Italy is famed for its variety of traditional recipes and regional cuisines – something that has influenced food culture around the world. One of the best ways to experience its rich food culture is to visit a ‘sagra’, an Italian festival linked to a local tradition or food. Read on as we uncover some of the best in the country.
Napoli Pizza Village
Napoli Pizza Village is an annual event that takes place where the art of pizza making started, the Lungomare Caracciolo coastal promenade. At Europe’s greatest pizza festival, you can take your pick of thousands of freestyle, wood-fired, and gluten-free pizzas, created by the world’s most gifted pizza makers. The festival also puts on a host of entertainment, including live music concerts and pizza workshops for adults and children. Make Naples a location of your trip by booking the 10-day Italian Discovery tour.
Venice Carnival
While it may be famously associated with lavish costumes and masks, Venice Carnival is, in fact, traditionally linked to food. In fact, the popular event first came about as the last chance to indulge in culinary luxuries before the start of Lent. Visit for your fill of castagnole, little fried balls of dough served with icing sugar, and Migliaccio, lemon and ricotta cake which gets its soft crumb from semolina flour. Need more time? Stroll along the beautiful canals of Venice and visit iconic landmarks, such as the Palazzo dei Dogi and the legendary Bridge of Sighs on this five-day Italy City Break.
Festival del formaggio (Formaggi Festival)
For a taste of the finest Italian formaggi, you can’t miss Festival del formaggio in Bra, Piemonte. Here, you’ll find a selection of regional produce and natural cheeses, as well as sweet offerings such as dried fruit and chocolate. Take advantage of the many tasting events on offer to find the best pairings with Italian wines. Hotel Castello di Santa Vittoria is ideally located for access to the festival and other nearby attractions, including Cattedrale di San Lorenzo, an iconic landmark that is said to have been used to preserve the ashes of St. John the Baptist.
Festival del Peperoncino (The Chilli Pepper Festival)
Festival del Peperoncino is one of Italy’s best-known food festivals. The most anticipated event of the summer in Diamante, a small town near Cosenza, this five-day celebration is dedicated to a spicy ingredient that makes dishes of Italian cuisine unique, Peperoncino (or hot chilli peppers). Discover all 500 varieties and enjoy a series of performances, exhibitions, and the famous ‘Italian Chilli Eating Championship’, where participants compete to eat as many chilli peppers as possible in a limited time. You can also enjoy local specialties prepared with chilli peppers, such as the famous Calabrian nduja or pasta alla diavola.
Traverse through Calabria into beautiful Sicily on a 10-day tour, Highlights of Southern Italy & Sicily.
Sagra Nazionale del Gorgonzola (Gorgonzola Cheese Festival)
Those visiting Milan on their next trip can drop into the iconic town of Gorgonzola for the Sagra Nazionale del Gorgonzola, or the Gorgonzola Cheese Festival. Conveniently located on Milan’s metro line, Gorgonzola’s high street, Via Italia, comes alive during September to celebrate the cheese which shares its name. Those keen to explore more of Milan and Italy’s major cities can book a Best of Italy tour. In Milan, you’ll visit sites including the intricate Gothic Duomo, La Scala Opera House, and Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Italy’s oldest active shopping gallery and a major landmark of the city.
Alba White Truffle World Market
Italy is the place to be during autumn when restaurants and festivals celebrate truffles all season. The Alba White Truffle Market in Piedmont celebrates one of the most famous truffles, the Alba truffle, and is the largest festival of its kind. During your visit, sample an array of dishes made with this decadent ingredient as chefs introduce you to innovative food and drink pairings. There’s also a wine-tasting experience, where you can try the Barolo wine the region is famous for. Casa Dellatorre is a five-minute walk from Alba Train Station and a convenient space from which to explore Alba at your own pace.
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