Archive for 'Food and Wine'

Volpaia is a pretty and picturesque fortified village in the Chianti Classico wine region of Tuscany. Also referred to as the Castello di Volpaia, although that is actually the registered name of the winery located there, much of the town is actually owned by said winery. In fact, it isn't really inaccurate to say that Volpaia is the wine village of Tuscany. If you are a great lover of wine, there really isn't any better town to visit in all of Italy and it has more to offer beyond the vineyard, as well. There are incredible views across the surrounding rolling hills and lush green fields of the Chianti landscape, a pretty and well-preserved historic centre, three excellent restaurants, exceptionally fresh air and various activities to enjoy.

So, if you've always wanted to learn about Tuscan wine and want to indulge in some tastings and excellent food, why not find a luxury villa in Chianti and spend a day in beautiful Volpaia.     Read More

In the final post of this series, we have rounded up the last of our must-try foods for anyone who has found a vacation rental in Italy and is planning on exploring its famous cuisine. There are plenty of other foods that could be recommended here and many more to try but these are some of the most famous and iconic foods that you really shouldn't leave the country without trying.

5. Prosciutto di Parma

Prosciutto di Parma, or Parma Ham, is, without a doubt, one of Italy's most famous typical food products and one of the foods mostly intimately connected with its town of origin. Dating back to the ancient Romans, today, it is a DOP food that is officially recognised by the EU. In order to be called Prosciutto di Parma, it must come from pigs raised in a specific area (either Emilia Romagna, Lombardy, Piedmont, Veneto, Tuscany, Umbria, Marche, Lazio, Abruzzo, or Molise) and has to be produced in a precise area in the province of Parma.     Read More

Continuing on from the last post, there are, of course, many more Italian foods that deserve a mention as “must-tries”. In fact, endless books and documentaries are dedicated to the topic and you could make countless trips to Italy where all you did was eat. However, there isn't infinite time or space here to talk about all of those foods and once you have found a vacation rental in Italy, you probably don't have indefinite time or resources to try everything so, this is a whittled down a list of the key foods that you need to try in Italy.

3. Balsamic Vinegar

This is, obviously, not a stand-alone food. However, as it is a key cupboard essential in many homes around the world and Italy is its birthplace, we figured you might want to take the opportunity to learn more and see how delicious the product can actually be.     Read More

Italy and food are pretty synonymous, right? Most people who have found a vacation rental in Italy and are planning their trip will be researching galleries, museums and attractions to visit but they are likely to also be impatiently awaiting all of the delicious meals that they have in store. While there are countless foods to be tried while in Italy, not to mention local specialities, there are some foods that are must and should not be missed while there. Even foods you may have tried plenty of times before can taste completely different in Italy and in a very, very good way.

1. Pizza

Pizza is an obvious choice but an important one. I am not a crazy pizza fan, personally, but there really is something completely different about the pizza in Italy. It's lighter and crispier and just tastier, overall.     Read More