Destination: Italy

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Itinerary: Tastebuds on Tour

You don’t need to go far in Italy to experience cucina italiana at its best, but if you’re passionate about food and take your wine seriously, a trip to the gastronomic heart of Italy – Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany and Umbria – is a must.



Stock up your cupboards at Mercato delle Erbe in Bologna, and complete your store with a bottle of the finest balsamic vinegar from Modena. By now you’ll be hungry so have your antipasto in one of the most famous of foodie towns, Parma, home to Italy’s best prosciutto and parmigiano reggiano (Parmesan cheese).

For the primo piatto (first course) it’s off to Umbria for some umbricelli pasta served with shaved truffles, or even the elusive tartufo nero (black truffle) from around Norcia if you’re lucky.

For the secondo piatto (second course), what about sampling the famous bistecca alla fiorentina (steak) from Florence, or porchetta (an Umbrian speciality of suckling pig stuffed with its liver, wild fennel and rosemary) in Perugia?

Wash it all down with a glass of red from the Chianti region or a drop of white from Orvieto’s vineyards. Finally, finish off with Siena’s panforte (a flat, hard cake with candied fruits and nuts), or cantucci e vin santo (crisp biscotti, or biscuits, dipped in the local sweet wine, vin santo), another Tuscan favourite.

Travelling to Italy?
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