How to Take a Culinary Tour Through Italy

Italy is home to one of the oldest, and most diverse, cuisines. If fact, it was the Italians who taught the French to cook. Any culinary tour through Italy should include stops at food markets, sidewalk cafes, fine dining establishments and, of course, wineries. Read on to learn how to take a culinary tour through Italy.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Start in Piedmont. Italy's Piedmont region, in the northwestern part of the country, is known for its hearty wines, including Barolo, Barbera and Barbaresco. The region is known as the home of the white truffle as well as for its creamy risotto and fine, Italian chocolates.

2. Sample Venice. Venice, the romantic--and mysterious--city built upon the water, is known for its fish and seafood. Venetian cuisine is also deeply influenced by the many people that traded with Venice during the fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The food here reflects the spices of the Orient as well as the complex blend of flavors found in the Middle East and North Africa. Venice is also home to the Bellini, that delightful combination of sparkling wine (usually Prosecco), fresh peaches and peach Schnapps.

3. Explore Tuscany. Tuscany, in central Italy, includes the cities of Florence, Siena and Pisa. The food is hearty in this region, and includes robust vegetable soups, grainy breads, beans and seasonal vegetables, such as asparagus and spinach, from the fertile countryside. Tuscany is also home to Chianti, the wine region from which the eponymous red white hails.

4. Conclude your tour in Naples. Naples, along Italy's Mediterranean coast, is known for its hearty red sauces, its thin crust pizzas and Italian favorites, such as eggplant Parmesan and spaghetti and meatballs. The region is also home to a variety of spirits, including the sweet, after-dinner drink, limoncello.