FOOD | WINE | PRIDE
Italy sits atop most Americans list of international destinations for good reason. A country as diverse as any other in terms of topography and regional differences, there is truly something for everyone. For food and wine lovers, it is one of the most ideal places to visit. We spent around a month in this beautiful country: a week in Rome, a week in Tuscany and two weeks in Parma. Rome is a must-see city for anyone who loves history, and the pizza isn’t bad either. Tuscany is exactly what you’d imagine it to be: rolling hills full of vineyards and people who take great pride in what they do. Everywhere you turn looks like the label of a good bottle of Chianti (which I now consider to be a highly under-rated red wine). After Tuscany, we wanted to be back in a city with access to nearby activities, but also craved a small town feel. We found exactly what we were looking for in Parma (ham), which sits between Bologna and Milan and counts Reggio-Emilia (cheese) and Modena (Ferrari, balsamic) as neighbors. Again, if you love food it does not get much better than this. We did an amazing full-day tour of a factory where they make authentic Parmesan cheese, another where the ham is processed and cured to make prosciutto and a small family vineyard that makes small batches of heavenly balsamic vinegar using equal parts hard work and patience. Certainly, visit the most popular destinations in this wonderful country but do consider a detour to the northern region as you cannot possibly go wrong.
Rome
Tuscany
Parma
Modena
