Culinary Vacations in Umbria

Having just spent five marvelous weeks in Italy enjoying (a bit too much) cheese, learning how to make pizza, and spending money on olives at the farmers’ market, it comes to no surprise that I talk about visiting the country every chance I get. 

From the beginning to the end, an authentic Italian meal is a culinary specialty, enabling it to become one of the world’s most popular cuisines. Everyone you meet most certainly has had their due share of pizza, tiramisu, pasta and risotto in their lifetime. These foods are so common everywhere you go, that you might miss some of the subtler intricacies of the traditional Italian meal, the antipasto for instance.

Italy is heaven for foodies. However, it is also easy to fall into a tourist restaurant in places like Rome, Florence, or Venice and have a meal that might have been better at an American-Italian restaurant.

If you’re looking to experience authentic traditional food and drink in Italy, there are both well-known and off-the-beaten-path destinations to add to your itinerary. 

Fall is a colorful and exciting season. With the onset of the first signs of fall foliage in Umbria, you can hear the echo of the hunters’ calling from hill to hill. That marks the start of the high season for typical fall dishes.