![\"\"](\"https:\/\/toursoftuscany.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Foto-05-08-18-14-40-55-1-244x300.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
If you\u2019ve never been to Italy before, there are likely to be a variety of things that you don\u2019t know about the country \u2013 especially in the category of food and drink. It may not seem important, but having a better understanding of what\u2019s on offer and general differences between what you\u2019re used to and what you\u2019re likely to find can certainly be beneficial.<\/p>\n
With plenty of experience in living in this part of Italy, our experts at Tours of Tuscany are here to help you, offering a few tips that we think you might find handy to know before you come over for a trip. In no particular order, here are 10 things we think you should know:<\/p>\n
The first meal of the day is quite an important one \u2013 after all, it gives you some extra energy which can help to prepare you for the day ahead. When you\u2019re on a holiday in a location like this, you\u2019re going to want to be ready to explore. It is important to note that breakfasts here generally consist of a small pastry and coffee and while it tastes nice, if you\u2019re used to eating a bit more, you may want to prepare a few snacks for later.<\/p>\n
While there\u2019s a good chance that you\u2019re going to find classic Italian meals wherever you go, it\u2019s important to note that each part of Tuscany is likely to have its own variations of these dishes, as well as specialities that aren\u2019t as common in other areas. If you plan to see as much of this destination as possible on your holiday, be sure to try a variety of foods to see just how delicious the many options are.<\/p>\n
As mentioned above, there some fantastic options for your perusal \u2013 but even with this in mind, you may still walk into a restaurant and be unsure of what to eat. Don\u2019t pick blindly, instead take some time to learn a little bit more about some of the fantastic foods and decide which ones you\u2019re keen to try ready for when you visit a Tuscan eatery. A few great examples of dishes to try include:<\/p>\n
You should also taste some of the many sweet deserts too, with a few great examples being panforte di Siena, torta della nonna and cantucci.<\/p>\n
Typically, you\u2019ll find that the cost of cappuccino is quite low, often coming in at around \u20ac1.50 \u2013 and espressos are often even cheaper, with the average price being just \u20ac1. With this in mind, it\u2019s not hard to see why making a quick stop at a cafe and enjoying a nice drink can be a good idea. On a side note, ask for\u00a0un caffe con latte\u00a0<\/em>instead of just a latte if you want one, since this will just get you a glass of milk!<\/p>\n Lunch in Tuscany is often served around 1pm and since most eateries will close at 3pm at the latest, it\u2019s often wise to not wait too long to grab a bite to eat. There are many ready-made Panini bars and touristy restaurants that are open all day \u2013 but if you want something substantial and traditional, it\u2019s often best to get there on time. Dinner is a similar case, although this meal is often served at 8pm, so you may have to wait quite a while for the trattorias to open up.<\/p>\n Typically, cafes are called bars in Italy (rather than a place for alcoholic drinks) and while there are quite a few that are perfect for sitting down for a few hours and enjoying a nice coffee, most are quite a bit different. It\u2019s more common here for individuals to come to a bar for a quick coffee break from work, so generally people will drink their coffee standing up and go.<\/p>\n Tipping isn\u2019t a necessity, although it\u2019s always welcome from tourists and locals alike. The coperto fee however, is something that you will have to pay if the eatery you go to charges it. Basically, this cost is for the plate and cutlery used (and sometimes for bread, too). While not all establishments will include coperto on the bill, there are many that do. It\u2019s not a surprise cost though \u2013 you can often find the price of it on the menu.<\/p>\n Tuscany is home to many excellent gelato shops and you simply can\u2019t not taste at least a few during your stay. Not all gelaterias have premium gelato (with some catering more to crowds of tourists than anything else), there are several shops that focus on quality instead of quantity \u2013 and these are the ones that you should aim to look out for.<\/p>\n A helpful tip: a store that says\u00a0gelato artigiano<\/em>\u00a0or\u00a0artigianale<\/em>\u00a0makes their gelato with fresh, quality ingredients.<\/p>\n If you didn\u2019t know already (although we\u2019re sure you do), Tuscany is often known as Italy\u2019s \u201cwine region\u201d, thanks to the fact that some of country\u2019s best wines are produced here. This is just one of the reasons why any connoisseurs won\u2019t want to pass up a few of the many classics. Each area has something different to offer, delicious varieties that you simply can\u2019t get anywhere else. From Chianti to Carmignano, there are just so many options.<\/p>\n Italy is home to a variety of wonderful cheeses and you\u2019re sure to find that you just have to try some of the amazing ones made here in Tuscany. Have a taste of pecorino if you get the chance, whether it\u2019s fresh, semi-aged, or aged. It\u2019s a speciality particularly in the Pienza and Val d\u2019Orica areas, so don\u2019t miss the opportunity to get some from these locations during your stay.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" 10 Things That Are Good to Know About Food in Tuscany If you\u2019ve never been to Italy before, there are likely to be a variety of things that you don\u2019t know about the country \u2013 especially in the category of food and drink. It may not seem important, but having a better understanding of what\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1073,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/toursoftuscany.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1072"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/toursoftuscany.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/toursoftuscany.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/toursoftuscany.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/toursoftuscany.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1072"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/toursoftuscany.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1072\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/toursoftuscany.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1073"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/toursoftuscany.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1072"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/toursoftuscany.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1072"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/toursoftuscany.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1072"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}You have to be on time for dinner and lunch<\/strong><\/h2>\n
The cafes may not be what you\u2019re used to<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Tipping restaurants (and the coperto charge)<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Find yourself quality gelato<\/strong><\/h2>\n
There are many great bottles of wine<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Enjoy some incredible cheese<\/strong><\/h2>\n