Italy from the Inside

The Italian assaggini: what they are and why they are the best solution for food lovers

November 20, 2018

Assaggini

The typical Italian menu will list the dishes following a specific order (antipasto, primo, secondo, contorno, dolce, etc), which may be confusing since in many countries people are used to eating only one dish (piatto) with everything else included. In fact, Italian portions are smaller than American ones, so it is not going to be too overwhelming to order an antipasto, a primo and a secondo. If you are not very hungry, you can certainly order only one or two dishes. If the menu offers too many inviting options, then ask for assaggini (also called trio di primi), which is a dish that combines usually three (sometimes two or four) different small portions. For example: let’s suppose you are uncertain if you want to try that delicious pasta al pesto or tortellini alla panna, or even those inviting gnocchi al ragu’ that the person next to you is happily eating. In these circumstances ask the waiter to bring you a plate of assaggini with those specific dishes, and your wish will soon come true…

{This is an excerpt from chapter 3 “Italian cuisine and food establishments” of the eBook “Italy from the Inside. A native Italian reveals the secrets of traveling in Italy”. Buy our eBook on Amazon and leave us a review! If it’s good, you’ll make us happy, if it’s bad, you’ll make us improve. Thank you either way!}

If you plan to visit the Uffizi in Florence, buy the ticket well in advance. Always.

November 12, 2018

Amore e Psiche (300 B.C), Uffizi Gallery

You may think…November, low season, no lines, right? Wrong. While it is true that November belongs to the low season, a major holiday happening at the beginning of the month turns a few days of this month into high season again. That is the Festa di Ognissanti, or the All Saints’ Day, a festivity celebrated in honor of all the Saints and that falls on the 1st and 2nd of November. This year, for example, all online (skip-the-line) tickets to visit the Uffizi Museum in Florence were sold out not only before November 1st but also during the whole four days of the long holiday weekend. So, what’s plan B? That’s going directly to the museum and buying the tickets on the spot. Just be prepared to find a long line even before they open the doors at 8:15 am. So, consider buying the tickets of the museums you really want to visit well in advance and check the Italian local and national holidays. Oh, one more thing, The Uffizi are closed on Mondays, New Year’s Day, May 1st and Christmas.

Italian local holidays

November 6, 2018

Sunrise in Rome

Every big Italian city has its own patron saint, which is viewed as a protector and is celebrated with local holidays. Knowing about these local holidays in advance can help you to avoid some of the disadvantages caused by the slowing down or closure of some services. The following is a list of the holidays celebrated in the most famous Italian cities:

Naples- San Gennaro: celebrated every year on September 19th.
Bologna- San Petronio: celebrated every year on October 4th.
Rome- Santi Pietro and Paolo: celebrated every year on June 29th.
Milan- Sant’Ambrogio: celebrated every year on December 7th.
Florence, Turin and Genoa- San Giovanni Battista: celebrated every year on June 24th.
Palermo- Santa Rosalia: celebrated every year on July 11th.
Venice- San Marco: celebrated every year on April 25th.
Trieste- San Giusto: celebrated every year on November 3rd

To this list I would also add the Palio di Siena (horse racing), which is not a celebration to honor a saint, but it still is a big event that takes place every year on July 2nd and August 16th.

{This is an excerpt from chapter 13 “Italian holidays” of the eBook “Italy from the Inside. A native Italian reveals the secrets of traveling in Italy”. Buy our eBook on Amazon and leave us a review! If it’s good, you’ll make us happy, if it’s bad, you’ll make us improve. Thank you either way!}