Regions
Subcategories
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Abruzzo
Abruzzo (Abruzzo in Italian) is one of the regions of southern central Italy. It is bordered on the east by the Adriatic Sea and on the west by the mountains. It is one of the greenest regions in Italy with its regional park and four national parks, one of which is one of the most important in Europe. The capital is L'Aquila.
In terms of gastronomy, the region is a major producer of olive oil, vegetable antipasti, torrone (nougat), etc. The use of chili in the cuisine of Abruzzo is very frequent. Its geography allows it to be one of the first producers of saffron. Fara San Martino in the province of Chieti is famous for its pasta making. A typical format of this region are “spaghetti alla chitarra”. Without forgetting the Centerba this famous green liqueur at 70 °.
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Basilicata
Basilicata formerly Lucania is a region in southern Italy whose capital is Potenza.
It is located between Puglia, Campania and Calabria.
It is full of geographic and historical beauty like the Pollino National Park or the Sassi dwellings in Matera.
The gastronomy is typical of the south with also a good production of citrus fruits and a little gem known as ficotto which is a balsamic made from figs.
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Calabria
Calabria (Calabria in Italian) is a region located in the extreme southwest of the country. More precisely on the point in front of Sicily. The capital is Catanzaro and the largest city is Reggio Calabria.
This region located between mountains and sea is essentially mountainous with a Mediterranean climate.
Its main resource is agriculture which is a very good thing for cooking enthusiasts. The olive produced offers an excellent very fruity oil. Calabria grows a lot of citrus. It produces 95% of bergamots.
The pepper is found in several preparations such as anduja (sausage soft very spicy). We cannot end this overview without talking about Calabrian wild oregano which is considered by most foodies to be one of the best on the market.
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Campania
Campania (Campania in Italian) is a region of southern Italy. The capital is Naples. Very popular for its historical remains such as Pompeii, the Vesuvius volcano or its superb beaches on the Amalfi coast and the island of Capri which is very close.
It is the capital of pizza. In terms of agricultural crops, there are vineyards, olive trees, lemon trees, orange trees, mozzarella di bufala (buffalo), limoncello liqueur, without forgetting the cultivation of one of the most famous tomatoes, the San Marzano. The production of pasta is very famous in villages like Gragnano.
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Emilia Romagna
Emilia-Romagna (Emilia-Romagna in Italian) is a region located in the north of Italy so the capital is Bologna. It is an important cultural place with cities dating from the Renaissance like Parma and Modena and touristy at the level of Rimini.
It is a very productive region at the agro-food level.
Indeed it is in this region that we find the famous Parmesan, Parma ham, Grana Padano, mortadella without forgetting the real balsamic vinegar which comes from Modena (Modena) and Reggio Emilia (Reggio Emilia).
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Lazio
Lazio (Lazio in Italian) is a region in central Italy. Its capital is Rome. The Eternal City and the region are best known for the ancient Roman and Etruscan sites.
At the culinary level, some classic Italian recipes are very popular in this region such as tomato sauce with arrabbiata (spicy), porchetta (suckling pig cooked on a spit), etc.
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Liguria
Liguria (Liguria in Italian) is a region located in the northwest of the country. It is very mountainous since it is surrounded by the Alps and the Apennines, and open to the sea.
Its landscapes are impressive in beauty, with the presence in this region of 5 lands (villages built on cliffs and in coves by the Mediterranean sea) which are part of the UNESCO heritage.
At the agricultural level, fruits such as lemon, spices including basil used for the famous “pesto alla genovese” and wine such as Sangiovese are very popular with lovers of good cuisine.
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Lombardy
Lombardy (Lombardia in Italian) is a region in northern Italy. It is located in the south of Switzerland. The capital is Milan. It is the most populous region of the peninsula. Agriculture in the region is mainly focused on the production of cereals, vegetables, fruits and wine such as Valtellina. At the gastronomic level, we find the famous Milanese risotto, polenta, ossobuco,… Not to mention the famous panettone.
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Steps
The Marches are located in the center of Italy, the capital of which is Ancona. The region lies along the Adriatic, of which Rimini is very well known for seaside holidays. It is bordered by the dorsal part of the Appenin. At the gastronomic level, the marriage between the sea and the mountain offers fabulous dishes based on fish and products of the land such as mushrooms and truffles. The quality of the wines, cured meats and cheeses is exceptional. They perfectly master the making of pasta with fresh eggs according to ancient traditions.
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Umbria
Umbria (Umbria in Italian) is a region in central Italy. Its capital is Perugia. It is a relatively green mid-mountain region, rich in vineyards and olive trees. Its olive oil does not have the same recognition as that of its Tuscan neighbor, but excellent producers offer very good quality extra virgin olive oil.
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Piedmont
Piedmont (Piemonte in Italian) is a region in the northwest of the country. It is located at the foot of the Alps and is crossed by the Po. Its capital is Turin (Torino).
Very famous for its production of rice (carnaroli, arborio), pulses, honey and its nougat made from local hazelnuts (torrone), ...
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Apulia
Puglia (Puglia in Italian) is a region in the south-eastern part of Italy. More precisely on the heel of the boot. Very sunny and arid. It is in this region that we find the famous trulli dwellings. The capital is Bari.
It is one of the biggest producers of olive oil. It also produces high quality durum wheat that is found in the workshops of the best artisanal pasta makers in the country. One of the typical formats of this region are the orecchiette (small ears). One of Italy's most famous pasta makers (Benedetto Cavalieri) can be found in the south of this region.
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Sardinia
Sardinia (Sardegna in Italian) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. Its capital is Cagliari. In terms of gastronomy, it is well known for its goat cheese (pecorino sardo), its pane carasau, its bottarga (bottarga), its olive oil without forgetting its famous myrtle-based liqueur (mirto). In typical pasta format, Sardinia offers us malloreddus (Sardinian gnocchi) and fregola (small pea-shaped dough which is dried and colored in the oven).
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Sicily
Sicily (Sicilia in Italian) is an Italian island and autonomous region. It is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.
It has an often mountainous relief (north) and is famous for its three volcanoes (Etna, Stromboli and Vulcano on the Aeolian Islands). Its capital is Palermo.
In general, the Sicilian climate is mild in winter, hot and dry in summer, which allows it to have Mediterranean and tropical vegetation.
Great producer of olive oil. The spices that grow on the island are very fragrant (oregano, fennel seeds,…).
The historical past of Sicily has played a big role in the gastronomy of the island. This is why we find this sweet-salty mixture in some recipes.
Many preparations are based on dried fruits (almonds, pistachios) and citrus fruits (orange, lemon). These ingredients flavor most of their desserts such as cannoli, ...
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Tuscany
Tuscany (Toscana in Italian) is a region located in the center-west of the country. Its capital is Florence. Very popular with tourists for its history, architecture and typical landscapes characterized among other things by the Tuscan cypress trees.
At the gastronomic level, its olive oil and its wines (Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino…) are very popular with amateurs. Spices like thyme, sage, and rosemary are a staple in Tuscan cuisine. Do not forget to end a good meal with a glass of grappa or a cantucci cookie.
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Veneto
Veneto (Veneto in Italian) is a region in northeastern Italy whose capital is Venice which is very famous for its colorful carnival. This region is one of the richest on the peninsula and agriculture also plays an important role. It produces wines like Valpolicella or Prosecco. Radicchio is another typical product from this region. The pandoro is a Veronese Christmas cake. Tiramisu was also born in this region even if Piedmont, Lombardy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Tuscany also claim the invention of this recipe.