Planning The Ultimate Food-Themed Italian Road Trip: Our Top Tips
Italy is arguably the finest country for food on the planet. From the humble slice of pizza on a Neapolitan street corner to an elegant truffle ragu in the northern hills, the range and scope of food choices across the famous boot are enough to make any foodies head spin.
As well as some of the world’s best eating, Italy also has some stunning scenery unlike anywhere else. One of the best ways to take in the views is by car. A road trip can let you go at your own pace, stopping for as long as you want at each destination without having to worry about catching that next flight or train. The food in Italy varies incredibly from region to region, you’ll need to take your time to truly appreciate what each area has to offer. We’ve put together a guide for planning the ultimate food-themed Italian road trip. Keep reading to check it out.
Get Insured
Italy is a big country that is made up of various types of terrains and territories. Rolling hills give way to expansive meadows before roads wind up treacherous mountain paths. Many of these areas are remote and isolated, with poor road conditions and numerous natural hazards.
Making sure you have travel insurance before setting off on your road trip is critical. It will help protect you by covering any potential medical expenses you could face should you have an accident and can also cover a number of pre-existing medical conditions.
Plan Your Trip
Unless you’re prepared to take a seriously long holiday of at least several months, it’s going to be impossible to experience everything Italy has to offer. The best option is to pick a handful of destinations that you want to see the most, spending at least a few days in each to properly soak in that region’s specific culture.
For example, you could start off in Naples and sample the famous pizza, before driving north to try out some Roman carbonara. From there, continue north to the beautiful city of Florence where you can eat Bistecca alla Fiorentina, before continuing to Milan for some ossobuco. This route can give you a glimpse at some of the most famous Italian cities, with enough time in each to sample the unique dishes on offer.
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Go At The Right Time
Italy can get hot, especially in the south of the country. In particularly hot summers, temperatures can reach and even exceed 40 degrees Celsius. For a road trip, going at the very height of summer might not be the best of ideas. Not only will the roads be busy with other tourists but being stuck in a hot car for long periods of time isn’t exactly conducive to a relaxing holiday.
Instead, why not go in autumn? Temperatures at this time are much more comfortable, autumn is also an incredibly beautiful month with incredible colors and hues to be seen on the trees. What’s more, the roads and cities will have far fewer tourists, allowing you to experience a more natural, authentic Italy.
If you can, avoid going in winter. Some of the hillier regions can see snowfall which makes for extremely treacherous driving conditions.
Conclusion
Italy is a fantastic country full of wonderful sights to see and, of course, incredible food to eat. Taking in the country by car can be the perfect way to experience it and samples dishes from across Italy’s many regions. Before you go, make sure you have travel insurance, plan your trip in detail, and ensure you are going at the right time of year.