Traveling as a vegetarian can be difficult. The menus may be in a language you can’t read, and if you have dietary restrictions, this can seem like a nightmare. Some restaurants might not have anything suitable, and you might just want to give up and go home.
Luckily, traveling through Italy as a vegetarian is pretty easy as the traditional diet consists of plenty of grains, bread, fresh produce, cheese, and salads, and different kinds of legumes.
If you are not sure whether a dish has meat or not in it just ask your server for ”vegeteriano!”
Turin
Turin is a city that is situated in the north west of Italy at the foot of the Alps.
The new mayor is on a mission to make Turin “Italy’s most Vegetarian City.”
It is effortless to eat as a vegan/vegetarian here as there are many vegetarian and vegan cafes.
You can enjoy a whole variety of food including simple risotto dishes flavored with saffron or porcini mushrooms.
Be sure to try all the freshly made local cheeses, and Venere Nero, black grain rice that turns blue when cooked.
Puglia
Puglia is in the heel of the boot of Italy, and it is a stunning region known for its beautiful hillside towns and hundreds of kilometers of coastline filled with beaches.
The city of Alberobello is a UNESCO World Heritage site because of trulli buildings, a unique style of building with cone shaped roofs.
For an authentic experience, you can even stay in a traditional trulli, or there are plenty of luxury villas if you’d prefer something more modern.
The region is known for its simple, fresh food and you can easily find food in restaurants based around the key ingredients like olives, olive oil, home-grown spices, chickpeas, and fresh vegetables.
Pizette is a favorite snack that is a mini pizza with tomatoes and cheese that you can quickly devour on the beach.
Rome
Once you have visited all the delights of Rome like The Colosseum, Vatican City, and The Trevi Fountain you will be pretty hungry.
Rome is a great city for vegetarians. You can easily pick up thick sandwiches stuffed with grilled eggplant, garlic, and other tasty spices.
Pizza is great too, and the traditional toppings are a tomato sauce with tomatoes and cheese.
Amalfi Coast
This stunning area is known for the small towns of Positano, Ravello, Sorrento, and Amalfi.
It is a lovely place to rent a car and go for a scenic drive or rent a boat and explore the coast.
One of the best dishes you can try is Cacio e Pepe which is a pasta dish with a sauce made from pepper and cheese.
Finish your meal with Limoncello, a traditional liqueur that is made from local lemons.
Florence
Florence is the birthplace of the renaissance, and this metropolitan city is filled with wondrous treasures like Michelangelo’s statue of David, and other works by Leonardo de Vinci and, Donatello.
You can’t leave Italy without doing a tour of the gem of a city. There are quite a few veggie cafes and restaurants in Florence, and you’ll enjoy sampling the schiacciata; a flat bread that is drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and you can have it with Zuppa di fagioli, a soup that is made with tomatoes, cannellini beans, garlic, sage, and salt.
Sicily
The food of Sicily has been influenced over time by the French, Arabic and North African settlers who live there.
Don’t miss the opportunity to try Pasta alla Norma, a short pasta served with a sauce made form Aubergine, tomato sauce, and salted ricotta.
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This story was brought to you in partnership with Oliver's Travels and Italy 4 Real.
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Planning a trip? Go Backpacking recommends:
- G Adventures for small group tours.
- Hostelworld for booking hostels.
Izy Berry
Saturday 16th of September 2017
To be a vegan in Italy! Heaven. Italians know how to cook their vegies and cook it well! So happy to have experienced this while I was there. Hope to be back soon. vegeteriano!
ashylnmolly
Monday 11th of September 2017
Italy is an awesome place to visit.I have visited two times for a family trip.I love that place.thanks for sharing this article with us.