Check out the usual booking sites such as www.booking.com or www.venere.com we chose to stay close to the station, good for transport links but also because the area of San Salvario is close by. This cool and trendy area is packed with bars and restaurants particularly at the junction of Via Sant’Anselmo and Via Guiseppe Baretti.

Restaurants

Scannabue, Largo Saluzzo 25H is in the San Salvario area and was highly rated in various articles about the city. We booked by email well in advance and had an excellent dinner, there is the option of a set meal or a la carte and we chose dishes from the latter and were not disappointed. We had an excellent bottle of local Barbera D’Alba Superiore which was very good value.

La Galiina Scanatta, Largo Saluzzo 25F, is a fish restaurant, something of a rarity in this meat eating city. It is owned by the same people as Scannabue and we were lucky to be able to get a table on the night we visited. There is a short menu but all the dishes were very good and the manager recommended an incredibly reasonable priced bottle of local Arneis white wine which was excellent.

Bottega Baretti, Via Sant’Anselmo 25, San Salvario, had been recommended for its pizzas and we booked one evening for later that night, so glad we did as when we returned the place was packed. The pizzas and house wine were both excellent, great value and friendly service.

E’Cucina, Via Bertola 27A, is in the centre of the city and is a very popular place with locals for lunch. There are set meals, meat, fish or vegetarian and you can choose how many courses you wish. It is excellent value and good quality, get there early to be sure of a table.

Eataly, Via Nizza 224, Lingotto, this was the first opening of Eataly a food emporium of restaurants, wine shops, beers bars, groceries and fresh food. Started on the back of the Slow Food movement by a local business man. The group has places throughout Italy, in New York, Chicago & Tokyo. A must to visit for eating and shopping.

Cafes & Bars

There are a number of classic cafes in the centre of Turin especially around Piazza San Carlo including the famous Café Torino. Try coffee and cake or one of the famous cocktails such as an Americano or Negroni in the home of Martini at apperitivi time. All the recommended bars below are in the San Salvario area.

Petit Baladin, Via Saluzzo 21/E is one of the bars owned by Baladin Beer, a local craft beer brewery which now has bars in many Italian cities. There is a wide choice of draft and bottled beers and they also serve food. They have another larger bar in the city called Open Baladin.

La Cuite, Via Guiseppe Baretti 11, one of many places for a pre dinner drink. Very popular but well worth squeezing in for a glass of wine or a cocktail.

Affini, Via Belfiore 16, very smart bar offering wine, cocktails and food. Very generous selection of nibbles offered with the drinks before dinner.

Lanicifio San Salvatore, Via San Anselmo 30, on the corner of Guiseppe Baretti, this is another popular per dinner and late night bar, service can be a bit slow but atmosphere is good.

DDR, Via Berthollet 9, is a very cool bar, again offering cocktails, wine and food.

Drink

Turin is the capital of Piedmont, famous for its Barolo wine however if the budget doesn’t stretch quite that far then there are many other options. For reds looks for Barbera, Barberesco and Dolcetto, there are also many local whites including Gavi and Arneis. There is also a booming craft beer market and Baladin, well known are a local company with many varieties of beer.

Part of the joy of Turin is wandering the lovely streets admiring the baroque architecture but there are also a number of top class museums and galleries. In addition the old Fiat factory at Lingotto which has the rooftop racetrack used in the Italian Job is now an upmarket shopping mall with a gallery overlooking the track. In addition the orginal Eataly, the famous food emporium is next door.

The highlight for us was the Mole Antonelliana, once the tallest building in the world and now the Museum of Cinema with a spectacular glass lift to the top of the building and the viewing area.

Most visitors don’t usually stay in Naples but head straight to the coast or the islands, give it a few days as it is worth the time. It may at first seem chaotic, particularly the old part but stick with it and it will grow on you. For every one thing that puts you off the place there will be three you love in a city of amazing contradictions, it is an essential part of Southern Italy for me.

Hotels

As usual check the recommended web sites www.booking.com and www.venere.com there are more hotels in the old part than when we first visited also many B&B’s and apartments.

Restaurants & Bars

La Cantina Del Sole, Via G Paladino 3, Piazzetta Nilo, is a lovely restaurant with local produce and specialities, they do a reasonable 2 courses and house wine offer.

Gran Café Aragonese, Piazza S Domenico Maggiore, is a beautiful café with tables outside in a lovely square they have fabulous apperitivos and great coffees, try the speciality Café Aragonese.

Enoteca Da Carmine, Via Tribunal 330, a real locals place with good cooking and reasonable prices.

La Catina Di Via, Sapienza Via Sapienza 40, this is a great local place, only open for lunch so be sure the try the excellent food at very reasonable prices.

Il Piazzaiolo Del Presidente, Via Tribunali 120, one of the many great pizza places in Via Tribunali, popular with locals although I suspect that they all have their own favourites. We thought it did the authentic Naples pizza and it was named after the visit by Bill Clinton.

G Mazzaro, Via Tribunali 359, is a cake shop and bar run by lovely people, they have fabulous cakes and ice creams and also great drinks.

La Cucinotta, think it could now be called Trattoria Bausan, Via Bausan 32, near the funicular from Vomero to Chiai, is a lovely local place with great lunch prices and also open at night.

Antica Osteria Pisano, Piazetrta Crocelle ai Mannesi, off Via Duomo, is a friendly local place with good home cooking.

Lecce, known as the Florence of the south, has some amazing baroque architecture and it is worth spending two or three days to enjoy wandering around and sampling some excellent Puglian cooking and wines. It truly is a must for any visit to Southern Italy.

Restaurants

Alle Due Corti, Corte del Giugni 1, is a wonderful family run restaurant including old Puglian recipes, very helpful owners who helped with the menu choices, some of which as they were traditional recipes needed some explanation.

Enoteca Perbacco, Vico Dei Fieschi, is a wine and produce shop which does free tasting of local produce and wine.

Trattoria Nonna Tetti, Piazetta Regina Maria 17, this is an old fashioned restaurant, popular with locals and open for Sunday lunch, which many places were not.

Joyce Wine Bar and Irish Bar, Via Matteo de Lecce 5, do not be put off thinking another Irish Bar, the wine bar has great meat and cheese platters and an excellent wine selection and is very popular. Other dishes did not seem to be as good as the cold meat, vegetable, and cheese selections.

The guide books would in the main put you off visiting, it is a major port and industrial city but the setting of the town on an island linked to the mainland with different seas on either side and the history of the city make it worth a visit if it fits in with your travel, which it did ours.

Restaurant

Trattoria del Pescatore, Piazza Fontanta 47, is a great seafood and fish restaurant with fish shop attached, we were definitely the only visitors and were surrounded by large local family groups. We were helped with ordering by the staff and had a super meal of seafood and fish which were so fresh it was as if it had all just been caught – probably true.

Drink

These pages cover two grape growing region, Campania for Naples and Puglia, Apulia, for the other places. For Campania look out especially for some excellent white wines, in particular ones from the Fiano grape, such as Fiano de Avellino, and wines from the Greco white grape, in particular Greco de Tufo. In Puglia, look for the fabulous reds, mainly from the Salento region, of the Negroamaro grape and also those from the Primitivo (Zinfandel) grape.

Alberobello

Famous for its conical roofed trulli houses and named as a world heritage site, worth an overnight because it gets numerous coach loads of day visitors and it is lovely to see when it is less busy in the evening.

Restaurants

Trullo del Conte Trullo del Conte, Via Cadore 1, is an excellent place for dinner with tables outside and their own local red wine, the food was great. Lots of meat dishes, such as veal T bone and lamb. Il Pinnacolo, Via Monte Nero 30, in the trulli zone, has a lovely terrace and garden, a really good place in the most touristy part of the town, the black pasta filled with seafood was excellent.

Locorotondo

Locorotondo is a lovely hill top town famous for it’s round historical centre, it is perfect for a day trip from Alberobello,

Retaurants

Trattoria Centro Storico, Via Eroi de Dogali, an italian slow food society member and it offers excellent antipasta and mains at reasonable prices.

It really doesn’t matter which area you stay in but it can be better to get somewhere that is handy for arrival & departure and will also give your more local choices for eating at night. Do bear in mind that if you are carrying cases you may have to cross several bridges to get to your hotel. Check out the usual booking sites such as www.booking.com or www.hotels.com after you have decided which on your area. We prefer easy access to the train & bus station and also being close to the best areas for the restaurants and bars of Cannaregio, San Croce and Dorsoduro.

Hotels Abbazzia, Calle Priuli dei Cavaletti www.abbaziahotel.com is five minutes from the station and the building is an old abbey. The hotel is excellent value, with a lovely garden and rooms, rates include breakfast which is good. The reception staff are great, very friendly and helpful.  It is really good for exploring the city and for the restaurants and bars of Cannaregio and Santa Croce. Highly recommended this is where we choose to stay on our annual visit to the city.

We have also stayed at Charm Suites www.thecharmsuites.com which has apartments with views onto the Grand Canal and is in Cannaregio close to transport and some great bars and restaurants. The apartments are very reasonably priced and are old style Venetian. The views, which in hotels would cost huge amounts of extra money, are just fantastic.

Restaurants

Alle Testiere, Calle de Mondo Novi, Castello 5801, is always on the list as one of the best places to eat in Venice, particularly for fish and seafood.  There are two sittings 7 & 9.30 we prefer for the later one as it is more relaxed. The restaurant only sits 24 and booking well in advance is essential.

Nevodi, Via Garibaldi, Castello 1788, I had read great reviews and booked for a weekday lunch, so glad we had booked in advance as it was packed with a great atmosphere. The food was excellent, loved every dish we tried, the service was friendly and it was great value for money. A trusted Venice friend had also been and rated the food. This is a must for any future visit.

Osteria Alla Staffa, Calle Ospedale, Castello 6397a, is a traditional looking restaurant with only 6 tables, however the cooking is a twist on the standard menu. There are more fish than meat choices and the menu is in Italian but the staff are happy to translate if required.

Alla Rampa, Via Garibaldi, Castello 1135, is a popular local place for lunch so be prepared to get a drink and wait at the bar for a table. It is worth it as the staff are friendly and the food always good and very reasonably priced.

Osteria Anice Stellato, Fondamenta de la Sensa, Cannaregio 3272 has been a fixture on the eating scene for locals for many years and now gets a mix of visitors and regulars, helpful staff and excellent cooking but reservations are required.

La Bottega Ai Promessi Sposi, Calle dell’Oca, Cannaregio 4367 is an old favourite and is both a bacaro and osteria, booking for full meals is highly recommended. We had an excellent dinner on our last visit and all the dishes were very good. The scallop starter was particularly memorable and the house wine is very reasonably priced and good quality. A real gem and still as good as ever.

Osteria Trefanti, Rio Marin, Santa Croce 888, recommended by a local friend we booked for lunch and enjoyed an excellent meal, the menu specialises in fish and seafood dishes all prepared with an unusual twist. . Booking is recommended particularly for dinner.

Enoteca Ai Artisti, Fondamenta Toletta, Dorsoduro 1169, a find on our most recent visit and we enjoyed an excellent lunch here. The prices make this probably a place for dinner rather than lunch, the service, quality of food and atmosphere make this a place for future visits but be sure to book.

Al Vecio Marangon, Calle Toletta, Dorsoduro 1210, this small restaurant seems to have a loyal local following, good quality cooking and house wine available make it a reasonably priced option.

Muro San Stae, Campiello Dello Spezier, San Croce 2048 was a real find on a recent visit. Venice is not known for pizzas but the ones we tried must be some of the best we have ever eaten, there are many other menu choices and the house wine is very reasonably priced.

Muro Frari, Rio Tera Dei Frari, San Polo 2604, we tried on our last visit having being impressed with their restaurant in San Stae. We booked in advance, vital at weekends, as they turned away so many people. Again we sampled the pizzas and they were seriously top notch, very friendly service and good house wine makes this a must for future visits. On our most recent visit I booked a celebration dinner for a large group and everyone loved the food, the house wine and the service, excellent value for money.

Bacaros

Cannaregio

La Bottega Ai Promessi Sposi, Calle dell’Oca, Cannaregio 4367 is a great old school bacaro. Pop in and have a wine and a snack at the bar, try the hot meatball skewers, or book a table for lunch or dinner. Open on a Sunday and the staff are very great. See also above under restaurants.

Osteria Al Bomba, Calle dell’Oca, Cannaregio 4297/B, this is a new opening with a very modern take on dishes, we only popped in for a wine but it is extremely smart and pleasant staff. Heard great reports from locals in the wine and food trade.

Al Cicheto, Calle della Misercordia 367, Cannaregio, is now more a restaurant than a bacaro and offers set menus both for lunch and dinner.There are only four tables in the restaurant area plus some high tables in the bar therefore booking is a must. The cooking is very good and it is very good value for the quality, there is a good wine selection by the glass and bottle.A local friend visited it for the first time recently and was very impressed with the cooking as were we when we returned for lunch on our most recent visit.

 All’Antica Mola dai Costa, Fondamenta Ormesini, Cannaregio 2800, was the fish and seafood part of Al Timon but that has shut and this has new owners. Have only popped in for a drink and cichetti but it has been worth a visit.

Oficina Ormesini, Fondamenta Ormesini, Cannaregio 2689, is recently opened and is yet another option in this area. We visited twice on our most recent visit and thought the quality of the wines, cichetti and service was excellent. Definitely a must on any future visits.

La Sete, Calle Larga, Cannaregio 2555, this is a new wine bar with the same owners as the highly rated Da Rioba next door. we enjoyed our couple of visits, pleasant setting and friendly staff.

Decanter Vineria, Strada Nova, Cannaregio 4383, another new opening we found on our most recent visit and liked the look of the place and felt immediately welcome. A decent wine selection and a must for a return visit.

Mezzo Pieno, Fondamenta Ormesini, Cannaregio 2831 one of first new places to open on this stretch, a modern bacaro with a good wine selection and some snacks. The owner is very friendly and will advise on wines. Shut on a Monday.

Vino Vero, Fondamenta Misercordia, Cannaregio 2497, now a fixture in the great bar scene in this area. This is a modern style bar with an excellent wine selection specialising in natural wines and offers some good cichetti.

A La Vecia Papussa, Fondamenta Misercordia 2612, the decor is impressive as was the display of cichetti, unfortunately we did not have time to sample the wines on this visit, one for the future.

Cantina Aziende Agricole, Roberto Beri, Rio Terra Farsetti, Cannaregio 1847 is a smart old school bar with a very wide selection of wines and snacks and very popular with locals. This has become a favourite because of the always excellent choices in wines, the top-notch cichetti and the friendly and helpful service. The polpette de carne are the best we have tried in Venice and they also have a small selection of pasta dishes.

Time Social Bar, Rio Tera Farsetti, Cannaregio 1414, a great fairly recent addition to the Venice bar scene and another lovely bar in the great area of Cannaregio. Even better it is a late night haunt, perfect for a post dinner wine or cocktail prepared by Alessandro the excellent host and owner. Lovely to return and enjoy the excellent hospitality from Alessandro and the guys.

Paradiso Perduto, Fondamenta della Misercordia, Cannaregio 2540 is a very popular late night bar and restaurant, the food is fine but the atmosphere makes the place. They have occasional live music.

El Sbarlefo, Salizzada del Pistor, Cannaregio 4556, this is an excellent modern bacaro with a good range of snacks, great wines and good music, it has only been open for a few years but has quickly gained a loyal following.

Un Mondo Di Vino, Salizada San Caciano, Cannaregio 5984A is a good bacaro with a large range of wines and of course snacks and also platters of meat and cheese. Great to go back on our most recent visit and to find it as good as ever.

Bar Puppa (da Masud), Calle del Spezier, Cannaregio 4800 has a unique twist as some of the snacks have an oriental twist. Friendly owner and staff and worth a visit.

Bar Stellar Polare, Rio Terra Santi Apostoli, Cannaregio 4653, was a real find, a lovely modern bar with some excellent wines and friendly staff.  One more place that is must for a return visit which we did and received a warm welcome.

Da Alberto, Calle Larga Giacinto, Canneregio 5401 a lovely local bacaro with a wide range of cicchetti and excellent good value pasta dishes at lunch time, the staff seem very friendly and helpful with customers not used to Venetian dishes.

Cantina Vecia Carbonera Rio Terra Madalena, Cannaregio 2329, this is another old haunt, with a decent selection of wines and cicchetti. This was an old haunt from early visits to venice but we had stopped going due to the unfriendly service however there has been a change of ownership and teh staff are lovely, the cicchetti excellent and the ombra (local wine) very good.

Enoteca do Colonne, Rio Tera de Cristo, Cannaregio 1814, a locals bar with a good selection of cicchetti and good wines. There seem to be mixed reviews but we thought the selection and prices were good.

Ciccheteria Luca E Fred, Rio Tera San Leonardo, Cannaregio 1518, an old school bar and restaurant close to the Cannaregio Bridge, friendly service and a good selection of food and wine.

Il Tappo, Cannaregio 1188, is in the Ghetto area and is a recent opening, we found it by accident and were impressed with the service and the feel of the bar, good wines but we did not get a chance to try the food.

Trattoria Ca D’Oro, also called Alla Vedova, Cannaregio 3912, just off the Strada Nuova. This is an old school bacaro, great for both a snack and wine at the bar or a meal but booking is recommended. This continues to be a favourite place to stop off for wine and cichetti.

MQ10, Fondamenta Cannaregio,  Cannaregio 1020. a new modern bar on the Cannaregio canal between the two vaporetto stops of Guglie and Tre Archi owned by the same people as Al Parlamento opposite.

Al Parlamento, Cannaregio 511,opposite MQ10 is a good bar for a late night drink and therefore very popular, great canal side setting for sipping your beer or wine.

Bacaro Risorto, Campo Drio La Chiesa, Cannaregio  4467, had read about this on a previous visit but failed to find it however succeeded this time, decent selection of wines and also craft beers, nice setting and friendly service.

Castello

Osteria Al Portego, Calle della Malvasia , Castello 6015, this is a really popular bar with great cicchetti. There are only 6 tables so if you want a full meal you must book. The seafood pasta was fantastic and the fritura mista (mixed fish and seafood) looked excellent, this is a regular haunt.

Bacaro Risorto, Campo S. Provolo, Castello 4700, a very popular local bar with an excellent selection of cicchetti and wines and beers, not the cheapest for some items but well worth a visit.

El Refolo, Via Garibaldi, Castello 1580, this is off the normal tourist trail but the reputation seems to be getting known and attracting not just the locals. The bar is small, but sit outside with your wine and snacks and watch the real local Venice life. Excellent wines and very pleasant owner.

San Marco – Rialto

Enoteca Al Volta, Calle Cavalli 4081, is close to the Rialto vaporetto stop, the non-market side, and was an old haunt from early visits. for some reason we stopped going, possibly poor or unfriendly service.however a local friend with an excellent bar recommended it and we gave it a try on our most recent visit. Excellent choice of cicchetti and full meals, great wine selection including local ombras and packed with people. Definitely back on the list for future visits.

Sepa, Calle della Bissa, San Marco 5482, is a relatively new bar, not the easiest to find. It has a selection of draught wines at very reasonable prices also a large selection of cicchetti. From reviews I see they also do a selection of hot dishes. Excellent value but worth noting there is not much seating.

San Polo – Rialto

Bancogiro, Campo San Giacomo di Rialto, San Polo 122 was the first of the new wave of bars in this area. It has a great setting near the Rialto and the new tables outside have one of the best views of any bar in the city. Great to return recently and enjoy the wine and cichetti and of course the setting.

Cantina do Mori, Calle de Mori , San Polo 429 near the Rialto Market, can be difficult to find but one of the original bars round the Rialto Market and supposed to be the oldest in Venice. It is a bit overpriced but should be visited.

Osteria Dai Zemei, San Polo 0145, on the main route from the Rialto, Ruga Vecia San Giovanni, a brilliant small bar with the best selection of crostini that I have seen, squeeze in and sample the wine and snacks.

All’Arco, Calle dell Orchialer, San Polo 436 reckoned to be the best cicchetti in the Rialto and therefore always packed, the choices are different so try a few different things with a glass of wine.

Al Merca, Campo Cesare Battisti, San Polo 213, the tiniest of the Rialto bacaro’s but one of the best, choose a wine and one of the small rolls and stand in the campo and watch the activity of the nearby market.

Antica Osteria Ruga Rialto, Calle del Sturion, San Polo 692, an old haunt from many years ago we returned after a number of years and enjoyed the wine and cichetti and the friendly service.

Adagio Caffe & Wine Bar, Calle del Scaleter, San Polo 3028, near the Frari church, this newish bar has a great wine selection and also a good selection of cichetti and good service, one for future visits. We returned a couple of times on our most recent visit and continue to be impressed with the wines, cichetti and the service.

La Bottiglia, Campo San Stin, San Polo 2537, this cool wine bar has been open for a few years but it was our first visit this year and we liked the atmosphere and the friendly staff, there is a focus on natural wines and craft beers.

Santa Croce

Cantina Arnaldi, Salizada San Pantalon, Santa Croce 35, opened by Andrea and Katya was the find of a visit some years ago and has now become a firm fixture on any visit.  A lovely, welcoming design matched by the warm welcome and friendly service always awaits and everything is top quality. It was great to return again and see how popular with both locals and visitors the bar has become and to enjoy as ever the lovely wines, food and company.

Hostaria Veccio Bavarol, Fondamenta dei Tolentini, Santa Croce 225, this is a recent addition to this canal side street and it was a lovely find. The owner Andrea is very hospitable and has an excellent range of drinks and also snacks.

Bacareto Da Lele, Campo dei Tolentini, Santa Croce 183 just across from the Station as you head towards Campo Santa Margherita, this tiny place is great for a cheap wine and a sandwich or roll. Incredibly popular this is a must for a visit but note it shuts at 8pm.

Arcicchetti Bakaro, Campo dei Tolentini 183a, is next door to Da Lele, it is slightly larger than it’s neighbour but only just. It is a fairly new addition to the area but has become a firm favourite as the owner Sam offers very good cicchetti and generous local wines plus he does an excellent array of Spritz all prepared with care so be prepared to queue. He opens later than Da Lele and also on Sunday.

Stappo, Calle Longa, Santa Croce 2166, was recommended by two friends with bacaro in Venice, started by some of the original people from Veno Vero it is a lovely place with some very different wines and food cooked to order. It is well worth seeking out but is not the easiest place to find.

Al Prosecco, Campo San Giacamo da l’Orio, Santa Croce 1503, we found this many years ago and re-discovered it recently and enjoyed sitting outside in the lovely square with wine and of course prosecco and cichetti.

Dorsoduro

El Sbarlefo, Calle San Pantalon, Dorsoduro 3757 is one of a wonderful selection of wine bars in this area. They have another bar in Cannaergio but this is more comfortable for a wine and cicchetti stop with better and more seating.

Estro, Calle Crosera, Dorsoduro 3778, this very smart wine bar is another fairly recent addition to this area. They have a very large selection of wines, in all price ranges and also a wide selection of food.

Adriatico Mar, Calle Crosera, Dorsoduro 3771, is another new wine bar close to Estro. We managed to squeeze in on a very busy Saturday night and were very warmly welcomed by the owner, some unusual wine choices which he is happy to advise on. The small terrace on the canal is a great place to stand with a glass of wine.

Osteria Ai Pugni, Fondamenta Gheradini, Dorsoduro 2836, just beside the famous vegetable barge at San Barnaba, this was a find on our most recent visit and had a lovely selection of wines and cichetti. They also have a lunch menu which seemed very popular. We thought it may be linked to osteria Ai Artisiti and will definitely return on our next visit.

Osteria Al Squero, Via Trovaso, Dorsoduro 944, near Zattere vaporetto stop and opposite the gondola boatyard this is a lovely place to stop for a wine and cicchetti. Very friendly owners this is a great addition to this area and you can sit outside on the wall by the canal so long as you use a plastic glass.

Cantina del Vino Gino Schiavi, Fondamenta Nani, Dorsoduro 992 is just along the canal from Al Squero. This wine shop and bar is very popular with visitors and over the years I have felt the prices have seemed inflated. On this visit however drinking ombras and eating the cicchetti the prices seemed in line with other places. Great selection of wines to buy to take home.

Cafes

Pasticceria Dal Mas, Lista Di Spanga, Cannaregio 149-150, a wonderful cake shop and bar, always buzzing with locals hopping in for a quick coffee, spritz or prosecco. The staff are incredibly friendly, go for breakfast, a snack or a drink.

Majer seems to be a recently opened small chain of cafes with amazing cakes, pastries and snacks and a great selection of wines and spritz. Lovely service in the two branches we tried including complimentary sandwiches and pizza in one branch. The two we tried were in the Ghetto, Cannaregio 1227 and Campo Santa Margherita, Dorsoduro 3108.

Torrefazione Cannaregio, Rio Tera San leonardo, Cannaregio 1337 is the only coffee merchant and grinder left and is worth a visit either for a coffe to drink there or to buy coffee to take home.

Rosa Salva, Campo San Giovanni e Palo, an excellent traditional Venice cake shop with great Spritz, they have a couple of other places near St Marks.

In St Mark’s Square the well known cafés are very expensive but you can stand in the American Bar and have a drink and gaze out onto the square.

Drink

The local drink to try is a “Spritz”  made either with bitter Campari, sweeter Aperol, or Select somewhere in the middle and my choice where possible. White wine or prosecco then soda is added and finished with an olive and a slice of either orange or lemon. Although now common in the UK there is nothing like sipping one or two early evening in a lovely square in Venice where it belongs.

Another local tip is to drink an “Ombra” a small glass of local wine just specify red or white and this probably averages one euro a glass, some of the more upmarket bars will not do this but most bars do because that is what the locals drink. Where an ombra is not available then this is the opportunity to try some local wines such as the white Soave and the red Cabernet Franc. Bars are very proud of their local range of wines.

Local draught wines can be bought in some local places where a litre of red or white costs around 2 euros. There is one on Fodamenta Cannaregio and also on Rio Tera San Leonardo nearby.

 

The Academia Gallery, St Marks, your guide book will be full of things to see, for me it is the sheer joy of wandering around the city, getting lost, finding new squares you have never found before and generally soaking up the wonderful city. You are of course supposed to take a gondola trip but again have never done this, it is much more fun being part of real Venice on a water bus or a traghetto.

There are lots of very tacky souvenirs around as well as lots of glass items, some from nearby Murano others not. One shop that specialises in modern style Murano glass jewellery is L’Arte Di Casanova which has two shops one on the right after you cross the Rialto Bridge on the market side. The other is in Campo San Geremia on the main route from the station to the Rialto on the right before you cross the Cannaregio canal, highly recommended.

If you fly into Palermo there is a regular half hourly bus service run by Prestia & Comande which stops in the new part of the city then at the main railway station. The new part is the smarter area to stay in but the old historic part is best for the real heart of the city, it is also close to the rail station, the long distance bus station, and the port.

Day tickets for the local buses are good value but have to be bought in advance from tobacconists and not all sell the 24 hour tickets, beware on Sundays when a lot of these shops are shut.

Hotels

As usual check the web sites www.booking.com and www.hotels.com there are lots of B&B’s in Sicily but also more recently many self catering apartments.

On our last two visits we have chosen an apartment and stayed at Ponticello Apartments, www.ponticellopartments.com which was an excellent choice. There are eleven apartments in a very central location in the historic part of the city and Cristina the host is wonderful with detailed maps and suggestions of eating places, all good. Highly recommended and definitely where we would stay on any future visit. We had an excellent week staying there on our most recent visit and as ever Cristina’s hospitality was fabulous.

Restaurants

Frida, Piazza Sant’Onofrio 37/38, a recommendation from our host and a great one. Only open at night the pizzas are top notch, if you haven’t booked you will not normally get a table until after 10.00pm. So good we went twice during our stay and amazing value. Visited again on our most recent visit, still as popular as ever and pizzas are fabulous but wine prices on the high side, stick to beer.

La Galleria, Salita Ramirez 2/4, just behind the cathedral this was a very lucky find, loved the look of the place as we strolled by and went in for lunch which was very good. We were so  impressed with the quality and service that we booked dinner for our last night and it was excellent, top notch in all aspects. Another must that we returned to with friends during our stay in Palermo and food , wine and service as good as before, booking essential at night and still great value for the quality.

Fud, Piazza Olivella 4/5, another recommendation and we loved it, three visits in our time in Palermo possibly a record for us. First time was lunch with an amazing salad and Onion Potetos, potato wedges with red onions and sun dried tomatoes which are fabulous. Next time for dinner we sampled there meat and cheese platter again very good and on our last visit we tried the burgers and the potatoes (again), knockout ! Great food and service and incredible value. Return visit this time and as good as ever, great service, good food and wine and great value.

Bisso Bistrot, Via Macqueda 172A, Quattro Canti, was on the list before our first visit and also recommended, it does not take bookings, has communal tables and is incredibly popular. We went for dinner the food was good, service variable, we had to ask what the specials were which we both then tried. The house wine is very cheap as is the whole bill but it didn’t inspire us to rush back. It is worth a visit for the whole experience. Didn’t visit this time but still as popular as ever.

Tannura Osteria, Via Gaetano Filangeri 26, Piazza Magione, found this while researching our recent trip and booked a table for dinner. The food and service were excellent, top notch Italian cooking with a twist and reasonable for the quality. We found a good bar nearby called Whisky & Drink, an excellent choice for a pre or post dinner drink, or both.

Le Angeliche, Vicolo Abbadia 10, was another new place on our last trip, mixed feelings about it, the dishes have a North African influence, a nice garden setting and pleasant service. Perhaps it was our choices but left feeling a bit disappointed having read glowing reports.

Scola Pasta, Via Alessandro Paternostro 59, was a haunt on a previous visit and this time we returned to find a change of name but basically still the same place. Popular for food, we tried the meat and cheese platter, and also for trying some of the wide range of wines. The staff are friendly and helpful.

Dadalia Osteria, Via Maccherronai 20, in the Vucciria market was a spur of the moment choice on our recent visit and contrary to many of the reviews we thought the food was good. Yes it was a long wait and would definitely have a starter next time, but decent quality, good wine choice and very reasonably priced.

Ponticello Taverna Gastronomica, Vicolo Placido Viola 2, on the corner with Via Maqueda. Close to our apartment and friends had had a decent meal one night but we hit it on a night with poor service and some dishes good some not so good, based on the excellent reviews I would give it a second chance.

Cafe Ateneo, Via Maqueda 170, our go to place for breakfast on our most recent visit, good coffee and pastries.

Bars

There are many bars offering aperitivi buffets with drinks in the early evening, many around the Teatro Massimo area and the new part of the city has some outstanding wine bars but there are also some good bars of all sorts in the historic part of the city.

Taverna Azurra, Dichese Maccheronai 9/11, in the Vucciria area, is described as a dive bar but has attracted most of the famous visitors to Palermo over the years. It is a great local bar which attracts all sorts, no frills, cheap but good wine and beer and local sweet wines. Join the locals on a benches in the street, pop up to Salumeria Tini Salvatore up the street for some meat and cheese also try the focaccia from the stall opposite in the evening and enjoy. This used to be open during the day but now only at night, still great value for drinks and a must on any visit.

Altrove, Discesa dei Giudicin 40, in a small street near Piazza Pretoria we came across this lovely bar on a previous visit when it was called St’Orto which is now the bar opposite so slightly confused this time however the quality of the food and drink on offer is still excellent, Very popular with a local crowd. Highly recommended.

Botteghe Colletti, Via Alessandro Paternostro, has a cooler look than Garibaldi and the prices reflect that but it does do a decent aperitivi buffet.

Dal Barone, Via Alessandro Paternostro 87, this wine bar was a find on our most recent visit and has a great selection of local wines and also meats and cheeses. Really friendly owners that make you feel so welcome.

Monkey Pub, Piazza Sant’Anna, a great simple local bar with loads of outdoor seating, live music, friendly staff and very reasonably priced drinks. Returned this time and still as popular as ever.

Macqueda Bistrot, Via Macqueda 249, we found this on a previous visit as a refuge from the rain on the first night and we were immediately struck by how friendly the staff were and how good the spritz were. It became a regular stop and the service was always second to none, good cocktails, wine and beer. Returned this time and as good as ever, tried the food and very reasonable quality and price.

Enotequa, Via Macqueda274, this is a lovely looking wine bar but at the top end price wise. It is not the most comfortable place to sit and the service varied depending who was working. Seats are still uncomfortable but the wines are excellent.

Malox, Piazzetta della Canna, 8/9, not the easiest to find but worth seeking out. This is one of three bars in this small square which I suspect are very busy later at night than when we visited but definitely one for a return visit.

Enoteca Picone, Via G. Marconi 36, is in the new part of the city and is one of the best known, and oldest, wine bars in the city. It is definitely worth a visit particularly if you were considering buying any bottles to take home or ship.

Enoteca VinoVeritas, Via Sammartino 29, more of a wine shop than a wine bar perhaps but we stopped and enjoyed an excellent glass of wine.

Enoteca Buonvini, Via Dante 8, is more wine bar and restaurant than wine shop and seems very popular although gets some mixed reviews. We enjoyed a good glass of wine from an excellent selection which was well displayed.

The three wine bars above would make an enjoyable evening stroll in a very smart part of the city.

Drink

Sicily is one of the largest wine producing areas in Italy, best known for the red Nero D’Avola, dark and velvety red, a personal favourite. Catarratto is the most common white grape variety and while used in the past for blending it is becoming more commonly used as a single grape variety, with crisp lemon flavour, also try Grillo and Inzolia. There are also other varieties used in the Aeolian islands which are well worth trying, look for the Colossi label.

Culture

Go to the markets, see the Quattro Canti, the Cathedral, Piazza Pretoria, it is not a relaxing city but grows on you as you start to find good places to eat and drink.

The Cappella Palatina is a stunning mosaic clad chapel, be prepared to queue but it is well worth the wait.

There are dozens of amazing churches to see but the Chiesa del Gesu, Via del Ponticello is a staggering baroque masterpiece.

The Cattedrale di Monreale is outside the city but easily reached and is on most must see lists.

 

These can be reached by Hydrofoil from Milazzo and from June to September by Hydrofoil from Palermo with Ustica Lines, we based ourselves on Lipari the largest and probably the liveliest island and also being in the middle of the group a good place from which to visit other islands

Lipari is lovely, very chilled out with many places to eat and drink and streets to wander through. On our return visit we were amazed by the increase in visitors, many of whom are on the islands for walking holidays.

Hotels

As usual check the web sites www.booking.com and www.venere.com, there now seem to be more choices than when we visited, both hotels and B&B’s. Diana Brown B&B and Enzo Il Negro are two of the long standing places and both are fine with simple accommodation.

Restaurants

L’Angolo del Pesce, Via Vittorio Emanuele 152, the owner has the nearby fish shop and we enjoyed two very good seafood pasta dishes with house wine and complimentary biscotti and liqueurs. Very reasonably priced and popular with locals.

Kasbah, Vico Selinute 43, not the easiest place to find, this seems to be the “cool” place to eat in Lipari and is very popular, there is an indoor part and a large terrace and booking is required for the indoor part, the terrace has the drawback of several stray cats. We had two pasta dishes both good but perhaps too much style over the actual content, the pizzas are apparently excellent.

Bars & Cafes

Eden Bar, Via Vittorio Emanuele 133, good for a drink and watch the world go by, as is Avant Garde next door.

Bar La Precchia No 191, in the same street has the best aperitivi free snacks with your drinks, incredible value and also snacks at lunch time. The best bar in the main drag for a drink and people watching.

Enolie, Via XXIV Maggio, is just off the Via Vittorio Emanule and is a lovely small wine bar with a great range of of local wines and also cold meats and cheese. Very generous snacks are given with the wines.

Esseppiu de Vino in Vino, Via Vittorio Emanuele 102 & Via Garibaldi 34, the former on the main street is a small bar with wines, beer and platters of meats & cheeses, the latter is more of a formal dining place, we only tried it for a glass of wine.

Gilberto e Vera on Via Garibaldi 22/24, is probably the best known wine bar and famed for it’s selection of panini which are fabulous. There is also a selection of wines and beers as you would expect.

There are loads of bars and cafes at Marina Corta the small harbour and it is a lovely place to sit and have a nightcap.

Fiore de Sale, Via Vittorio Emanuele is a fabulous ice cream shop with a great selection of flavours.

Culture

Island hopping can be difficult to plan as there is sometimes a lack of available information also you may need to use hydrofoils which means you do not get the same views as the ferries. It takes at least three hours to Stromboli by ferry. There are loads of organised trips but you can do it yourself, check out the web sites for Liberty the ferry company. Get your tickets in advance from the office at the port.

Panarea is lovely, this is the very expensive, exclusive island and from there you have wonderful views of Stromboli

Stromboli is worth a stop, the town is some distance from the port, watch out for the burning black sand.

Salina is the nearest island to Lipari and was quieter than  we had expected, one bonus was lunch at Nni Lausta, Via Risorgimento 188, excellent cooking with some twists on traditional dishes.

Sicily’s second city has some great eating, a lively nightlife and many lovely buildings as well as an amazing fish market. It has a good local bus system and the day tickets are very good value.

Hotels

As usual check the web sites www.booking.com and www.venere.com there are numerous places around Via Etnea the main thoroughfare and it is a great location for all the major sites.

Restaurants

Trattoria Catania Ruffiana, Via Aloi 50, this is a real locals restaurant but visitors are warmly welcomed and the food is very good with a wide choice of dishes and some very local and traditional pasta choices. The size of the portions is large so sharing a starter can be a wise option, great value for money.

Trattoria Casalinga, Via Biondi 19, another very traditional restaurant with home cooking style dishes, very friendly service and generous liqueurs on the house at the end.

Mm !!, Piazza Pardo 34, just by the fish market, we only sampled the pasta dishes but it also had some very unusual seafood starters and was packed with locals, a sure sign that it is good.

Trattoria La Paglia, Via Pardo 23, by the fish market this is a great place for lunch, go for the grilled fish and the cheap house wine.

Osteria Antica Marina, Via Pardo 29, at the fish market is very well known and booking is recommended.  It is truly a culinary experience, trust the owner and the staff and you will not be disappointed although recent reports indicate prices have increased greatly since our last visit.

Bars

There are loads of bars round Teatro Massimo but don’t look for many being open before 8 o’clock in the evening

Razamataz Wine Bar, Via Montesano 19, this is a really comfortable place to sit and have a drink they also do excellent food, it gets very packed so book or get there early. There are mixed reports about service but we found the staff charming.

Etna Rosso, Via Etnea 260, is a smart modern wine bar with a huge range of wines and outside tables, service can be patchy but it is a great place to sit with a glass of wine.

Perbacco Wine Bar, Via Vasta, this is a smart bar in an area that is packed with bars, it now seems more of a drinks bar as oppose to a wine bar.

Agora Hostel, Bar & Restaurant, Piazza Curro, behind the fish market this hostel has a very good terrace, underground bar and restaurant with a good reputation – very popular with a mixed crowd

Culture

The buildings round the Duomo Square, Via Crociferi a street of churches outdoing each other, the fish market, and the daily market of Via Etnea. You can also visit the nearby seaside towns by local bus.

This is a gem of a city with loads of lovely B&B’s, whatever you do stay on the island part of the city called Ortigia, apart from the archaeological park which is at the far end of the new town everything you would want to see is on Ortigia.

Ortigia is compact enough that you should not need transport but there small buses which run on three routes covering the new part of the city, the train station, bus station, the archaeological park and Ortigia. Information on these is scarce as are the buses but check with the tourist office or at any of the stops, tickets cost 1€.

It is a long journey by rail from or to Palermo but Interbus have a couple of services a day which only take just over 3 hours, they leave from near the train station and you can buy tickets on line.

Hotels

As usual check the web sites www.booking.com and www.hotels.com, There are a number of lovely B&B’s in Ortigia, one we tried is Viaggiatori, Viandanti E Sognatori, Via Roma 156, a lovely quirky place with a great terrace and excellent bathrooms with good showers.

Palazzo Gilstro, Via Amalfitania 12, is in a great location with beautifully appointed rooms and a lovely roof terrace. Francesca is an excllent host and breakfast is taken at a lovely bar/cafe opposite which has amazing pastries.

Restaurants

Retroscena, Via Maestranza 108, is a fairly new addition and is owned and run by a lovely couple, Kiri who runs the front of house is from Greece, her husband the chef is from Siracusa. The food is excellent and the atmosphere lovely, booking is advised at busy times.

Ortigia Fish Bar, Via Maestranza 134, is a small place open for breakfast and lunch every day and for dinner at the weekend. As the name suggests it specialises in fish and seafood, it is soon to move to bigger premises nearby on the waterfront and the current premises will remain as more of a snack bar. Very reasonably priced and pleasant owners and staff.

Carnizzeria, Via De Benedicis 29, is one of three or four restaurants at Ortigia Market that seem to have opened since our last visit. The quality of the fish and seafood is outstanding, the prices reasonable and it is incredibly popular, with queues at lunchtime waiting for spaces at the long communal tables.

PerBacco, Via Roma 120, probably wise to book in advance as this is very good cooking and a different menu from some places, it is not cheap but the quality of the food and the service make it well worth the money.

Sicilia in Tavolo, Via Cavour 28, very popular so book in advance, there are two sittings so service can seem slow if they have a number of tables to serve at the same time but the food is worth the wait. The seafood and fish pasta are wonderful and it is great value for money.

Fratelli Burgio, Piazza Cesare Battisti 4, is just by the market in Ortigia and is a grocers and eating place. Wonderful to return and enjoy one of their fantastic platters and also some wild boar bresaola, the wine by the glass is very reasonably priced and the service friendly. Be prepared to wait for a table but so worth it.

Taberna Sveva, Piazza Francesco di Svevia, this is a real locals place so book a table, it is great value for money and has really good cooking. Definitely the place to have some meat after all the fish and seafood, but whatever you have the quality is excellent. As good on our return as six years previously.

Oinos Restaurant, Via Della Guidecca 69/75, this is fine dining Sicilian style, a very smart place with top notch service and fabulous food. The prices on the wine list are on the high side, but it is still worth a splurge treat.

Ci Voleva, Via Trentino 14, one of a number of restaurants near the market we enjoyed two delicious seafood pasta dishes and excellent service sitting on the terrace. There is very reasonably priced house wine but if you want to go slightly more upmarket you need to choose from inside the restaurant as they have no wine list. Check the prices as some are high end but staff are happy to suggest ones in your price range.

O’Scina, Via D Scina 12, this was recommended by a local and did not disappoint, excellent antipasti and fish & seafood mains were all good, lovely friendly staff. It was not as busy as some places but is slightly hidden away down a very small street. Worth seeking out.

Bars

Enoteca Solaria, Via Roma 86, a great wine shop and wine bar that also does food. We returned on our most recent visit and although there is a younger couple now in charge the place has not changed. A wonderful wine selection and you can choose a bottle from the shelves and they only add 3 Euros to drink it on the premises, the couple are charming.

Evoe Wine Bar, Via della Maestranza 56, is a recent opening and it is a lovely wine bar to sample local meats, cheeses and wines. A charming owner who is happy to advise on choice if needed.

Cortile Verga, Via della Maestranza 33, was a great find on our most recent visit. A lovely courtyard of tables and a small interior bar, offering wines, cocktails and beer and also food. Great for a nightcap after dinner.

Casina degli Spiriti, Via Dione 40, this narrow street has a couple of craft beer bars but this one has a decent wine selection at very reasonable prices.

SanRocco, Piazzetta San Rocco, is the best bar on the square and very popular, at appertivi time they charge €4 for the buffet but what a selection.

Pub Troubador, just off Piazzetta San Rocco, this is a little gem with very cheap prices for beer, wine and cocktails and also does snacks

Oz Café Borgia, probably the smartest bar in town in a courtyard near the Duomo Square, go early if you want a seat on the terrace, live music later on at night

Vecchio Bar, Via delle Vergini 9, nice little bar, try and get the seats at the window and people watch as the crowds head for Piazzetta San Rocco.

There are loads of bars along Lungonare Alfeo with great sea views, sunset Bar is one of the better ones.

Culture

As mentioned before the Greek amphitheatre and museum are the main sights but just wandering the streets of Ortigia is a delight and do try and visit the market area.

Noto is one of the baroque gems of this part of Sicily and can easily be visited for a day either by train or bus, the train station is further from the town. The main sites are on the Corso Victor Emmanuelle. Do visit Cafe Sicilia for the legendary ice creams, Anche Gli Angelli, a bar, restaurant and shop in a converted church. Sabbinirica is in the main Corso and does amazing panini for lunch, choose your fillings and also enjoy a glass of wine, great food & service.

Ragusa is a beautiful hill top town in the south east now famous for the character of Inspector Montalbano which is filmed in part in the town. It is definitely worth a couple of days as the setting on two hills with Ragusa Superiore the newer part which has the transport links and Ragusa Ibla the part devastated by an earthquake and rebuilt by the rich who lived there. Ibla is definitely the part to stay in, a maze of narrow streets and old palaces and packed with places to eat and drink.

Hotels

There are many B&B’s but there is one which deserves special mention, L’Orto Sul Tetto, Via Te. De. Stefano 56. It is minutes walk from the Duomo, the heart of Ragusa Ibla, and is owned by Paolo a native of the town, there are only three rooms and the care and attention is obvious as soon as you step inside. It is beautifully appointed and the roof garden terrace where you have the excellent breakfast is a wonderful place for a glass of wine in the early evening. Bottles of wine and beer available from Paolo’s well stocked fridge at bargain prices.

Restaurants

Duomo, Via Capitano Bocchieri 31 has two Michelin stars and given that it was yards from L’Orto Sul Tetto is seemed only right to try it for the three course set lunch offered at 59 Euros a head including wine. The food was excellent and there were three additional small courses included, the service and food as you would expect was super.

Quatro Gatti, Via Valverde 95 is at the other end of the price range scale, it offers an incredible value four course dinner and while the cooking is simple, the setting and friendly service makes up for any lack of style in the cooking.

Il Barocco, Via Orfanotrofio 27, is a lovely restaurant and the pasta dishes on offer at lunchtime were excellent as was the wine list, not surpising as they own a wonderful wine shop close by.

MAD, Magazzini Dona Fugato, Piazza Polo, is a modern bar, restaurant and boutique which may initially look as if it is too cool and trendy to produce decent food but the pizzas are excellent as is the apperitivi on offer in the early evening.

Bars

Al Borgo, Piazza Duomo, is a great place to sit and enjoy the view with a beer or a glass of wine, we didn’t try the food but lots of people were sampling the wide range of dishes on offer.

MAD, Magazzini Dona Fugato, Piazza Polo, is an excellent place to stop for a drink at apperitivi time, they make excellent Spritz with either Aperol or Campari and a good selection of snack food is included in the price.

Gelati Di Vini, Paizza Duomo, is a must for either an ice cream or a glass of wine.

L’Aparthotel Cafe, Piazza Republica, a good place to stop for a refreshment after you have completed the climb down from Ragusa Superiore to Ragusa Ibla.

 Culture

A must is to take the bus from just outside the Giardini in Ibla up to Ragusa Superiore, if you start at the other Duomo square you can then follow a series of flights of stairs down to Ibla while enjoying the amazing views. The tourist office map shows the route and it takes around 20 minutes. Bus tickets are bought in the Tabbachi just by the entrance to the gardens.

The Giardini are well worth a visit, they are beautifully laid out and contain a couple of churches and a convent, there is also a cafe and restaurant. There are a number of small cafes nearby where you can enjoy a refreshment after your wanderings.

Milan hotels are expensive and mainly cater for business travellers and it is difficult to find places reasonably priced in areas where you really want to stay. As usual check the web sites www.booking.com and www.venere.com but one to mention is the Hotel Dei Cavalieri Piazza Missori. It is a four star hotel five minutes from the Duomo and next to Missori Metro. At certain times of the year it is available at a good price for the quality and location.

Another option is an apartment and Friendly Rentals, a tried and tested company have started offering apartments in Milan, check out www.friendlyrentals.com

Restaurants

Anema e Cozze, Via Palermo 15, Metro Moscova, there is another off Piazza Cinque Giornate & another at the corner off Alzaia Naviglo Grande (see canal area below) very modern pizza restaurants also excellent for seafood and fish, They are popular places but seem to get mixed reviews for service, not an issue on our couple of visits.

Brek, at Piazza Cavour, Piazetta Giordano and Corso Italia 3 are an Italian self service chain of restaurants, ideal for lunch, also open at night. Pasta and salads, desserts and fruit, reasonably priced.

Canal Area Navigli, Porta Genova, FS Metro, especially the canal side along Alzaia Naviglio Grande is packed with places to have a drink, enjoy the apperitivo hours, and eat. Sadly most of the places we have tried on our visits seem to have gone, but I am sure there will be lots of good replacements. One word of warning, watch out for mosquitoes and put on some cream beforehand.

The other side of the canal the Ripa di Porta Ticinese 23 also has many recommended restaurants, Al Pont De Ferr, Ripa di Porta Ticinese 55, is an excellent canal side place with a great selection of dishes, good cooking and a cheese board that cannot be beaten.

Convivium, Via Ponte Vetero 21, Brera was visited on a recent one night stop in the city and would certainly return. On a very wet Monday night we were lucky to get a table without a reservation, the setting is lovely, there is an extensive menu and we shared a starter and had two pasta dishes along with a bottle of wine. Excellent service and good value for money in such a cool part of Milan.

Bars & Cafes

Best areas are the Brera, the Navigli Canal Area, and along the Corso Porto Ticinese, leading to the Navigli. There is a wide selection of bars which are fun to visit particularly at apperitivo time when lots have free buffets. Check out what is on offer, some are much better than others. The price of drinks may be high but will include the food.

Some more upmarket bars, although they may seem slightly expensive for say a glass of wine will also include some excellent free snacks at lunchtime

Peck, Via Spadari , Metro Duomo, is a wonderful high class grocers shop with a bar and restaurant upstairs where after you have ordered your glass of wine you receive you own plate of snacks. Stock up on food and wine from the shop as it is a treasure trove of the best Italian produce.

Bar Magenta Via Carducci 13, Metro Cadorna, is in all guide books as a must visit in Milan. The service can reflect this but it is still worth popping in for a drink.

The streets of the Brera area have a lot of smart trendy bars in Via Firo Chiare and Via Brera, Metro Monte Napoleone.

La Rinascente Department Store by the Duomo has a great roof top café with excellent views.

Drink

Milan is probably the best place to sample the apperitvio hours, 6pm to 9pm traditionally, although Turin claims to be where this started. Drinks are often cocktails such as Negroni, Americano or a Spritz. Whatever you have, beer, wine or cocktail will probably be the same price as it includes the free buffet. I have mentioned the best areas above but you can always search on line for the current favourite places.

Milan is in Lombardy so you are guaranteed to be able to sample some local wines from the 13 wine growing areas, such as reds using Barbera and Nebbiolo grapes, whites using Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio, and sparkling using the Franciacorta grape.

The Duomo, the Galleria Vitorrio Emanuelle II, Castello Sforzesco, Pinacoteca de Brera Gallery and Leonardo Da Vinci’s The Last Supper are the must see sites in the city. Entrance tickets for The Last Supper must be booked in advance. Of course the designer shops should also be classed as part of the city’s culture.

Bergamo is a beautiful city with a great tradition for food. It is possible to get to the lakes by public transport from there, but driving would probably be much easier. The city is in two parts the old part is the high part accessed by funicular, the business centre and transport hubs are in the lower part.

Hotels

As usual check the web sites www.booking.com and www.venere.com but one to mention is The Hotel Piemontese, www.hotelpiemontese.com it is extremely good value and is close to the station and it is also easy to reach the high part of the city from the hotel.

Restaurants

The upper city is full of places to eat, loads with beautiful outdoor settings

Al Donizetti, Via Gombita 17/8, is a great place with outdoor seating in what was the old market, it serves dishes of cheeses and cold meats and other local specialities such as guinea fowl and rabbit, excellent value for the quality.

Ristorante Bernabo, Piazza Mascheroni 11, this place does great pizzas and a huge selection of main courses at very reasonable prices.

Café Della Funicolare, is inside the funicular station and has a terrace with great views down to the low town, reports of the food served are very good.

Como has a number of different train stations depending on whether it is TrenItalia or another smaller rail company. Both stations and the bus station are in walking distance from the town centre. The lake boats leave from the lakefront at Piazza Cavour where the tourist information office is located.

Information on sailings can be got from the timetables readily available. There are fast and slow boats which have different complicated tariffs but various types of day tickets are available.

When you do your lake trip, Mennagio is lovely and worth a mid morning stop and Bellagio is probably the most beautiful town on the lake, there are loads of expensive restaurants but Snack Bar La Laterna, Sallita Sebelloni 15, is excellent for a very good pasta dish.

Hotels

Como is an expensive town with a number of big lakeside hotels, the rates will obviously depend on the season so check out the usual web sites.

Restaurants

L’Angolo Divino, Via Diaz 69, is an enoteca with great food and wine and very reasonable prices, highly recommended.

Ristorante Sociale, Via M Comacini 8, near the Cathedral, this appears to be a Como Institution a local bar, with some hotel rooms and a restaurant with an outdoor terrace facing the Cathedral. The food is excellent and reasonably priced and the service is friendly.

Visini, Via Ballarini 9, is a grocers, restaurant and wine bar all in one. Go in and gaze at the wonderful displays of food or have a meal outside or just stand at the bar with a glass of wine and sample the wonderful free buffet. If you are lucky enough to be there on a Saturday when some great locals meet, Stefano the owner cooks special dishes which he brings out for the customers at the bar to try, a wonderful experience.

Bars

Meson Redondo, Via Diaz 28, is a Spanish Bar which does a great selection of drinks and snacks and has very good music

Caffe Nova Comum, Piazza Duomo, is a popular evening hang out

If you arrive in Stresa by train the station is a twenty minute walk from the town centre although part of it is a pleasant lakeside stroll. The lake boats go from the lakefront opposite the town hall on the Piazza Marconi with timetables readily available. The Maggiore Express combines two train journeys and a boat journey and takes you into Locarno in Switzerland. The nearby islands of Isola Superiore and Isola Bella should be visited.

Hotels

Like all Italian Lake side towns there a number of big lakeside hotels with swimming pools and gardens, check out the usual web sites as in high season this can be expensive for accommodation.

Restaurants

Restaurant La Botte, Via Manzinni 6, is a great little place with a wide range of food, the grilled meats are excellent as were the other dishes that we tried.

Al Buscion, Via Principessa Margherita 18, is a great wine bar with a huge and reasonable selection of wines, it also does excellent cold meat and cheese platters at very reasonable prices. Such friendly service, a gem of a place.

Just nearby is an excellent grocers, which does fantastic made to order rolls with various fillings to take away and also has chilled small bottles of wine for the complete picnic, there is a blackboard outside listing the choices.

Enoteca Da Giannino, Piazza Cardona 9, we found to be an excellent wine bar with a decent selection and various snacks, recent reports indicate unfriendly service which is a surprise.

Check out the web sites www.booking.com and www.venere.com but one worth mentioning is the Hotel Cairoli, Via Cairoli 14/4, www.hotelcairoligenova.com. It is in a great location. five minutes walk from the port and five minutes from Via Garibali which has been declared a world heritage site. The hotel has wonderfully helpful staff and the rooms all have themes relating to artists. Their web site helps with directions to the hotel and if you happen to arrive on a Sunday when a lot of restaurants are shut, they will point you in the direction of some good places.

Restaurants

Da Gaia, Vico dell Argento, is minutes from the Cairoli Hotel and is very popular with locals. Good value and pleasant service and like most places very reasonably priced house wine.

Da Maria, Vico Testadoro 14r, is a Genoa institution now run by the original Maria’s daughters, two courses and wine for currently €10 a head. The waiting staff are very helpful so give it a try. Packed at lunchtimes but also open some evenings.We returned this visit and it is still good value for money with decent food.

Maxela, Vico Inferiore del Ferro 9-11r, is a restaurant with a butchers counter so obviously they specialise in meat, the steaks are fabulous, the house wine very reasonable and the service excellent.

I Tre Merli, Coros Magenta 3-5 r, is at the top of the Sant Anna funicular from Portello. This was a real gem, a beautiful traditional old osteria full of regular customers and serving really good food and amazing prices. Sadly only had time to visit once, a must on a return visit.

Locanda degli Adorno, Vico degli Adorno 50r, I found this while searching the web for places to try and boy was it worth it. Not far from the port it is in a slightly dodgy area but this does not stop the regulars from packing out the place. The food was excellent, a lot of fish surprisingly not that common in the city, the staff and owner were super friendly as were the customers. Everyone seemed delighted to see a couple of visitors sampling the local food and wine.

Taggiou, Vico Superiore del Ferro 8, this is a small place specialising in meat and cheese platters but offering other dishes as well. Excellent quality and incredible value for money, the staff were very friendly.

Soho, Via al Ponte Calvi 20r, is very close to the old port and very different as it is a modern stylish restaurant and bar. The food, nearly all fish and seafood,  was very good but would have been better had it been served on hot plates. This is expensive by many places in the city and there were small things in the service that made me unsure whether or not I would return. If you are looking for fish in a modern setting check it out.

Eataly, Via Calata Cattaneo 15, is at the old port just opposite the Bigo Lift. This is one of several in Italy and abroad, part restaurant part food shop, first founded in Turin in 2003. There are various restaurants in the building, the food and wine shopping is fabulous, and the views of the port are excellent.

Kowalski, Via del Giustiniani 3r, is a recently opened Eastern European restaurant and bar. The owners are a local guy from Genoa and his Polish wife, we did not try the food but judging by the popularity and the dishes we saw it is a winner. It is very popular as a bar later in the evening with a a wide selection of drinks.

Bars & Cafes

Mescite, Via S Agnese 25r,  this is a wine shop and bar with great owners and smart design. During the day people come here to buy wine by the bottle from the seven large stainless steel vats offering a selection of red and white wines. In the evening the bar is busy with people drinking the wines from the vats around €2 a glass or wines from the small range of bottles, slightly more expensive but still great value. They also do small and large plates of meat & cheeses, incredible value, and crostinis. A wonderful gem of a place.

Bar Berto and 28 Erbe are both in the Piazza delle Erbe, they used to be very popular at apperitivi time but on our last visit seemed far quieter. 28 Erbe still offers a good selection of food with your early evening drinks and was reasonably priced.

Cantine Matteotti, Archivolto Baliano, is a very smart wine bar in a lane between Via San Lorenzo and Via di Canneto di Lungho, one of the most interesting streets in the old part of the city. Excellent range of reasonably priced wines and cold meat and cheese platters. It is very popular but only open in the evenings.

Pasticceria Marescotti di Cavo, Via di Fossatello 35-37r, one of the most beautiful bar interiors I have ever seen. Pop in for a coffe and cake or a glass of wine or cocktail, with a lovely small selection of snacks and step back in time. Excellent service and for the quality reasonably priced.

There are a number of bars down at the port, which is a very lively area, but they are best for their setting as opposed to the atmosphere. There are also a number of old fashioned bars with decent wines at incredibly cheap prices around Via di Canneto di Lungho and Via Quatro San Francesco & Via della Madalena, these all shut by 9pm.

Drink

Genoa also has the most generous free apperitivo snacks of any Italian city I have visited, not just at the usual 7 till 9 in the evening but at lunchtime, at tea time and after dinner.

Although Liguria produces wines, it does not have any of the outstanding wines that the neighbouring regions of Lombardy and Piedmont produce. There is wine produced from the cliff side vineyards of the Cinque Terre if you want a really local wine.

Looking at the Palazzos, particularly Bianco and Rosso for which you buy a joint ticket, and walking along Via Garibaldi you realise how important and wealthy Genoa was. Exploring the warren of streets of the old town is part of the charm of the city andalso making time to visit the produce market off Via XX Septembre.

The Port is of course worth a visit, including the aquarium and take the chance to go up in the Bigo Lift for amazing views of the city.

Use your day ticket and go up on the Funicular from Largo de Zecca to Righi,1500 metres and five stops and take the lift from beside Stazione Principe to Castello d’Alebrtis, a wonderful building and museum and more great views. Also take the funicular to Sant Anna then walk round, enjoying the views, to the Castelletto Lift back down to Piazza Portello.

The fishing port of Boccadasse can easily be reached by bus and has some great places to eat.

Sestri Levante is an ideal base to explore the Italian Riviera coast and the Cinque Terre, it is very popular as a destination for Italian visitors so hotels can be expensive.

Hotels

As usual check the web sites www.booking.com and www.venere.com.

Restaurants

Polpo Mario, Via XXV Aprile 163, excellent fish restaurant, they have their own fishing boat. Very popular so booking is advised.

Osteria Nazionale, Via Nazionale 101, worth seeking out, recently opened when we were there, and very modern with great cooking and a vast selection of wines which you choose from the shelves, they are all priced.

L’Osteria Mattana, Via XXV Aprile 34, a typical osteria with long shared tables and the menu on the blackboard, very reasonable and the staff are very helpful and will assist with translating the menu, they have very good house wine.

La Mainolla, Via XXV Aprile 187, does excellent pasta dishes with a very pleasant outside terrace.

Bars

Millelire. Via XXv Aprile 149. is a great bar with large variety of drinks , good free apperitivo snacks and also does meals, the outside tables are very prized.

Asia Café, Via XXV Aprile 133, is another good place to sit outside with a post dinner drink, it also does food

MamaLuna Café, Via della Chuisa 3, off Via XXV Aprile, a little gem with lovely tables in the little street, again with excellent free apperitivo snacks

On the Bay of Silence just below the Hotel Helvetia is a lovely terrace bar with fabulous views just the place to sit out after dinner.

Culture

Visit Portofino and San Fruittoso by boat, there are trips that leave at around 2 pm returning at 6.30. It is a great way to see the coast and to visit Portofino which is stunning, treat yourself to a drink overlooking the port and the designer shops.

The Cinque Terre towns are a must, although incredibly busy, your best plan is to get a day card which cover all trains between Levanto & La Spezia. You will need to get a return to Levanto as well, the ticket also gives you access to the various walks that can be done.

Recommended is to go to the last one Riomaggiore and make your way back, the walk from there to Manarola is an easy stroll and there is a lovely bar café just before you reach Manarolla with great views.

Il Porticciolo ,Via Renato Birolli 92, the main street in Manarola is a great place to stop for lunch very popular so get there early so that you can eat on the terrace

Corniglia is the only one of the five not easily accessible from the station 365 steps to the town although there may be buses, again your day card gives you access to these.

As usual check the web sites www.booking.com and www.hotels.com but on our most recent visit we were delighted to find that the Spanish hotel group Room Mate  www.room-matehotels.com had opened two hotels in the city. we chose the Luca, close to San Lorenzo. It was top notch, great design of the rooms and common areas and as ever super friendly, helpful staff. Great value for the facilities, location and also the breakfast included in the room rate.

Apartments are a popular alternative, Friendly Rentals www.friendlyrentals.com and Habitat Apartments www.habitatapartments.com both have some excellent apartments, we have used both companies frequently in other cities.

For Pisa as usual check the web sites www.booking.com and www.hotels.com but one worth mentioning if you want some nostalgia is the Hotel Royal Victoria, book an original room and if possible with a view of the river. The hotel is wonderfully old fashioned and the public areas are like a museum, the staff are very helpful. The bus from the airport and station stops outside.

Florence

Restaurants

Mercado Centrale, San Lorenzo, was until recently just a traditional produce market, great for buying porcini, sun dried tomatoes and pasta to take home. taking the lead I suspect from other markets in Spain and Portugal the first floor is now open as a food and drink venue. There is a main restaurant, pizzeria, beer bar and cafe and also a dozen or so shops selling their own food and a large wine bar featuring of course Chianti. It is open 365 days a year and until midnight giving a much needed place to go after dinner. The prices are reasonable, better than some in other cities and it is a welcome addition to the city,

Trattoria I Frattelini, Via Ghibellina 27r, San Croce, is a grocers shop that does lunch. You order at the counter for  your starter, go back with your bill for a main, then if you can, for a dessert and wine is ordered the same way ! Excellent value lunch with the locals.

Trattoria Mario,Via Rosina 2r, near the central market and S.Lorenzo and now seems to be a must on every visitors list. The queues at lunchtime are long but they will take your name and tell you when a table will be free meaning you can visit one of the great wine bars nearby. Food is very traditional fare and still very reasonably priced.

Trattoria Sergio Gozzi, Piazza de San Lorenzo 8R, is an old school restaurant which only opens at lunchtime. We went for the first time on our most recent visit and were very impressed with the quality of the food. It is very popular so be prepared to queue, we will next time as its worth it. It is very reasonably priced for the quality and choice. Still so good, top quality & great service.

Da Garibardi, Piazza del Mercato Centrale 38r, is one of many restaurants in the square and we chose it  randomly to escape the weather. We had an excellent lunch and returned on a couple occasion just for a drink, friendly service and pleasant atmosphere.

Canova Di Gustavino, Via della Condotta 29r, central area, is a wine bar with platters and other dishes, excellent quality and value and they have a very smart restaurant next door.

Caffe Italiano, Via Isola delle Stinche 11-13r, really three restaurants in one, Osteria, Pizzeria & Sud a bistro. We ate there twice once in the Pizerria part, excellent simple pizzas and loved the look of the Osteria so much we returned for dinner a couple of nights later. The food was good and reasonably priced, but the setting was more memorable than the food.

Across the river around Via S. Nicolo there are a number of good places to try and the area has a more local feel than around the Duomo

Osteria Antica Mescita Via S.Nicolo 60r, is a great, small, old fashioned place, with only an Italian menu but very helpful staff and a lovely atmosphere. Returned on our most recent visit and had an excellent lunch.

Il Rifrullo Via S Nicolo 55r a very smart modern bar restaurant with good wines and free nibbles when we visited, also does a lunchtime buffet

Enoteca Bevo Vino V.San Nicolo 59r, we had visited before just for a wine from their decent selection and a snack, we returned this visit for lunch where they have a menu of two courses for €10. Food was decent, not outstanding but nice atmsophere.

Il Guscio, Via dell’Orto 49, we booked for dinner on our most recent visit and were delighted with the quality of the food and the service, it is excellent value and obviously a popular place with the local clientele.

Santo Bevitore, Via di Santo Spirito 64/66r. is on the same side of the river as those above but the other side of the Ponte Vecchio. We had visited it before and thought the food was excellent, this time we booked well in advance and had a fantastic meal. A shared starter of papardelle with wild boar was great. the two mains were outstanding. The beef fillet and the stuffed quail dish were top quality, the wine list is excellent and the service very good.

Il Santino at number 60, is the recent little saint to Il Santo Bevitore above. This wine bar offers wine by the glass each type with a different small dish. We only got the chance to visit once but loved the place another must for the next visit.

Bars & Cafes

Vinattiere Dell Zanobini, Via S.Antonino, San Lorenzo is a great wine shop with a bar and a very reasonable selection of wines by the glass, they also have beer, no food but very friendly, only open till 8pm. This gem is still as good as it was on our first visit many years ago.

Casa del Vino, Via dell Ariento 16r, by the Central Market is less a wine shop and more a bar with wine by the glass and amazing panini and snacks, open during the day. It is incredibly popular with local people on their lunch break, so go early or slightly later at lunchtime. This is a real favourite and it now stays open till 10.00pm Friday & Saturday.

La Divina Enoteca, Via Panicale 19 r, is another San Lorenzo wine bar with some lovely outdoor tables looking onto the market.

Note de Vino, Borgo dei Greci 4, close to Santa Croce, this was find on our most recent visit. A very small wine bar with excellent food and lovely service.

Cafe Scudieri, Piazza di San Giovanni, is a splendid old fashioned Florence café. Stand at the bar for a coffee or drink and it is very reasonable with very smart nibbles, like elsewhere in Italy sitting outside increases the prices hugely.

Art Bar, Via del Moro 4r, is a lovely cafe bar that does an excellent happy hour between 18.30 to 21.00. The drinks are exceptionally well done and at that time reasonably priced.

Lo Schiaccia Vino, Via G. Verdi 6r, is a sandwich shop and wine bar, food looked good and a decent selection of wines.

Enoteca de Macci, Via dei Macci, seemed like a good local bar in an area with some interesting places to eat and drink.

Cafe Cibreo, Via del Verrocchio 5, just by Sant Ambrogio market, is part of a small group of eating places with the same owner in this area. It is very cool and fashionable and on the pricey side but the service is top notch.

Antico Noe, Volta de San Piero, is famous a a panini shop, there is a tiny bar with some tables next door. There is also a restaurant which seems to get mixed comments, the bar part was fine, very cheap wine and a free dish of the local delicacy lampredotto or tripe as it is known. This area has some interesting little bar including a great tiny wine bar round the corner called Natalino. Also attached to the Lions Fountain, an Irish Bar, is a small enoteca with wines & meats & cheeses.

Mayday Bar, Via Dante Alighieri, in the centre is a quirky late bar, not cheap, but does nightly specials and has good music.

On the Oltrano side of the river Via de Renai has a number of smart bars some that do apperitivi buffets including Negroni at number 17r. On the same side of the river but the other side of the Ponte Vecchio , Piazza Santo Spirito has a number of lively bars many of which do apperitivi buffets.

Signor Vino, Via dei Bardi 46r, is another branch of the group with a wine shop and bar & restaurant. This location has a wonderful terrace on the side of the River Arno with a view of the Ponte Vecchio, the service as in all there places can be slow but worth persevering.

Drink

Apperitivo hours are popular in Florence and there are lots of trendy bars that do “Buffets” from 7 to 9 approximately, where drinks may be more expensive and they often specialise in cocktails but you can eat as much as you want for nothing. There is one at Via Porta Rossa 63r, near the Duomo where one night the buffet has a curry theme, there are quite a few that have special themes

Tuscany is probably Italy’s best known wine producing region so an ideal opportunity for tasting some local wines. The reds are mainly from Sangiovese grapes and depending on which part of the region can be Chianti or Montepulciano, for whites keep an eye out for Trebbiano and Vermentino

Pisa

Restaurants & Bars

Antica Trattoria Il Campano, Via Cavalca 19, has fabulous pasta dishes, it is a lovely place for lunch outside on the terrace and there are some very unusual twists in the cooking.

Ristorante La Mescita, Via Cavalca 2, near the Vettovaglie Market just off the main street this place has excellent cooking, a short menu but all the choices were wonderful and the wine list is very good, booking recommended.

Lo Sfizio, Borgo Stretto is an old fashioned café, they have an apperitivo buffet in the evening and reasonably priced drinks, the meals do not get good reports so stick to a drink.

At the end of the Borgo Stretto is the Botega del Gelato, a great ice cream shop.

Bazeel, Piazza Garibaldi, is a very modern lively bar but with very reasonable priced excellent wines and is open late, Good for a pre dinner drink, outside gets a bit noisy later on, but good service and a free buffet at apperitivo time.

Bar Centro, Piazza Garibaldi, is a very reasonable place to sit outside.

In Florence to do justice to the city known as the cradle of the Renaissance you do really need a good guide book. The crowds can be too much sometimes and perhaps it is for this reason that I find that it is a city that grows on you the more often you visit. The evenings when it is quieter are magic and many of the amazing sites are inside buildings, so keep looking.

You can take a local bus No. 7 to the lovely hill top town of Fiesole for wonderful views of Florence. Follow the signs for the viewing area and the climb up from the main square will be worth the effort.

Siena

So worth a day trip and easily reached by SITA bus from bus station, left of the front of the train station, fast bus via the motorway takes an hour and a quarter and stops very near the old centre, you can take the train but the station in Siena is a long way downhill from the old part, therefore the bus is handier.

L’Osteria, Via del Rossi 79/81, is a great local restaurant, ideal for a lunchtime meal, really good cooking and reasonable prices.

As usual check the web sites www.booking.com and www.hotels.com, there are also apartments available to let and on our most recent visit we used an Italian company www.halldis.com who have some lovely apartments in Bologna and other Italian cities and offer a very professional service.

Albergo Atlantic, Via Galliera 46 is a short walk from the station and is a very well appointed reasonably priced hotel. The staff are very pleasant and the location is excellent.

Restaurants

Bologna is known as the food capital of Italy and it certainly lives up to that reputation. One piece of advice is if you want to have lunch on a Sunday book in advance, as a number of our favourite places were fully booked when we tried to get lunch.

L’Arcimboldo, Via Galliera 34/e, is highly recommended,the food and service was top notch. Every dish we had was excellent and there is a reasonably priced wine list. The atmosphere is lovely, the food outstanding and worth every euro, booking is a must. Returned on our most recent visit and it was again excellent, booking essential and try for the ground floor area.

Via Con Me, Via S. Gervasio 5/D, is close to the Mercato delle Erbe and is  owned by the same people as Camera a Sud. It is a relaxed place for dinner and has an interesting menu with some twists on traditional dishes.

Va Mo La, Via delle Moline 3, is a beautiful looking place and having been tempted inside we were not disappointed, in fact we enjoyed it so much we returned for a second visit. The food is very good, the service lovely and the atmosphere great.

Cantina Bentivoglio, Via Mascarella, restaurant and jazz venue, this was recommended by some locals and we managed this time to get a table for dinner, we were very impressed with the food and the wine and the setting. The jazz takes place in the cellar area we ate at a table on the ground floor. a definite for a return visit. O a recent return we again loved the food, wine, service and atmosphere.

A Balus, Via del Borgo di San Pietro 9/2A, is a recent opening by the same owners as Va Mo La and we really enjoyed it on our most recent visit to the city. It has been well designed, with two separate rooms, excellent service and very good food.

Altro, Mercato delle Erbe, is one of the two main eating areas in the market of the same name, good cooking, friendly service, and a great atmosphere. It was another place that warranted two visits on a past trip.

Polpette e Crescentine, Mercato delle Erbe, was a different choice for us from previous visits but we could see how popular it was with locals and were lucky to secure a table, very good food, the tortellini in brodo was excellent.

Banco 32, Mercato delle Erbe, is in the old fish section of the market and offers small plates of fish and seafood dishes. There is a daily changing menu based on what is available and is excellent value and a lively place to eat.

Pescheria San Gervasio, Via Belverdere 13D, is just outside the Mercato delle Erbe, it is a small place with a few tables on the terrace.The offerings are fish and seafood and are well cooked and excellent value.

Simoni Laboratorio, Via Pescherie Vecchie 3/B, is one of many similar places in this street but as the offshoot of one of the most respected meat and cheese providers in the city I think it is the best.Lovely meat and cheese platters, various breads and other dishes and very pleasant service. we used to stop sometimes for a glass of wine but prices seem high compared with other places.

Butchers Shop, Via Pescherie Vecchie 10/A is a butchers shop in this great foodie street, you can sit outside at the window and sample roast chicken, rabbit, great vegetable dishes and roast potatoes with a wine, good quality and great value. There are a couple of other shops including a fishmonger nearly doing dishes to eat.

Borgo 979, Via Gioto 12/A is a small place doing meat and cheese platters with a decent selection of wines and beers, friendly service.

051 are a group of of wines bars and restaurants around the city, the wine bar near the Mercato de Erbe is handy for a wine, there is also one near Simoni above, I do not think the platters are as good as Simoni but they are worth a visit if you come across any of the seven branches.

Osteria dell Orsa, Via Mentana 1,is a very popular cheap eating option,no bookings, communal & separate tables inside, and tables on the terrace in warmer weather. Good quality and friendly service and open all day.

La Montanara, Via Augusto Righi 15a, is one of many places in the street but stands out as it looks lovely and the food does not disappoint. There is a short but very tempting menu and everything was well cooked, the house wine was very reasonably priced. Fully booked when we tried to visit recently so a must, with a booking, for next time.

Tamburini, Via Caprarie is a Bologna institution as one of the best known food shops, it also does a great value self service lunch with pasta, mains, various drinks. Grab a tray and follow the locals and go early as otherwise there is no chance of a table.

Eataly, Via degli Orefici 19, is a food emporium with a bookshop attached. It was the first branch in Italy and while it is still worth a visit and a stop for a coffee or a wine, reviews of the food have been mixed recently. There is now Fico Eataly World, a huge complex outside the city which gets mixed reports.

Ice Cream is a big thing here and one of the best to try after a meal or in fact any time is from Galliera Bottega Gelateria, Via Galliera 49/B. Locals say it is the best in the city and the flavours are amazing.

Bars

The two main areas for a wide choice of places on previous visits seemed to be around the University and along Via Del Pratello. This time however the area around the Mercato delle Erbe was definitely our area of choice with some great bars and restaurants.

Saravino, Via Belvedere 11/a, is just outside the Mercado delle Erbe, there are a number of bars in this street but this was our favourite. Friendly staff and a good atmosphere. tables outside are prized but squeeze inside until a table comes free.

Bar Senza Nome, Via Belvedere 11/b is an excellent bar run entirely by deaf staff, the wines are very reasonably priced and it had great atmosphere.

Vineria All Erbe is in the market building, and has a very good wines selection and some good food on offer. Definitely worth a visit and very helpful staff to assist with your choice.

Also in the market in one of the corners in the Altro restaurant part is a small wine bar with an excellent range of reasonably priced wines and panini.

Fabrik in Righi, Via Augusto Righi32/e is a recently opened bar and became a firm favourite. The staff are friendly, the tables both inside and outside comfortable and they have a great food and wine selection. The platters and the crostini are top notch and reasonably priced. On our most recent visit this was again a favourite, service, wine and food all top notch. Our favourite without a doubt when we are in Bologna. Service and quality as excellent as ever on our most recent visit,

Gianni Vini, Via Frederico Venturini 1, is just off Via Augusto Righi and seems to have changed into more of a wine bar than the wine shop I remembered. We visited a couple of times and enjoyed the wines.

Camera A Sud (AMO), Via Valdonica is a modern wine bar also doing small meals, very popular and always a place to visit, have yet to eat there but can usually get a place outside or at the bar for a wine.

Cafe Rubik, Via Marsala 31/b is a small quirky bar with outdoor seating on one of the many covered colonnades, pleasant owner.

Marsalino, Via Marsala 13/d, was a recent find and it is a lovely bar.It is very popular especially early evening, good wine, food and cocktails and a fun atmosphere. On a visit on our last stay the bar was full but the manner of telling us that was unfortunate.

Enoteca Italiana, Via Marsala 2/b, is fabulous wine shop and grocers also serving wine and food, not the cheapest in the city but well worth a visit, The range of wines is amazing.

Antica Drogheria Calzolari, Via Giuseppe Petroni 9, is in the university area and is a beautiful old school wine shop where you can also get a glass of wine. They have an excellent range of wines and they are very reasonably priced.

Enoteca Storica Faccioli, Via Altabella 15/B, is an old school wine bar in the centre of the city, it is more expensive than some similar places but is worth a visit.

Signorvino, Piazetta Maggiore 1,is a wine bar and wine shop and given its situation with a terrace on Bologna’s main square looks like somewhere that will be overpriced but not at all. A bottle of local sparkling or white wine starts at around 11 Euros, there is no mark up on the wines from the shop prices. A great place to share a bottle of wine although the service can be slow. They also serve wine by the glass but much better value by the bottle.

Drogheria Gilberto, Via Drapperie 5,is a lovely old school grocers and wine shop with a small bar at the back, very good to buy wine and food souvenirs and then have a lovely glass of wine.

Vineria Favalli, Via San Stefano 5, we first came across on an early visit and were impressed with the wines on offer. On our most recent visit we popped in a couple of times and really enjoyed the wines and service,. they also have a place next door doing food. Tried the food on our most recent visit and it was excellent.

There are a number of very busy bars close to the church of San Francisco attracting mainly a young crowd.Antica Taverna De Marchi opposite the church is very popular and the prices are incredibly cheap.

Lortica, Via Mascarella 26, is in the heart of student land but is well worth a visit, it has a wide range of drinks and is very reasonably priced.

Zanarini, Piazza Calvani, is a fabulous cake and chocolate shop with a bar where you get to graze on the excellent buffet when you buy a glass of wine, spritz or cocktail. Worth every euro as the quality is excellent, it turns into a very reasonable light lunch.

Drink

Aperitivo time, is mainly found in Northern Italy, we first came across it in Milan. Between 6 and 9 pm, locals go out for an aperitivo drink, often a campari or aperol spritz, a martini, or several other choices. Bars will lay on a buffet of finger food free to be eaten with your drink. Often the drink is more expensive to cover the food but depending on the quality of the buffet you can almost have your evening meal as many younger students seem to do. Choose a bar popular with locals and a good buffet and join the aperitivo scene.

Bologna is in Emilia Romagna one of Italy’s many wine growing regions producing around 15% of all wine. The reds from this area are Sangiovese and Lambrusco used in sparkling reds, try the Lambrusco you will be pleasantly surprised by how good it can be. For whites look out for Malvasia and Pignoletto from around Bologna. The Pignoletto whites are available as sparkling and normal white both are very good.

 

Walk around the old centre of the city, and the market streets to the east of the Piazza Maggiore. It doesn’t matter what area you wander around you are bound to be walking through some of the 44 kms of arcades in the city.

Modena is well worth a visit, it is only 30 minutes from Bologna by train and is a lovely city to explore. It is also home to one of the top three restaurants in the world Osteria Francescana, however if it is out of your price range and failed to get a booking three months in advance there is an alternative. There is a less formal and cheaper version also owned by Massimo Bottura called Franceschetta 58 at Via Vignolese 58. It is about ten minutes walk from the centre and is open for lunch and dinner. The food is outstanding, the service great and the price for the quality simply amazing. Booking required and this can be done on line.