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Why You Should Take A Food Tour in Italy

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A food tour is a guided walking tour centered on tasting local foods of the place and lasts a few hours. The tour guide plans the stops to give the food tourists a chance to get a taste of each food or drink at each stop and learn more about the food of the area and how to order food using Italian. The visitors may then proceed to a couple of specialty restaurants or food shops to get a taste of local specialties. Many food tours usually consist of wine pairings too.


Why do a food tour in Italy?

A great introduction to local foods – If you’re going to be based somewhere for a few days, a food tour is a great way to introduce you to the region’s local food which will come in handy during the rest of your stay in that area. For example, you might discover that you love a new style of pasta or perhaps a savory deep-fried snack that you would never have tasted without being introduced to it on the tour.

Focus on a particular food or theme – Some Italy food tours offer a deeper dive into one specific type of cuisine or food. For example, you can request a gelato-only tour or a pizza tour in Rome led by a knowledgeable local to get the ultimate experience.

It’s a meal substitute – Food tours in Italy usually end up being a walking dinner or lunch since they are usually held during off-peak hours. You can maximize time in a destination by eating as you learn about the local culture.

To deepen your cultural connection – Food tours in Italy revolve around so much more than just eating. The history of some food types like the Tuscan “peposo” stew, for example, is intimately linked to the famous Italian artist and architect Filippo Brunelleschi. Foods like Moeche can only be eaten only in Venice at a specific time of year. In Venice, food-lovers should try the local small plates, Cicchetti but they are a lot better if you understand what you’re eating and its origin.

Know the locals – Your guide will most likely try not to take you to crowded places because they want your group to get the restaurant owner’s full attention. In busy places, they may have to wait for a free table to get you a quiet enough place to talk about the location. Due to this many food tours tend to head away from the crowds and into smaller streets where the owners at the food-stops are waiting for you, more than willing to welcome you and engage you in a nice chat.

Conclusion

Booking your food tour on the first day or second day that you are in a new city is crucial. You should arrive hungrily, and not make dinner reservations for that day so that you can get the real feeling and taste of an Italy food tour. Also, you should inform the tour guide of any food allergies and preferences since the locals who run the food tours are often very accommodative, and can modify the tour to suit your needs.