Top Day Trips in Italy

Modena (balsamico, Massimo Bottura) ★ 4.8 · Bologna

Modena, 25 minutes from Bologna by train, is the capital of Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale DOP, the Confraternita del Tortellino headquarters, and home to Massimo Bottura's three-Michelin-starred Osteria Francescana.

Tip: Trains from Bologna Centrale every 20 minutes; the historic acetaie are best visited Tuesday and Friday mornings. Book Osteria Francescana five months ahead.

Bologna ★ 4.8 · Florence

Bologna, 100km north of Florence and 37 minutes by Frecciarossa train, is the canonical Emilia-Romagna kitchen, with tagliatelle al ragu (never spaghetti bolognese), tortellini in brodo and the Mercato delle Erbe.

Franciacorta Wine Country ★ 4.8 · Milan

Franciacorta south of Lake Iseo is Italy's answer to Champagne, producing metodo classico sparkling wines from Chardonnay, Pinot Nero and Pinot Bianco.

Parma (prosciutto, Parmigiano) ★ 4.7 · Bologna

Parma, an hour from Bologna by train, is the capital of Prosciutto di Parma DOP and Parmigiano Reggiano DOP, home to the Salumeria Garibaldi salumi shop and the famous Parmigiano-aging cellars.

Tip: Trains from Bologna Centrale every 30 minutes; the prosciutto factory visits are best booked through Italian Days Food Experience three weeks ahead.

Montalcino ★ 4.7 · Florence

Montalcino, 110km south of Florence, holds the Brunello di Montalcino DOCG appellation, with 250 producers including Biondi-Santi, Argiano, Casanova di Neri and the annual Brunello Anteprima tasting every February.

Bergamo Alta ★ 4.7 · Milan

Bergamo Alta from Milan in 50 minutes by train is the definitive Lombard food day trip. The walled upper city's trattorie serve casoncelli alla bergamasca (pasta in

Amalfi Coast (Positano, Amalfi, Ravello) ★ 4.7 · Naples

The Amalfi Coast between Positano and Cetara is the source of the Cetara anchovies (colatura di alici) that flavour half the city's pasta sauces; a day trip combines UNESCO coast scenery with the fishing-village seafood counter.

Tip: Cetara is the anchovy capital; the Bar San Pietro on the harbour square sells the colatura di alici direct from the producer.

Mazzorbo ★ 4.7 · Venice

Mazzorbo is the next-door island to Burano in the northern lagoon, the canonical wine-resort day trip for Venissa's 1-star Michelin restaurant and Dorona-grape vineyard.

Tip: Venissa closed Mondays and seasonally in winter. Book four weeks ahead. The vineyard tour is included with lunch.

Savigno (white truffle) ★ 4.6 · Bologna

Savigno, an hour from Bologna by car, is the Apennine truffle village at the heart of the Bolognese white truffle harvest. The annual Tartufesta festival runs every weekend through October and November.

Tip: Drive 45km southwest via SP25; the truffle market on Sunday in Piazza XV Agosto runs October through November. Book trattoria lunch three weeks ahead.

San Miniato ★ 4.6 · Florence

San Miniato, 50km west of Florence, holds the annual Mostra Mercato del Tartufo Bianco every November weekend, with the rare San Miniato white truffle harvested from the surrounding Tuscan hills.

Siena ★ 4.6 · Florence

Siena, 75km south of Florence, runs the canonical pici cacio e pepe in every trattoria off Piazza del Campo, with the panforte and ricciarelli pastry tradition that the Nannini bar pours alongside espresso.

Lake Como ★ 4.6 · Milan

Lake Como from Milan is a 45-minute train ride to a different culinary register. The lakeside trattorie in Varenna and Bellagio serve agoni fritto, missultin with po

Mantova (Mantua) ★ 4.6 · Milan

Mantova is the UNESCO world heritage city where the tortello di zucca was invented: sweet pumpkin filling in egg pasta served in butter and crushed amaretti, one of

Procida ★ 4.6 · Naples

Procida, the smallest island in the Bay of Naples, runs the pastel-hued Marina di Corricella waterfront where a lunch of grilled fish and linguine alle vongole is the entire purpose of the ferry crossing, best from June to September.

Tip: Book a table at Bar Ristorante La Graziella (Via Marina di Corricella 29-43) before the ferry; walk-ups at the waterfront restaurants fill by 12:30.

Paestum (Buffalo Mozzarella Country) ★ 4.6 · Naples

Paestum sits 90 minutes south of Naples in the mozzarella di bufala heartland; Tenuta Vannulo and the Barlotti farm both run on-site stores and restaurants where mozzarella is made to order and goes from curd to your plate in under an hour.

Tip: Arrive at the farm by 10:00; mozzarella sells out by noon. Tenuta Vannulo also runs a buffalo-yogurt bar and gelato counter.

Burano ★ 4.6 · Venice

Burano is the colourful fishing island in the northern lagoon, the canonical day trip for risotto di go (lagoon goby) and Burano biscuits at Trattoria al Gatto Nero.

Tip: Book Al Gatto Nero two weeks ahead. Vaporetto 12 from Fondamente Nove. Combine with Torcello (next stop on 12).

Reggio Emilia (Parmigiano dairies) ★ 4.5 · Bologna

Reggio Emilia, 45 minutes from Bologna by train, is the second Parmigiano Reggiano stronghold with the working dairies at Caseificio La Battagliola, the Sunday Lambrusco lunch and the Romanesque cathedral.

Tip: Trains from Bologna Centrale every 30 minutes; the dairy visits open at 07:00 and the 09:00 visit is the easier to book. Italian Days runs combined tours.

Greve in Chianti ★ 4.5 · Florence

Greve in Chianti, 35km south of Florence, is the historic capital of the Chianti Classico wine region, with the triangular Piazza Matteotti, the Castello di Verrazzano just north and 15 cellars open for tasting within 10km.

Lucca ★ 4.5 · Florence

Lucca, 80km west of Florence inside its 16th-century walls, runs a parallel Tuscan kitchen with the buccellato sweet bread, tordelli lucchesi (pork-and-Swiss-chard ravioli) and the Saturday morning market on Piazza Antelminelli.

Sorrento ★ 4.5 · Naples

Sorrento sits above a clifftop with views of Vesuvius, an hour from Naples by Circumvesuviana train; the gnocchi alla sorrentina (baked in a terracotta pot) is the canonical local dish, best at the old-town trattorias.

Tip: The Circumvesuviana costs 4 euros each way; the journey is 65 minutes. Gnocchi, Osteria di Famiglia on Via San Paolo 9 is the food-press pick.

Capri ★ 4.5 · Naples

Capri is an hour from Naples by fast ferry; the insalata caprese was invented on the island and the seafood trattorias above Marina Grande serve it with the original recipe alongside totani in zimino and the local limoncello.

Tip: Book the chairlift up to Anacapri and eat lunch up the hill to avoid the Marina Grande tourist crowds. Last ferry back to Naples is 19:30 in summer.

Ariccia (Porchetta) ★ 4.5 · Rome

Ariccia in Rome's Castelli Romani hills is the home of porchetta: slow-roasted herb-stuffed pork, served as a sandwich with rosetta bread and salt. The Sagra della Porchetta runs each September.

Tip: Half-day trip; lunch at one of the porchetta stalls under the Piazza di Corte loggia. Tickets €5-€8 for sandwich.

Padua (Padova) ★ 4.5 · Venice

Padua is the canonical Veneto food day trip from Venice, the home of Aperol (created in Padua in 1919), Caffè Pedrocchi since 1831 and the Piazza delle Erbe morning markets.

Tip: Pedrocchi opens 08:00. Combine with the Scrovegni Chapel (Giotto frescoes); book chapel slot ahead. Markets in Piazza delle Erbe weekday mornings.

Verona ★ 4.5 · Venice

Verona is the food day trip for Veneto reds, with the Valpolicella wineries 30 minutes north and risotto all'Amarone at trattorias like Bottega del Vino.

Tip: Best for the Amarone wineries; Allegrini and Quintarelli need pre-booking. Train tickets EUR 25 each way; book Italo for cheaper fares.

Torcello ★ 4.5 · Venice

Torcello is the silent first-settled lagoon island, the canonical Hemingway day trip for Locanda Cipriani's garden lunch since 1934 and the Byzantine basilica.

Tip: Locanda Cipriani closed Tuesdays and January. Vaporetto 12 from Fondamente Nove. Pair with the 7th-century cathedral.

Ferrara (cappellacci di zucca, salama da sugo) ★ 4.4 · Bologna

Ferrara, 45 minutes from Bologna by train, is the Renaissance UNESCO city famous for cappellacci di zucca (pumpkin tortelli), salama da sugo (the cured-sausage Christmas dish) and the pasticcio ferrarese pasta bake.

Tip: Trains from Bologna Centrale every 30 minutes; the historic Trattoria L'Oca Giuliva is the cappellacci destination, book a week ahead.

Forlimpopoli (Casa Artusi) ★ 4.4 · Bologna

Forlimpopoli, an hour from Bologna by train, is the birthplace of Pellegrino Artusi and home to Casa Artusi, the cooking museum and school documenting the 1891 La Scienza in Cucina cookbook canon.

Tip: Trains from Bologna to Forlimpopoli-Bertinoro every 30 minutes; the cooking classes run weekend mornings 09:30 to 14:00 and book three weeks ahead.

Ischia ★ 4.4 · Naples

Ischia, the largest island in the Bay of Naples, is the source of the coniglio all'ischitana, the rabbit-and-tomato stew the island's trattorias make in terracotta pots, alongside the local volcanic-soil wines.

Tip: The rabbit dish is best at inland trattorias in Serrara Fontana and Fontana villages, not the port restaurants; book ahead for the July and August peak.

Treviso ★ 4.4 · Venice

Treviso is the canonical Veneto food day trip for radicchio season, with the tiramisu invented at Le Beccherie in 1972 and the canal-side fish market on Saturdays.

Tip: Best in late autumn for radicchio season (November to January). Le Beccherie still serves the original tiramisu; book a week ahead.

Dozza (Enoteca Regionale, painted town) ★ 4.3 · Bologna

Dozza, 45 minutes from Bologna by car, is the painted hilltop town housing the Enoteca Regionale dell'Emilia-Romagna in the 13th-century Rocca Sforzesca, with 800 regional wine labels under one roof.

Tip: Drive 35km southeast via the A14 motorway; the Enoteca Regionale runs daily 10:00 to 18:00. Italian Days runs combined balsamic-and-Dozza tours.