Italy Travel Guide

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Cuisine

Pasta and pizza play a substantial part in Italian recipes, but there are many regional specialties. Tuscany, for example, is noted for its bean dishes; the Po Valley for its rich risottos. Cheeses include mozzarella, pecorino (a hard sheep's cheese) and gorgonzola.

National specialties:
• Gnocchi alla romana (semolina dumplings).
• Bagna caoda (an anchovy dip, served with vegetables).
•Panettone (Christmas cake with sultanas and candied fruit).
•Pesto (sauce of basil, pine nuts and pecorino cheese).
•Parmigiano (parmesan cheese).

National drinks:
•Wines are named after grape varieties, village or area of origin. The most widespread is the Chianti group of vineyards in Tuscany.
•Roman wines include Albano and Frascati (whites); Barolo in Valle d'Aosta; Valpolicella in Veneto; Pinot Bianco and Pinot Grigio (whites); Cabernet and Pinot Nero (reds) in Friuli-Venezia; and Chianti, Nobile di Montepulciano and Brunello in Tuscany.
• Vermouths are popular in Piemonte.
•Aperitifs such as Campari and Punt e Mes are excellent appetizers.
•Italian liqueurs include Amaretto, Limoncello, Grappa and Strega.

Legal drinking age: 16. The government has proposed raising it to 18.

Tipping: Service charges and state taxes are included in all hotel bills. It is customary to give up to 10% in addition if service has been particularly good.

Nightlife

Nightclubs, restaurants and bars with dancing can be found in most major towns and tourist resorts. Restaurants and cafés throughout Italy will invariably have tables outside. Open-air concerts in summer are organized by the Academy of St Cecilia and the Opera House, while there is open-air theater at the Baths of Caracalla. Jazz, rock, folk and country music can all be heard at various venues.