as is Florentine chicken.
Alternatively, you may wish to try calamari in zimino which is a type of stewed squid.
Venice
Last but by no means least is Venice. Foodies visiting the Veneto region’s city could find they can tuck into freshly caught seafood, due to its location near the Adriatic Sea.
One dish you should certainly try is baccala mantecato. Here codfish is cooked in garlic, olive oil and parsley before being creamed in a blender and served with polenta.
If you’re looking for some locally-made wine to wash down your meal then Venice is the place to be. Merlot, Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco and Pinot Grigio are just some of the varieties of grape that are produced in the Veneto region.
Whatever your tastes, you are bound to find something suitable for your palette while visiting Italy.
This post was written by Charlotte from the U.K.
