first time in italy....need food advice!

[catsrus9]

Hi everyone,

I'm going to italy for the first time from the December 20th-29th....I've been studying abroad in Barcelona for the semester and I thought this was as good a time as ever to see italy before returning to the US.

Going to italy and experiencing all its wonderful culinary traditions has been a dream of mine for a really long time, so I want to make sure i do/taste/see as much as possible.

I will be in Venice for the night of the 20th through the morning of the 21st, in Florence for the next 3 days, and in Rome from Christmas night through late afternoon on the 29th.

I actually don't know that much about the traditional foods and popular restaurants of the different regions in italy, so I'd greatly appreciate any suggestions people have. Id love to know some must go to restaurants/food shops, traditional dishes to try in each region, possible side trips/food tours (I know its the winter, so im not sure whats going on)....any festivals, etc. I won't have a car, so all of my transport will be based on trains, buses, and taxis.

One last request. My parents are really big fans of dessert wine (especially moscato d'asti) and I'd love to bring them back something that can't be found in the US...anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks!

-Charlie

[divina]

I have a dining guide to Florence on my site.

Florence is famous for its steak, which is usually a 2 lb piece of meat!

But you can go somewhere like Mario's trattoria near the market and get a traditional menu and if you want to try steak... get a filet instead of the tagliata, which is a good size for one person.

they have the best soups too.

only open for lunch and closed on Sunday

in venice go to the Rialto market and try some of the tiny winebars nearby, they have sort of Italian tapas!!

are you on a student budget?

Venice Fish,

Florence beef ( nice boiled beef sandwich in the San Lorenzo Market at Nerbone's. ( bollito) for about 3 euro!

Rome Pork ( porchetta, pancetta, guanciale!)

amatriciana pasta sauce, or carbonara

White pizza ( pizza Bianca)

Piazza al taglio fabulous long pizza's where they cut off to order and you pay by weight.

I would have risotto in Venice, Soup in Florence and Pasta in Rome.

Sometimes menu's get redundent...

gelato everywhere !

I have a dining guide online for Florence.

There are lots of places with a nice fixed menu, for under 20 euro.

[catsrus9]

Thanks divina!

No, Im not really on a student budget....this trip is sort of a 21st birthday present for me. Plus i saved up some extra money from my job last summer that I have to spend....so I am looking to go to one or 2 nice restaurants. I already made a reservation at le calandre, which will be my one really big meal. But i might still go to one or 2 other, upscale (but not to that degree) places.

-Charlie

[hathor]

It's so exciting to be embarking on this adventure, you are going to have a blast.

Take a little time to get familiar with Italian wines, this looks like a good intro website. .

Italian wines can be confusing when you first meet them, but they are really very friendly. A lot like the Italians that you will meet!

[divina]

Florence - Cibreo, the restaurant.