Ribollita to risi e bisi: a regional guide to Italy’s cuisine – what to eat and where to stay
When it comes to great food and wines, few places match the sheer pleasure of travelling in Italy. The country’s delicious regional cuisine is based firmly on a Mediterranean diet, making the most of fresh, seasonal vegetables, plentiful seafood, local cheeses and charcuterie, exquisite dolci and amazingly good olive oil – accompanied by wonderful Italian wines. You’ll never be far from a truly unforgettable meal in this delightful country.
Florence for foodies
What to eat
In Florence and surrounding Tuscany, try ribollita – delicious bean soup with cavolo nero and other vegetables. Crostini neri are the quintessential Tuscan appetiser – a chicken liver, caper and anchovy spread, served with toast. Don’t miss ragù di cinghiale – a fantastically rich wild boar sauce, usually served with pappardelle. The local cheese to try is pecorino toscano, and there’s always room for cantucci – feathery light almond biscuits, perfect for dipping in coffee or a glass of sweet dessert wine, vin santo.
Where to stay
Just a 15-minute tram ride from the city centre, Hilton Garden Inn Florence Novoli is a great base for exploring Florence’s art and culture. At Hilton Florence Metropole, guests can enjoy a dedicated relaxation zone, complete with whirlpool and Swedish waterfall. For travellers who prefer to wake up in the heart of things, this spring sees the opening of Anglo American Hotel Florence, Curio Collection by Hilton, an elegant building with a beautiful inner garden that’s within easy walking distance of the Duomo.
Luscious Lombardy
What to eat
Lombardy is one of Italy’s main rice-growing regions – so it goes without saying that Milan’s signature dish is risotto, made with rich stock and infused with fragrant saffron. Ossobuco (braised veal shanks) is another familiar favourite. In need of something sweet? Panettone originates from Milan, so this is also the best place for some panettone indulgence. Lombardy is also home to some particularly good filled pasta. Brescia’s standout dish is casoncelli bresciani – ravioli-like pasta, filled with a mixture of breadcrumbs, ham and parmigiano reggiano, served tossed in melted butter and sage leaves. The historic city of Mantua, on the other hand, has tortelli di zucca, stuffed with a filling of pumpkin, crushed amaretti biscuits, grana padano and nutmeg. Farther north, buckwheat flour makes an appearance.
Grand Hotel Villa Torretta Milan Sesto, Curio Collection by Hilton is set in scenic Parco Nord Milano. Photograph: Erica Fadini
Where to stay
Grand Hotel Villa Torretta Milan Sesto, Curio Collection by Hilton is an exceptionally beautiful hotel in a restored 17th-century mansion, complete with a lovely cloister, plenty of period details and an award-winning restaurant. Hilton Milan has an excellent location just two blocks from Milan Central station – you can join a sightseeing tour from here, there’s a fitness centre that is open 24 hours a day, and two restaurants offer specialities of the region. Hilton Lake Como boasts a rooftop infinity pool and sits just above the lake – it’s well placed for boat trips departing from either Como or Tavernola. DoubleTree by Hilton Brescia is located between Lakes Garda and Iseo. The hotel boasts a seasonal outdoor pool, and there’s traditional Italian cuisine at the all-day FortyFive restaurant. Breathtaking Lake Iseo is well worth the 40-minute drive – it’s a perfect spot for swimmers, with stunning views of the lake’s islands, known as the “three pearls”.
Roman recipes
What to eat
One of the most exquisite tastes of Rome is carciofi alla giudia – deliciously crisp fried artichokes, which are the most famous recipe from the Eternal City’s long Jewish heritage. Several pasta dishes are closely associated with Rome – this is the place to enjoy spaghetti carbonara at its absolute standout best, made with salty pecorino romano, or mouthwatering bucatini all’Amatriciana. As for desserts, you’ll be endlessly tempted by tiramisu, while breakfast (or arguably, any time of day) is good for a maritozzo or two – sweet, brioche-style buns filled with whipped cream.
Where to stay
Aleph Rome Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton is set in a beautiful historic building, with a rooftop pool and bar, and within a 10-minute walk of the Trevi fountain. At DoubleTree by Hilton Rome Monti, you can enjoy views of the Eternal City from the eighth-floor Mùn Rooftop Cocktail Bar. This hotel is very central, and well placed for visiting the Colosseum and other attractions.
For the height of luxury, look to Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel, which offers spectacular views from its location in Trionfale. It’s home to Rome’s only three-star Michelin restaurant, La Pergola, which reopens on 30 April 2024, after a refurbishment.
Turin’s truffles
What to eat
Piedmont is most definitely foodie territory. The area around Alba, near Turin, is famed for its heavenly white truffles – at their exquisite best shaved paper-thin across buttery tagliolini or other pasta. As for cheeses, try intense, semi-hard castelmagno, or the wonderfully soft robiola di Roccaverano. Piedmont’s wines are exceptional – think an aged barolo, or a Brunello di Montalcino. Turin’s other favourite drink is bicerin – coffee, chocolate and whipped cream in a glass. Oh the hardship.
Once a Fiat factory, DoubleTree by Hilton Turin Lingotto is a stylish and modern place to stay
Where to stay
DoubleTree by Hilton Turin Lingotto is in a former 1920s Fiat factory, transformed into an impeccably stylish modern hotel by world-famous architect Renzo Piano. Wind down with a lovely glass of velvety red Piedmont wine at the hotel’s Eligo bar.
Bologna, bolognese and balsamic
What to eat
Perhaps no region in Italy conjures up such gastronomic riches as Emilia-Romagna – home not only to the famed ragù alla bolognese, but also parmigiano reggiano cheese, prosciutto di Parma, mortadella from Bologna and balsamic vinegar from Modena, among many other products with protected designation of origin and protected geographical indication status.
Where to stay
Hilton Garden Inn Bologna North is on the outskirts of the city, near Fico Eataly World theme park, where visitors can fully immerse themselves in the making and tasting of Italy’s finest food and drink. There’s a peaceful garden at the hotel, or relax with a drink at the lounge bar.
Padua’s pazientina
What to eat
When it comes to desserts, nothing is so emblematic of Padua as its elaborately made torta pazientina. This several hundred-year-old recipe combines layers of almond pastry and soft sponge cake, interspersed with zabaglione cream and a scattering of chocolate shavings. Along with all the wine produced here, plenty of rice is grown in the Veneto, with a signature dish being risi e bisi – rice with peas.
Where to stay
Right in the centre of the city, Hilton Garden Inn Padova City Centre has shops, medieval sights and plenty of restaurants within walking distance. And with a fitness centre on-site, you can burn off that torta in a jiffy.
Seafood and spaghetti in Sorrento
What to eat
The cuisine of Naples and nearby Sorrento makes use of wonderfully fresh local ingredients, including abundant seafood. Choose from the likes of Neapolitan octopus stew, or spaghetti alle vongole – and perhaps nothing tastes quite so summery as insalata caprese, with flavour-packed local tomatoes and creamy buffalo mozzarella. Naples is home to the best pizza you’ll ever taste, with an incredibly thin base, and deliciously puffy crust. Start with the simplest, pizza marinara, and work your way on from there. For the ultimate comfort food, look to gnocchi alla Sorrentina – potato gnocchi baked in tomato sauce, with mozzarella and fresh basil.
Where to stay
Surrounded by citrus gardens and boasting fabulous views across the Bay of Naples, Hilton Sorrento Palace is well placed to explore the amazing archaeological sites of Pompeii and Herculaneum, as well as Naples itself, and the gorgeous Amalfi coast. Or simply enjoy the extensive outdoor pool area and on-site restaurants.
Explore a selection of Italian properties and book your holiday with Hilton