Europe

5 Popular Italian Dishes You Must Try

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When traveling the world, trying the country’s authentic food is paramount in learning about the culture. It lets you dive into the very depths of how people live in that country, their history, what they find important, and so much more. Food can tell you much more about a culture than just what flavor profiles they prefer. Italy is a country full of cuisine that brings people together and creates delicious get-togethers. If you’re planning a trip to Italy in the near future, you should try some of these popular Italian dishes.

Styles of Popular Italian Dishes

Italian dishes are full of flavor. Anyone who has ever eaten any authentic Italian dish knows that. There’s a reason restaurants all over the United States want to emulate their food and sell it far and wide. Think pizza, pasta, cheesy meat dishes, expensive sausages and cheeses, olives…all the good things people want at a party.

The foods of Italy include plenty of flour, cheese, flavorful sauces, and more carbs! The Italians have a heavy tradition of using fresh ingredients and whatever produce is in season. Fish, pasta, pizza, meat, and all produce are regulars on Italians menus and are usually from local farms. Sometimes when traveling to Italy, you may even have the experience of being able to make your own food and learn the traditions and recipes in the process.

5 Popular Italian Dishes to Try in Italy

Depending on where you’re visiting in Italy, you will have the experience of different Italian cuisines. While we have a variety of favorite places to go in Italy, we will broaden this guide to help you no matter what part of the country you are visiting.

1. Cicchetti

In Venice, you will find many places of cicchetti (snacks to go with a small glass of wine). You will traditionally find cicchetti at small bars where they use wine barrels as tables. Cicchetti is Italy’s version of tapas, and it is typically made up of crostini with seafood or meat topping, meatballs (Polpette), hard-boiled eggs, or even small sandwiches.

2. Tiramisú

Also in Venice is the more well-known dish of tiramisú. You may have tried it in the states, but if you haven’t tasted it in Italy, you haven’t really tasted it. Ladyfingers are soaked in espresso with a whipped topping added that’s made from mascarpone cheese, eggs, and sugar. Every recipe is a little different depending on the family, so we recommend trying a lot of it!

3. Steak

We know, you can get steak just about anywhere in the states, but going to Tuscany and getting their authentic Bistecca alla Fiorentina, you may feel like you’re just getting a regular T-bone or porterhouse, but what you’re really getting is authentic Italian steak from a local farm. The steak here comes from a specific breed of cattle, Chianina, and it’s grilled over hot coals with only salt and pepper. Like most things in Italy, the steaks are meant to be served with robust wines.

4. Pizza (obviously)

Of course we weren’t going to create an Italian cuisine guide without adding pizza to the list. Pizza in Rome or Naples will make you hyper aware of the very large differences between American pizza and Italian pizza. Naples is most well-known for their pizza, but Roman pizzas include pizza by the slice that is softer and have a bread-like base and Roman round pizzas with olive oil in the dough. This means the crunch is thin and crunchy and full of delicious fresh toppings. A pizza cooking class is a fun way to get involved in eating pizza in Rome and learning the recipes—plus it’s really fun.

5. Seafood

Sicily has some of the best seafood in the entire world. It’s right on the sea, which means everything is fresh, and a strong North African influence brings a new twist to their seafood. Some common examples of the mixtures of these traditions are couscous al pesce and pasta con le sarde (sardine pasta). These seafood dishes pair great with—you guessed it!—wine, but it also goes well with pizza and tiramasú. Sicily has a lot of great food and wine tasting tours to choose from, and we know some of the best ones to recommend!

Now, we aren’t forgetting the pasta, but that’s a given. Everywhere you go in Italy has some of the best pasta you will ever eat, and it’s all a little different depending on where you are eating it and what particular twist that family has added to it. Try it paired with other dishes, and try a large variety!

Pearl Travel: Sending You to the Right Places for Popular Italian Dishes

At Pearl Travel, we have a few specialities: cruises, family vacations, and traveling abroad. Because of this, we really know our stuff. We know the best hotels to stay, the safest places to visit, and of course, the best places to visit when you want to try authentic cuisine. Working with a travel agent can help make sure you have all your bases covered for your cruise packing list, and it can save you a lot of money and time in the process.

Pearl Travel is pleased to offer unparalleled personal service via our dedicated team of travel advisors! We are able to share an amazing wealth of collective experience and expertise. The use of a personal travel advisor will be sure to enhance your travel experience – we specialize in all forms of travel from all inclusive resorts that are laid out for ease to custom travel that allows for the most unique of adventures. Contact Pearl Travel today or learn more.

Brittany Ferrara5 Popular Italian Dishes You Must Try
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Top 10 Tips for Traveling Abroad

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Traveling abroad can be a stressful experience if it’s new to you, but working with a professional travel agent who specializes in this type of travel can save you headaches, money, and even assure your safety in places where you don’t speak the language or know the area. Following these tips will help you have a safe travel experience when traveling abroad and enjoy yourself without the stress that comes with a new experience in a new country.

Prepare for Your Trip Abroad

After your trip abroad is planned, the next step is to make sure you are prepared. If you forget a necessary item or don’t have the right documents, you might not be able to get past the airport, costing yourself a lot of money and sanity. (These essential carry-on items will help you get started with the right things on the plane.) Some documents you’ll need are:

  • Passports for everyone in the family (some countries require that your passport will be current for six months after your return to the U.S. so look into that before you go)
  • Visa, if required by the country
  • Prescription documentation and medical documents if you have specific health problems (this is just in case of emergency)
    • Name and address
    • Emergency contact information
    • Blood type
    • Medical history
    • Current medications and dosages
    • Drug allergies
    • Any prior hospitalizations
    • List of immunizations and dates
  • The name of your hotel in writing (a business card or flyer from the hotel is most helpful) in case you need directions
  • Travel insurance and trip cancellation insurance from your travel agent
  • Personal injury and medical insurance that covers traveling abroad
  • Currency of the country where you are traveling (but exchange most of it overseas for lower exchange rates)
  • Major credit cards and ATM cards
  • Traveler’s checks
  • A map of the cities you are visiting
  • Make extra copies just in case!

Phone Usage Abroad

Traveling abroad can often be a phone nightmare if you don’t prepare for it upfront. So many people who don’t know any better go overseas and end up not being able to use their phone or paying hundreds of dollars in roaming charges without realizing it. Not being able to contact your family back home is unacceptable to most travelers, so make sure you get ahead of the phone situation before heading overseas.

  • Talk to your phone company about overseas rates or getting a phone specifically for traveling abroad
  • Ask for instructions on using public phones (and what type of coins or tokens you’ll need when you use it)
  • Check with your hotel to determine if they belong to Teleplan before dialing long distance and wasting the money

Tipping Overseas

Tipping is stressful even in a country in which you live, so when you travel abroad, you might not have any idea where to start. These tipping tips will help you stick with etiquette without offending anyone who has helped you.

  • Don’t really think about it. If they’ve performed a service, and you appreciate it, tip them.
  • Ask your travel agent or check online to see where tipping is customary, because many countries are actually against it.
  • Check if tips are included in the cost of any of your services.
  • Make sure you have coins and small bills so you are prepared to tip when desired.

Packing for Traveling Abroad

Packing for overseas travel is not much different from traveling domestically, but some points are very important for the long international journey.

  • Pack light.
  • Coordinate around one single color of clothes so you can bring fewer outfit options.
  • Dress for the weather (if you are going somewhere where the weather changes frequently, plan accordingly).
  • Use all luggage space (packing cubes are great for this)
  • Clearly label your baggage with name, address, and tour group to avoid lost luggage.
  • Leave fragile, valuable, and perishable items in your carry-on luggage.
  • Pack some of your traveling partner’s clothes in your bag and some of yours in theirs in case one of you loses luggage.

General International Travel Tips

Traveling internationally has some general tips that are similar to domestic travel. Arrange for the care of your home, ask neighbors to keep an eye on your home for safety, and maybe even consider leaving a key with a trusted neighbor in case of emergency. Make sure to confirm your airline reservations prior to leaving, arrive early for your flight (a minimum of two hours prior to takeoff), and leave an itinerary with friends and family so you can easily be reached or in case of emergency.

Pearl Travel: Travel Agents for Traveling Abroad

At Pearl Travel, we have a few specialities: cruises, family vacations, and traveling abroad. Because of this, we really know our stuff. We know the best hotels to stay, the safest places to visit, and the best destinations for you depending on your specific travel needs. Working with a travel agent can help make sure you have all your bases covered for traveling abroad, and it can save you a lot of money and time in the process.

Pearl Travel is pleased to offer unparalleled personal service via our dedicated team of travel advisors! We are able to share an amazing wealth of collective experience and expertise. The use of a personal travel advisor will be sure to enhance your travel experience – we specialize in all forms of travel from all inclusive resorts that are laid out for ease to custom travel that allows for the most unique of adventures. Contact Pearl Travel today or learn more.

Barb MazzolaTop 10 Tips for Traveling Abroad
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