Pizza, Pasta, and Gelato: 15 Top Food Tours in Italy

Most visitors to Rome stick to the A-list sights, but the capital city’s vibrant food scene is in the outlying neighborhoods centered around the Campo de’ Fiori market, historic Jewish Ghetto, and bohemian Trastevere. Stroll through all three with a guide for an inside look at the city’s authentic local specialties and sample classic treats such as pasta, pizza, and gelato.

Seasonal ingredients and hands-on technique are the two pillars of traditional Italian cuisine. Delve into both in one day, beginning with a guided tour through one of Florence’s bustling outdoor markets before heading to a farmhouse in the surrounding hills to pick up the secrets of shaping fresh pasta and other classic Tuscan dishes with a chef-led cooking class.

The Chianti hills just outside Florence have long been famous for their excellent wine, olive oil, and other Tuscan treats. Set out from the city in a 4X4 for a palate-pleasing adventure, stopping at two countryside wineries to sample Chianti Classico wines, extra-virgin olive oil, and local cheeses and charcuterie—plus relax over a 3-course Tuscan lunch with a view.

The countryside surrounding Bologna is so known for its culinary delicacies—think Prosciutto di Parma ham, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and balsamic vinegar from Modena—that it has been dubbed the “Food Valley.” Sample these specialties and more on a full-day excursion that stops at small local producers and farms for tours and tastings, plus a traditional lunch.

Those in the know make a beeline to Rome’s Testaccio district to enjoy the best traditional dining in the city. Join an insider guide to explore the unofficial capital of Roman cuisine, including stops at the local market and a number of neighborhood eateries (including restaurants, bakeries, delis, and gelato shops) to meet the proprietors and enjoy tastings.

Venice has a cuisine as unique as the Floating City itself. Learn about how Venetians shop and dine with a visit to the storied Rialto Market, packed with stands selling fish and seafood plucked directly from the lagoon. Then head with your guide to the historic Cannaregio district to snack on cicchetti (Venetian-style tapas) washed down with an ombra (glass of local white wine).

One of the pleasures of delving into authentic Italian cuisine is connecting with local home cooks, chefs, farmers, and artisans. On this full-day experience, you’ll meet a local farming family in the hills outside Sorrento to taste their heirloom lemons, fresh bread, and olive oil. Then you’ll head to a small-scale cheese producer for a demonstration and tasting before learning how to toss pizza like a pro with a true pizzaiolo (pizza chef) .

No city in Italy is more famous for its street food than Naples. Take in the top sights in the historic center on foot, stopping at street-side stands and market stalls along the way to sample beloved Neapolitan specialties. Tuck into fresh mozzarella, fried pizza, sfogliatella, and babà pastries, as well as artisan gelato, as you meander through the city’s centro storico.

Like in most of Italy, pasta is a culinary cornerstone in Rome. Pick up the tricks of the trade during a cooking class in the buzzy Trastevere neighborhood that focuses on the fundamentals of preparing fresh pasta from scratch. Cap off your experience by sampling your handiwork with the rest of your small group, raising a glass of wine to toast to your new skill in the kitchen.

Set out from Florence to a farmhouse in the nearby countryside to learn how to make two perennial crowd-pleasers: pizza and gelato. Join your host and chef for a hands-on lesson, beginning with shaping and topping your personal pizza to be fired in the traditional wood-burning oven. Then crank out a number of gelato flavors to satisfy your sweet tooth at the end of the meal.

Rome’s elegant Prati district is far from the tourist crush, so this culinary walk offers a unique glimpse into one of the city’s most authentic—and food-centric—neighborhoods. Join locals as they pour out of the offices and into the local eateries to feast on everything from pizza romana to fresh pasta. Stop for samples of aged balsamic vinegar, artisan cheeses, and charcuterie, truffles, and wine along the way.

The street markets and food stands of Palermo are legendary, but it takes a local to introduce you to the best ones. Navigate your way through the city’s market stalls and backstreets with a guide to sample arancine (fried rice balls), panelle (chickpea fritters), and other specialties washed down with Sicilian wine, then end with sweet cannoli and icy gelato or granita.

Journey into the ancient craft of balsamic vinegar by visiting one of the oldest producers in Modena, Acetaia Cavedoni. See how they have been producing vinegars (from pressing the grapes to aging in barrels) since 1860 and sample different aceto balsamico aged from five to 30 years alongside other local delicacies.

Fashionable Milan is home to one of the buzziest aperitivo scenes in Italy. Enjoy this uniquely Italian-style cocktail hour like a true Milanese with this stroll through the chic bars and restaurants in the Navigli and Porta Ticinese districts. Sample cheese and charcuterie boards, gourmet snacks, local wines, and classic Italian cocktails such as the iconic Spritz.

Truffles are one of the most precious (and most expensive) gourmet delicacies in the world, and the Italian woods are rich in these aromatic tubers. Join a local forager and his truffle-sniffing dogs for a romp through the woods surrounding Lake Bracciano to suss out black truffles, followed by a home-cooked lunch featuring your bounty.