Work up an appetite on your Italy walking holiday!
When thinking about Italy, one of the first images that springs to mind is of the food…well, it us for us anyway! The Italians have a reputation for good food (both in taste and in quantity) and you can certainly enjoy and appreciate the generous portions after an active day on your Italy lake region walking tour! It is a good compromise, walking every day to ‘accommodate’ the food at lunch or in the evenings (one of our colleagues spent 6 months in Genoa with not too much walking and a little too much eating and was quick to get down the gym upon returning to France!).
A fantastic choice of places to eat on your self-guided Italy lake region walking stay
As the Italian proverb goes : 'Non si vive di solo pane' - One does not live by bread alone - and the Italians certainly live by this rule! The kitchen is in the hearts and minds of the Italians and there are different types of restaurants in Italy, offering different foods and ambiance. We’ll walk you through them below so that you know just what to look out for!
. Paninoteca: the vast majority of bars and cafés offer a large selection of sandwiches – « panino ». The Panino (1 panino, 2 panini) is a hot sandwich. A great idea for a picnic on your Italy walking holiday!
. Osteria : the Osteria was originally the place where people would meet up for a drink and a chat. Some simple and light snacks can be served with the drinks to ensure that you don’t drink on an empty stomach! Very friendly and laid-back atmosphere.
. Trattoria : a trattoria offers a traditional and authentic cuisine. It is here where you will find the most typical and regional dishes. A simple and tasty cuisine. Again, it is a very laid-back atmosphere and often the trattorias are family run. Some offer a set menu, but most offer a choice of dishes.
. Ristorante : there is a significant difference with the Ristorante. The ambiance is more formal and upmarket. The dishes are often more refined, and the price is higher than at the Osteries and Trattorias. The Italians will go to a ristorante for a special occasion.
Our hearts (and stomachs) sway towards the Trattorias, they are often quite lively, always welcoming and you are made to feel at home. It’s lovely to see a family, often 3 generations, working together. A true cultural experience on your walking tour in Italy. It is important to point out that in all these places, from the bars to the fancy restaurants, you will be charged a ‘coperto’ meaning a place setting and bread. It is part of the Italian culture; you pay to sit down. However, you are always well looked after and, in the bars, your drink will be accompanied by a dish of nuts or olives to nibble on.
What to expect in an Italian restaurant?
We also feel it is important to enlighten you on the various courses served in Italian restaurants. The portions can seem overwhelming, but strangely enough, it has never been a problem for us to eat everything put in front of us….
. Pasta: pasta is served as a course. You can choose to eat it either before or instead of a meat dish. To accompany the meat or fish, you can choose a “contorno” (a side dish of either vegetables, chips, salad, or potatoes).
. Antipasto: this literally means before (anti) the meal (pasto). It is often a platter of cheese or vegetables cooked in olive oil and / or olives.
. Primo Piatto: the first (primo) dish (piatto) or ‘first course’ is usually a plate of pasta.
. Secondo Piatto: the second (secondo) dish (piatto) or ‘second course’ is a protein-based dish usually meat or fish and is ordered with a contorno (side dish).
. Pizza: a few words on pizza: you will of course be keen to eat a pizza on your Italy lake region walking holiday and dinner is the best time to enjoy the wood oven pizza that we all know and love. If the restaurant is not too touristy, you can be sure to savour the best pizza between 7:30pm and 10pm. You should try the napolitaine pizza which has been part of UNESCO's intangible heritage since 2017.
. Dolce (dessert): as dessert is served as a 4th or 5th course, they tend to be light. The lemon sorbet « sorbetto al limone » is a good example. We do however enjoy a tiramisu, a perfect combination of sweet and creamy flavours, this dessert comprises of layers of coffee infused biscuits and sweet marscapone and sprinkled with cocoa powder. After dinner, Italians often order an after-dinner drink, a limoncello (lemon liqueur) or an espresso to help digest the meal!
Now that you have all the inside information on eating habits in Italy, all that remains to be done is to book your self-guided walking tour in Italy!
