I have an autoimmune disease and feel much better with a gluten free diet although I am not a celiac. Any thoughts on trying to maintain a gluten free diet in Rome, Florence and the cinque terre.
Posted by
Toledo, Ohio, US
11613 posts
It's easier to do in Italy than almost anywhere else. I now have to avoid gluten,too. In restaurants, the phrase is "senza glutine". Waiters and chefs understand this very well and will suggest food according to your needs. Some post gluten-free menu choices. It's important to state that you can't eat gluten because some items may be dredged in flour before cooking (some meats, fish and even vegetables).
For snacks, grocery stores and pharmacies will have gluten-free sections.
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
Here is a New York Times article indicating that Italy is very gluten-aware; at the end are links for further details: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/29/travel/gluten-free-dining-in-italy.html?_r=0
Here are some threads from this forum on the subject of gluten-free in Italy:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/gluten-free-in-milan-possible-or-pipe-dream
Posted by
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA
13934 posts
Some restaurants will also offer gluten-free pasta if you ask for it. I am vegan but not gluten free and in Venice when I asked about vegan choices (I had a card printed out), the waiter raced back to the kitchen and came back with a package of gluten free pasta that was also vegan. It was actually very good! I found most waiters very helpful and eager to help me find something to eat.
Even though you are not celiac, know that I found that when asking for "no cheese" on something I was easily understood if I made a frowny face and pointed to my stomach. Lactose intolerance they understood (even though I'm not really lactose intolerant)!
Posted by
Midwest
2768 posts
I have not done this (yet) but am researching because my son is celiac. Apparently, it is very easy. Italy tests all their citizens for celiac, and the prevalence is apparently rather high. So there is a lot of awareness. Search for "gluten free in Rome" and such and you will come up with plenty of places that have options.
Also, figure out what common foods are naturally gluten free - meats prepared simply, gelato, risotto, etc. And, of course, picnics are easy. Proscuitto, cheeses, fruits, veggies... The biggest issue will be pastas and pizzas, and plenty of restaurants will serve gluten free versions. If your hotel serves breakfast, contact them ahead of time and it's quite likely they will procure gluten free breads and let you know what else on the breakfast is gluten free. Finally, gluten free food is supposed to be easy to come by in grocery stores and pharmacies. I've had no trouble in Spain, England, and France, and I hear Italy is even better. Yes, pharmacies - celiac is a medical condition, so plenty of pharmacies stock GF foods. The term is Senza Glutine and there's a label and logo on everything. According to my research, and again, Spain etc all have good labels. This can be good for getting crackers for your meat-and-cheese picnic, having quick snacks in your bag, etc.
When traveling anywhere I do not speak the language fluently, I print out gluten free cards to explain the condition to the restaurant from somewhere like this http://www.celiactravel.com/cards/ There is no need to go into your reasons, just say you don't eat gluten.
A website I found with plenty of info:
http://www.primalpalate.com/paleo-blog/eating-gluten-free-in-italy/
Posted by
OP
18 posts
Thank you all so much. I have read through all this info and feel a lot more confident that I will eat well and not inconvenience my family.