The Best Food Tours in Italy: City by City, from Bologna to Palermo
The best food tours in Italy, city by city: Bologna, Rome, Naples, Florence, Venice, Palermo, Milan, Turin, Verona, Lecce and South Tyrol, with what you taste and how to book.
The short version: the best food tours in Italy are in Bologna (mortadella, Parmigiano and fresh pasta), Rome (Trastevere and Testaccio), Naples (pizza and fried street food), Florence (the Mercato Centrale), Venice (cicchetti in the bacari) and Palermo (Sicily’s street food capital). For something different, try Turin for chocolate and vermouth, Lecce for Salento pastries, or a producer day in Parma and Modena. Every region has its own food, so a tour is the fastest way to learn what to order. Here are the best, city by city.
Italy’s best food tour cities at a glance
| City | Signature tastings | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Bologna | Mortadella, tortellini, Parmigiano, tagliatelle al ragù | Bologna food tours |
| Rome | Supplì, carbonara, pizza al taglio, gelato | Trastevere or Testaccio? |
| Naples | Pizza, fried street food, sfogliatella | Naples food tours |
| Florence | Lampredotto, schiacciata, Tuscan salumi | Florence food tours |
| Venice | Cicchetti, sarde in saor, spritz | Venice cicchetti guide |
| Palermo | Arancine, panelle, sfincione, cannoli | Palermo street food |
| Milan | Panzerotti, risotto, aperitivo | Milan food tours |
| Turin | Bicerin, gianduja, vermouth | Turin food tours |
| Verona | Risotto all’Amarone, pastissada, Valpolicella | Verona food tours |
| Lecce | Pasticciotto, rustico, puccia | Lecce food tours |
| Bolzano | Speck, canederli, strudel | South Tyrol food tours |
The big four: Bologna, Rome, Naples and Florence
If you only take one food tour in Italy, make it Bologna: the delis, pasta makers and market streets of the Quadrilatero are packed into a few blocks (full guide). In Rome, pick by neighbourhood: Trastevere for the evening, Testaccio for the market and the old-school trattorias (see Trastevere or Testaccio and the four Roman pastas). Naples is the home of pizza and some of Italy’s best street food (Naples food tours, or learn it yourself in a pizza class). In Florence, tours start at the Mercato Centrale with lampredotto sandwiches (Florence food tours).
The north and the south
In the north, eat cicchetti in Venice‘s bacari (Venice food tours), aperitivo and risotto in Milan, chocolate and vermouth in Turin and pesto in Genoa. Emilia-Romagna’s producer tours visit Parmigiano dairies, prosciutto houses and balsamic attics (Parma and Modena). In the south, Palermo, Catania and Lecce are street-food heaven. In autumn, add a truffle hunt; for timing, see our Italy food and wine calendar.
How to choose
Pick small groups and morning tours for markets, evening tours for wine and aperitivo. Good tours include at least six tastings and a glass or two of local wine, enough to replace a meal. Want to cook rather than eat? See the best cooking classes in Italy.
Our picks: the Bologna Secret Food Walking Tour for the classic Emilian tastings, and Secret Food Tours Milan for the northern capital.
Frequently asked questions
Which Italian city has the best food tours?
Bologna is the strongest all-rounder; Rome, Naples, Florence and Palermo are close behind, each with its own specialities.
How long is a food tour in Italy?
Usually three to four hours, with six to ten tastings and some wine.
When is the best time for a food tour in Italy?
Year round in the cities; autumn adds truffles, the grape harvest and new olive oil.
Book a food tour in Italy
Compare food tours across Europe, see all Italy food and wine experiences, or read the best food tours in Europe.
