Food & Wine Travel Guide

Italy is home to thousands of different pastas to try during your personalized trip, each with its own distinct shapes and flavors that stem from the unique regions found across the peninsula. Italian noodles represent over 300 pasta shapes, each playing an integral role in the local cuisine and revealing the culinary personality of different regions and their gastronomic heritage.

The country’s variety of pasta has a history dating back to Marco Polo in the 13th century and myths that trace their origins to nomadic Arabs who brought noodles to Europe from Central Asia. No matter the genesis of Italy’s different pastas, they have inspired shapes and sizes from the different ingredients available in the country’s differing regions.

Emilia-Romagna is considered the food capital of Italy, but we have compiled a list of the 10 most-popular pastas in Italy and in what regions you can find them as you tour the country and savor delicious local dishes.

This list of 12 of the best cheeses to try in Italy unveils their diversity, providing an explanation of their particular attributes, from flavor to texture, aroma to common food pairings.

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 are best used in cooking, others are eaten alone or as a garnish to elevate dishes. The possibilities are endless, with more than 450 varieties.

Investigate the flavors on our list and the locations in which each of the 12 top authenticated cheeses of Italy are typically produced so you can plan your trip to specific regions to sample the flavors you wish to try.

Cured meats are a culinary staple across the Italian peninsula and you can enjoy 14 of the best during your travels in Italy.

The Italian term for cured meats is salumi and is differentiated from French charcuterie by the meats used, their flavor, and the Italian methods of preparation and preservation. When visiting a deli in any region, you will find the country’s renowned salumi on display.

The following list offers information on the 14 best types of salumi from across Italy and where you can find each during your Italy vacation.

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

Celebrating the robust flavors of distinctive truffle varieties, in addition to the culinary heritage of Piedmont, Molise, Tuscany, Umbria, Emilia-Romagna, and Le Marche, these truffle festivals offer a uniquely Italian experience in which to immerse yourself during your vacation.

The following list shares the top truffle festivals in Italy by region to help you plan the route of your truffle tour.

Wine in Italy is a culture all its own and the top wine-tasting regions provide the perfect introduction to the preserved traditions and evolving techniques you can discover, sample, and enjoy when on a wine tour of Italy.

The culinary culture is mostly directed by certain guidelines, especially when considering the importance of the history and heritage of wine ingrained in Italy’s culture.

From the pleasures of sipping it with an elaborate view of Mount Etna to the charm of visiting an antique cellar, when visiting the top wine regions of Italy, you can discover the spirit of the vine on the table, in the earth, and within the country’s people.

The order in which you taste wine can have a profound impact on the aromas and flavors you find in each glass, proving the first important tip for any wine-tasting experience during your Italy trip.

While on a tasting tour of wineries, cellars, or vineyards in Italy, your sommelier will serve wines according to important rules. By asking questions and keeping an open mind about flavor profiles, micro-regions, and more, you may find collective characteristics in a variety of wines, while learning more as you sample new varietals.

These distinctions make it easier to find the essential aromas, layered flavors, and varied weights of the wines so you can explore and experience their dynamic characteristics with your preferences in mind.

From wine tasting in Chianti towns to exploring Sicilian cellars or pairing wines with Venetian delicacies, you can enjoy the top four wine-tasting experiences in Italy as you travel from one region to another.

Whether discovering the famous hills of Tuscany or searching for an elusive varietal in the northern mountains, enjoying the delicate balance of wine with food, or eager to uncover a lesser-known vineyard, Italy is an essential destination for wine lovers.

Our recommendations for your wine-tasting tour in the country can show you the diversity of its delicious varietals and historic wine culture.

The seven best places for food and wine in Spain are idyllic, offering picturesque views, tasting rooms, and gourmet restaurants that present some of the world's finest food and wine.

Travel across Spain and unveil scenic beauty that intertwines with charming village squares. Cafes overlook outstanding vineyards and wineries complete a ballet between gorgeous untamed landscapes, antique towns, and manicured countryside.

Discover regions bursting with remarkable flavors as you take your time savoring the point at which classic cuisine and delicious wines meet local heritage, complemented by cultural charm and historical sites.

With an extensive area of Spain dedicated to viticulture, finding unique, picturesque, and essential wine experiences throughout the country is simple and exciting with our top seven food and wine things to do in Spain.

Discover well-known varietals or search for new flavors in historic destinations and sample distinctive dishes that celebrate the heritage of a region. With experiences that range from quaint and quiet to loud and lively, you can embrace the charisma of Spain through its wine and cuisine.

Step inside cave-style wine cellars or savor the perfect wine and food combinations on vineyard patios, in sidewalk cafes, and classic tapas bars, while using our guide as inspiration to find the right experiences for your trip.

Grab your favorite glass of Spanish red or white as you follow our guide to the six best wine regions in Spain.

Vineyards in areas you may have heard of, others in destinations remote and remarkable, the wine regions of Spain will impress as you indulge in signature favorites and new discoveries. From Riojas to sherry, bold to bubbly, the diversity of flavors captures the spirit and character of a local region.

Said to have the biggest amount of land dedicated to vineyards, Spain’s best wine regions will see you exploring picturesque and charming parts of this classic European country during your custom trip.

One of the country’s best-kept secrets, Switzerland boasts a handful of popular and breathtaking wine regions that offer a plethora of varietals and you can explore the six most popular for an unforgettable perspective of the history, culture, and flavors of the mountains.

Wine has been produced in Switzerland since Roman times and locals are loyal to the industry, with a knowledge of local flavors that help them enjoy the majority of production across the country. Classified by the regions in which they are found, a variety of whites and reds offer a stunning array of bodies, tastes, and colors that create an entire world of wines within the micro-climates of the terraced mountains and valleys.

Explore a different side of the exquisite landscape as you savor the six most popular wine regions in Switzerland.

Portugal’s wines share the character and charisma of the country by revealing flavorful diversity in every bottle, and here are the seven best wine regions to visit in Portugal during your trip.

With vines rolling across hillsides that are cast in the shadows of fairytale castles, and even rising out of the coastal sands, you can find hints of the idyllic scenery and the spirit of cultural history exuding from the wineries and ultimate flavor.

The following list focuses on our recommendations for the top seven wine regions while providing insight into how the climate affects each varietal and what typical wines to expect when you visit, preparing your palate for Portugal.

Just like with wines cultivated across Europe, you can experience and enjoy the four best wine regions in Australia that account for the famous flavor profiles, aromas, and textures of the different vintages.

Australia has become one of the world’s top 10 wine producers. The country’s wine regions account for over 100 grape varieties that grow around large metropolitan areas, within cool maritime climates near the coast, and on islands to create eclectic tastes that embody the diverse Australian terroir.

Whether eager to sample the wine and food of a world-famous destination or expand your understanding of Australian wines, when visiting the country’s best wineries, you can embrace a wine-tasting experience unlike anywhere else in the world.

The sushi kitchens of Japan have traditionally been dominated by men, however, women have been shirking tradition and stereotypes by becoming pioneers of sushi-making with the top four female sushi chefs you can visit during your Japan trip.

While stigma surrounding female sushi chefs continues to plague the industry, women are brushing off the myths and crafting perfect sushi dishes from the kitchens of progressive restaurants as well as their own, women-led eateries.

From the perfect piece of nigiri to a sensational slice of sashimi, this list compiles the best sushi restaurants in Japan where female sushi chefs are challenging Japanese tradition.

The nine best wine regions in Argentina offer distinct flavors and unique landscapes.

With a variety of tastes that satisfy local and international markets, the wonders of the wines spread across desert regions and mountain slopes, crossing the Patagonian border or edging high altitudes near Bolivia. Each sip can capture an exciting new experience as Argentina grows its reputation.

From adopted grapes to ubiquitous varietals, the wine-growing regions of Argentina are not just about creating flavor profiles, but also capturing the essence of the landscape and the culture of the country.

Buenos Aires is a city of culture and mystique. It attracts tourists from around the world eager to experience the history and tango, but you can also indulge in its fascinating food to truly discover the heritage. Argentina is famous for steak and wine, but the cuisine of the city embodies a rich heritage that combines influences from native ingredients to international flavors.

Most travelers only scratch the surface of Vietnamese cuisine’s true depth of flavor, but our list of the country’s 12 most popular dishes to try on your vacation will give you an authentic taste of Vietnam.

Soup and noodles feature prominently on Vietnamese menus and there is a range of spicy, sweet, and salty variations of soup and noodle dishes to try during your travels. Beyond popular soups like Pho and noodle bowls like Cao Lau, fried spring rolls, egg coffee, and other delicacies will tantalize your taste buds on a Vietnam vacation.

Find everything you might like to know about the top 12 Vietnamese dishes and where to try them when you visit the bustling and beautiful splendor of Vietnam.

The following countries have practices that maintain different styles of etiquette associated with their cuisine, highlighting the importance of the culture and heritage that you can take part in during a custom-tailored trip.

The etiquette of dining in a foreign country goes beyond knowing when to use certain utensils or your hands, and instead encompasses the very tenants of the cuisine itself, highlighting historic flavors, customary cooking methods, personal values, and the etiquette associated with the kitchen and dining room.

The dining experience around the world celebrates the senses, from the texture of a dish to the aroma, not solely focusing on its visual aesthetic or taste but the combination of all five senses for an overwhelming sensation in every bite.

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