Italy by MasterChef Travel
Italy has been a favourite destination for travellers since the time of the Grand Tour.
The allure of its deep history, majestic architecture, unrivalled artistic heritage, passionate people, delightful climate and, not least, its wonderful food have been attracting visitors for generations.
Every region of Italy has a distinct culinary culture. Join a MasterChef Travel trip to discover the wonderful raw ingredients that are at the heart of all Italian cooking and explore the glorious villages, towns, cities and landscapes of this beautiful country.
Trace the origins of pizza
Head to Naples, where the modern-day pizza was first created. Taste the perfect pizza – a thin, crunchy base topped with only the freshest ingredients; designed to satisfy all areas of the palate.
Sip on strong, zesty limoncello
Locally produced along the Amalfi coast, you can see the lemon trees clinging to the side of the cliffs. Take the citrus-flavoured concoction as a digestif or add liberally to cooking.
Sample the flavours of Bologna
The foodie capital of central Italy, Bologna and its regions produce some of the best ingredients you can find. Feast on rich ragù, topped off with parmesan and a glass of bubbly lambrusco.
Indulge in delectable truffles
Used for centuries, these little nuggets are held in high regard all over the world. With a unique taste, they are packed with flavour and a fine shaving adds a subtle richness to any dish.
Taste creamy mozzarella
Traditionally made with buffalo milk, mozzarella is a semi-soft, velvety and delicious cheese. Enjoy this regional delicacy topped on pizza, stuffed in aubergine, or in a simple insalata caprese.
Five Great Museums of Italy
The Uffizi, Florence
One of the world’s great art galleries, particularly for Renaissance masterpieces, the Uffizi is also almost overwhelmingly huge and a visit needs advance planning. Particular highlights include Giotto altarpieces; Botticelli’s Birth of Venus; Leonardo da Vinci’s unfinished Adoration of the Magi; Titian’s Venus of Urbino; and Michelangelo’s Doni Tondo.
Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, Siena
The Opera del Duomo di Siena is actually a collection of buildings. These include Siena's cathedral and the Piccolomini Library (with its frescoes by Pinturicchio); the Baptistery (with works by Donatello and Jacopo della Quercia); the Oratory of Saint Bernardino; and, set in the unfinished nave of what would have been a vast new cathedral, the museum containing Duccio's masterpiece, the Maestà.
San Gimignano
The Tuscan town of San Gimignano is effectively a living museum with one of the most distinctive skylines in the world. Its 14 600-year-old towers soar over 30 metres high and give the look of a medieval mini-Manhattan. In its heyday, the town was an important trading centre and the resulting wealth funded some superb religious art, which can still be seen in San Gimignano’s many churches.
National Archaeological Museum, Naples
Naples’ National Archaeological Museum houses one of the world’s greatest collections of Greek and Roman antiquities and features many of the superbly preserved items extracted from Campania’s great archaeological sites at Pompeii and Herculaneum, including the spectacular marbles of the Farnese Collection.
Villa Borghese, Rome
Extending a culinary holiday with a few days in Rome provides a great opportunity to discover some extraordinary sights. A visit to the Villa Borghese, which houses the collection of Cardinal Scipione Borghese, is a particularly rewarding museum, with extraordinary works by Italian masters such as Bernini, Caravaggio, Titian and Raphael.
Location: Italy is located in southern Europe and has mountain regions to the north with the two largest Mediterranean islands to its south, off the Italian peninsula, Sicily and Sardinia.
Capital: Rome
Religion: Roman Catholic
Etiquette:
- The Roman Catholic Church has a major influence on social etiquette and family relations – ties are stronger than in most other western European countries
- Gestures made with hands, elbows and raised arms can be considered very offensive
Languages: Italian
Population: 59,700,000 (approx.)
Size: 301,230 sq km
Time zone: GMT +1
Currency: Euro (€)
Visa requirements: Holders of British citizen passports do not require visas for travel to Italy, providing your stay does not exceed 3 months.
History: From the vast Roman empire and the establishment of the papacy as a spiritual and secular force in Rome to Mussolini’s fascist rule of the 20th century, Italy’s history is nothing if not colourful. The gradual demise of the Roman empire and the formation of independent governments in power cities such as Milan, Bologna, Florence and Verona, led to a dynamic age of new thinking: the Renaissance. Much of the great Italian and European literature, art, architecture, scientific advances and new systems of governance are owed to the Renaissance. Evidence of this can be found across Italy today.
What to read
The Force of Destiny: A History of Italy Since 1796
by Christopher Duggan
Bringing Italy’s history right up to date, Duggan explores fascism, nationalism, economics, Italian mafia and the collapse of the post war First Republic in the mid-1990s with the rise of Silvio Berlusconi.
Under the Tuscan Sun
by Frances Mayes
On a whim, Mayes bought an abandoned villa in Tuscany, which she renovated while living there. This book looks at learning the skills of cooking, gardening, tiling, painting and mixing with the locals in this colourful account from rural Italy.
La Bella Vita: Life, Love & Food in Southern Italy
by V Adamoli
This book is set in the small coastal community of Torre Saracena in Italy where Adamoli succeeded in fulfilling the dream of many to live in a foreign country and get to know the locals. This rich and evocative book tells of the people, rituals and daily rhythms of this town.