Italy is known for its food. It has a reputation, and the Italians do not fail when it comes to living up to it. Although cheap eats, such as paninis and pizzas, are possible to find in most Italian cities, most of the food is not cheap, especially in heavy tourist locations.
When by the water in Italy, it is almost guaranteed that prices will be a bit more than usual. The beautiful Italian coastlines and lakes attract millions of tourists each year. It is no surprise that millions of hungry tourists and impeccable fresh seafood and pastas results in higher prices.
The trick is experiencing the high quality food in these places while not breaking the bank. So, what restaurants and dishes should you be on the lookout for? Let’s start with Italy’s largest lake, Lake Garda.
Lake Garda is more inexpensive than its neighbor, Lake Como, but the prices are still more than what you would find in cities like Florence and Siena. Italians say that Lake Como is more touristy than Lake Garda. Lake Garda is a summer vacation place for many Italian families and couples, looking for a nice getaway from the cities but without the crowds that places like the Amalfi Coast experiences.
The energy in Lake Garda is relaxed. Most of the restaurants are on the water. It would be a shame to not experience the views of the turquoise waters and the Italian Alps in the background while enjoying one of the renowned seafood dishes or pizzas. The colorful lakeside villages have dining options with views you would dream of, and it’s possible to experience it for under 20 euros a meal.
If you see a restaurant that interests you, look it up on Google. If it has more than 3.5 stars, it should not disappoint. Read the reviews. Most importantly, be sure to check the dollar signs next to the restaurant name. If it has three dollar signs, it may be a bit out of budget and pricey. Two dollar signs or less for a well-reviewed restaurant is a good sign.
If going to Lake Garda, one of the most inexpensive yet beautiful places to stay is the town of Peschiera del Garda. A train station is located near the town’s center. Nice hostels are approximately 23 euros a night, such as the Garda Lake Hostel, which can be found at hostelworld.com. Three star hotels average around 100 euros a night.
In the stunning historic district of Peschiera del Garda, there is a floating restaurant on the canal that has perfect views of the lake and pastel-colored town. Caffe Centrale’s menu is diverse, and all of the food is magnificent. The pizza is the perfect amount of crispy. The cheesiness is ideal and the other flavors all add to make the taste even better. The pizzas are all around six euros. The mixed seafood spaghetti is what the restaurant is known for. The combination of shrimp, mussels and clams is a flavor explosion in the mouth. They all complement each other well. This is one of the restaurant’s most expensive dishes at 15 euros. For a simple pasta, the rigatoni alla cubana meets high expectations. The acidity and flavor of the tomato sauce is perfect and does not take over the other flavors of the pasta. It is nine euros. Come to this restaurant to enjoy idyllic views of Lake Garda while watching swans swim by as you wait for your meal. It is magical. For more information on this restaurant, click here.
The views of Garda get even better as you head to the north section of the lake, which is home to the Italian Alps. The town of Malcesine has a cable car that can be take up into the mountains for 22 euros. The tickets are bought at tourist booths in the town below. The views are stunning up top and there are three restaurants as well. However, they are all quite pricey. Pastas go for 16 euros minimum. The best thing to do is head to the lakefront and enjoy a meal on the water looking out at the Alps. The restaurant Italia da Nikolas has everything you could ask for in terms of views, food quality and price.
The best thing to get there for the amazing price is one of the many pizzas. They are an average of seven euros and could easily feed two people. For more information, click here.
The price range is similar along the Amalfi Coast. In Sorrento, it would be a shame to miss a meal at the beautiful harbor due to the tendency for the prices to be higher than the restaurants that are more toward the center of the town.
Trattoria da Emilia is one of the best restaurants in Sorrento, it is along the harbor and it is possible to go there without spending a fortune. This is the perfect place to taste Italy’s seafood. It all comes in fresh to the harbor and is served the same day.
The chef’s favorite dish is the homemade seafood pasta, which comes with mussels, clams and shrimp. Two glasses of wine and the pasta still comes out to around 20 euros. It is best to share with people at this restaurant. The portion sizes are large.
A waitress at the restaurant said “there is no better place to try the seafood than right now because it will never be so fresh and tasty.” How could you not order it?
Mariana Castillo, a student that ordered the dish, said that “they did not lie; the pasta was fantastic.”
For more information on the restaurant, click here. There are many other options along the harbor with prices that are only slightly higher.
Cinque Terre is more expensive than Sorrento because it is more popular for tourists. The trick is to balance your meals. For instance, one meal could be a seven-euro gnocchi pesto from Pasta Takeaway in Manarola, and then another meal could be a nice sea bass dish from a restaurant such as Il Porticciolo. The sea bass dish was 22 euros.
While dining in Italy, watch carefully to not augment extra charges. Servers will incessantly bring bread to your table as you finish each basket. However, often times they will charge you for each bread basket. This is the same for water. Stay alert and save the money.
Dining by the water in Italy is a must. Treat yourself occasionally, and remember that you should not assume it’s impossible to eat at the fancier restaurants if you are on a budget. Do your research, while being smart with what you order, and all of your Italian food fantasies could come true.