Italian Shopping and Food Travel Trilogy

With beautiful natural scenery, long history and rich cultural heritage, Italy is one of the countries with the richest tourism resources in the world. According to UNESCO, Italy ranks first in the world in terms of human history and cultural heritage. It receives about 40 million foreign tourists every year, and its foreign exchange earnings rank among the top in the world. If I had to give three reasons to travel to Italy, they should be: shopping, food, and travel! Passionate Sicily, clear and charming Mediterranean scenery, Milan, the fashionable capital, and Rome full of stories, what are you waiting for? Hurry up and go to this warm country! Shopping in Italy: Innovative design concepts are perhaps what Italians are most proud of. The works of Italian fashion designers are global fashion trendsetters. If you are lucky enough to come to Milan, one of the four major fashion capitals in the world, I believe you will feel that your eyes are not enough: Italian fashion, leather shoes, handbags, leather clothes, gold and silver jewelry. Generally speaking, the best time for foreign tourists to shop in Italy is January and July every year. Because this time is the seasonal change of products, many stores, including some well-known brands, are selling at reduced prices. The general sales time starts in January or mid-July and lasts for about a month. Many items are sold at half price, such as rags or leather shoes and boots, and the discounts can be even lower. It is very cost-effective to buy at this time. In addition, Chinese tourists need to pay attention to store opening hours when shopping in Italy. Generally, most shops are closed on Saturdays and Sundays. And every afternoon to 4 p.m., some shops are closed for lunch break. Friendly reminder: If you are a loyal fan of world-famous brands, it is recommended that you ask for and keep the invoice when shopping for customs inspection during tax refund. Please ask your tour guide for details about tax refund. If you want to buy food from Italy and bring it home, you need to understand the relevant regulations of China's animal and plant quarantine department on the entry of animal products (such as cheese, sausage, raw ham, etc.) in advance to avoid unnecessary trouble and economic losses. Gourmet Italy: Coming to a country with world-class cuisine, you cannot live up to the title of "gourmet" without "taotie". First of all, I have to mention the Italian food ambassador——spaghetti. There are about 400 kinds of noodles produced in Italy, mainly divided into four categories: linear, granular, hollow, and fancy. The noodles are made from flour ground from local durum wheat. The protein content is about 50% higher than that of ordinary wheat. They are rich in nutrients and have a tough texture. Some noodles are made with eggs. The pasta is delicious and attractive because the sauce with the pasta is very fragrant. For a long time, Italians have explored many ways to prepare noodles and sauces, making full and bold use of all the animal and plant raw materials given by nature to prepare various sauces with rich flavors, making Italian pasta famous all over the world. Italy has many famous dishes and specialties, including: spaghetti with onions and bacon in Rome, braised rice with saffron in Milan, roast suckling pig in Sardinia, veal in Florence, macaroni and hoisin sauce and grilled fish in Naples , fried bagels and cereals from Genoa, spaghetti and lasagna from Bologna, prosciutto and mushrooms from Parma, cheese from Parmigiano, desserts from Sicily and pea rice from Venice. How can we reasonably eat so many delicious foods? Generally speaking, you should drink an aperitif before your main Italian meal, such as dry or sweet campari and martini. Cocktails and champagne are also available as aperitifs. Provide appetizing cold dishes such as sausages, olives, sardines, fresh lettuce, etc. Serve immediately after appetizer and season with olive oil. After the appetizers are the first course, which is pasta, macaroni or rice. The second course is a meat dish such as steak, roast leg of lamb or fish. The third course is cheese or ham. The fourth course is dessert or seasonal fruit. Typically, a cup of strong coffee is served after lunch. Italians usually drink wine with dinner.

Drink red wine when eating meat dishes; drink white wine when eating fish or seafood; drink sweet wine after eating desserts. Non-drinkers usually drink mineral water with or without steam. Wandering in Italy: There are so many places worth visiting in Italy, and they will give you a 100% fresh feeling every time you go. But there is one place you can't miss. The world-famous city of Venice maintains its charming style with its glorious history. Since the eighth century, Venice has been ruled by the French Doge. By the tenth century, the French Republic had become a well-known power in the Mediterranean. All Venetian merchants were as brave and enterprising as the Cairpolo family. In 1932, the world's first film festival, the Venice Film Festival, was held here. Today, it remains one of the most important international film festivals in the world. In Venice, you can just walk around, take one of the popular cruises, or spend a little more and take a cruise. Let’s talk about the Grand Canal first. The canal surrounds the entire city for more than three kilometers, and the reflections of various palaces can be seen on the river. Go straight ahead and you will see Pontedi Rialto. The center of the city is St. Kyle's Square, where St. Kyle's Cathedral is located. This church with gilded patterns and precious marble was built in the 9th century. It has since been damaged and restored many times and remains a beautiful work of art. Next, you should visit the Duke's Palace, which was the residence of the Doge of the Republic of Venice and the seat of the Republic's government. This impressive ninth-century building is located next to Place Saint-Caire and faces the sea. There is a Bridge of Sighs between the palace and the prison, connecting the two places. In the Place Saint-Caire, there are 12 columns facing the sea, two of which have statues on the top.

At the top of one column stands a statue of a winged lion, the symbol of Venice; at the top of another column stands an original statue of Saint Teodoro, patron saint of Venice. Of course, you should not miss the museums there: the Accademia Museum is one of the most important museums in Italy, and the Guggenheim Collection houses representative works of modern artists such as Picasso. Additionally, there are several small islands around Venice that are well worth a visit. Having said so much, I guess you can’t help but be curious and yearning for Italy now, right? Don’t worry, Italy has a warm climate and four distinct seasons. Every season has its unique natural scenery and unexpected harvests you can't imagine. So as long as you have time, Italy will make your trip worthwhile.