We Asked 10 Travel Pros Their Favorite Food Destination in the World—and They All Picked the Same Place

Sometimes, a vacation can not just change the way you see the world, but how you taste it too. And if you need a prime example of what we mean, all you need to do is book a flight to one special European nation.

While food and food preferences are subjective, we reached out to our community of travel experts to ask about their go-to favorite food-filled destination—and one spot kept coming up over and over again: Italy . As a country where a plate of pasta with three simple ingredients or an easy slice of pizza can stop you in your tracks (and costs just a few euros to enjoy), it's easy to see why.

"Italian cuisine is more than just food; it's a convivial social ritual that brings families and communities together, particularly in the southern regions where recipes are passed down from grandparents to grandchildren," Anita Cagnazzo, founder and managing director of The Secret Explorer , shared with Travel + Leisure . For Cagnazzo, what elevates Italian cuisine above all others is "the care and patience involved in the preparation. Many dishes require hours—or even days—of careful seasoning and cooking, which helps preserve the full flavor and nutritional value of wholesome ingredients often sourced locally and seasonally."

In fact, this process and care are so central to Italy's identity that it recently became the first country to have its national cuisine recognized by UNESCO as part of its intangible cultural heritage list . What makes it even more remarkable is that it wasn't recognized for one single dish (though a spaghetti pomadoro certainly deserves it), but rather for the sheer variety of things people can try while there.

"Italy is probably the most passionate food culture in the world," Michael Kovnick, CEO of Culture Discovery Vacations , who has spent 41 years traveling between the U.S. and Italy, said. "Every region has not only incredibly diverse cuisine, but global appeal."

As for how to experience peak Italian cuisine, Kovnick says it's critical to skip the tourist zones entirely. "Walk into any small mom and pop trattoria that has no English menu on the outside," he said. "It will invariably be true local farm to table without needing to say so."

Claudia Tavani, founder of Strictly Sardinia , agreed with all their points, adding that the variety is indeed what makes it such a special place to travel and dine. And if you can, she says, it's a good idea to drive around and try as many local dishes as possible. "Each town, village, and even each family has its own recipes, often passed from one generation to the next," she shared. Tavani pointed to her native Sardinia as a prime example, where the beloved pasta dish culurgiones is made differently in every village of the Ogliastra region. However, she also noted you absolutely shouldn't skip over the impossibly straightforward dishes, either. "Think of cacio e pepe pasta," she said. "It literally has three ingredients: pasta, pecorino cheese, and black pepper. Five, if you want to count the pasta water and salt."

And really, it's this simplicity that is Italy's secret ingredient. Louree Elena Maya , a luxury experience host who has lived in the Tuscan village of Montefollonico for a decade, described it as "a kind of quiet confidence." She added. "Nothing is overcomplicated, everything is done well, and with love."

If you only have time to go to one place, Bologna may have the strongest claim to calling itself the country's culinary capital.

"Bologna is the reigning champion," said Kat Smith, Italian local and co-founder of Mamma Mia Indeed . "Even Italians agree that Bologna is the Capital of Cuisine within the country." This is backed up by some seriously delicious options in town like lasagna, tagliatelle al ragù, tortellini, mortadella, Parmesan cheese, and prosciutto di Parma, which all trace their roots here. "Nothing beats eating the real thing where it's from," Smith added.

Though Florence makes an equally compelling case, according to Kenny Dunn, founder of Eating Europe . "What makes Florence extraordinary is the diversity of its offerings; there are delicious, authentic options in every class and category," he said. "You can wander into a multi-generational trattoria that hasn't changed in fifty years and order ribollita, gnudi, or pici. Dishes made the same way since your great-grandparents were alive, and they will be perfect."

Then there is Naples, which three of our travel professionals all agreed is perhaps the best place to go if you can only visit one city.

"What makes Naples special is that food isn't treated as something exceptional; it's just part of everyday life, and that's exactly why it's so good," Fabio Bin, co-founder and CMO at WeRoad , shared. "You don't need a fine dining restaurant to have an unforgettable meal. A pizza, a plate of pasta, or even street food eaten standing up can be just as memorable."

Veteran travel journalist David Yeskel , who has spent 25 years covering food destinations around the world, agreed, singling out Naples' pizza a portafoglio, "a thinner, smaller Margherita pizza folded into quarters and eaten while standing up," as the ultimate expression of what Italian street food can be. "At an average price of about 2 euros," he noted, "the freshly-made snack is a gourmet value proposition unmatched elsewhere."

Angela DiLanzo of Departure Lounge agreed, summing it up by sharing: "But have you had a pizza from Naples? The sauce is made from tomatoes that grew out of the ash of Pompeii, and has a slight sweetness. The cheese is from another world."

And then, tucked at the southwestern tip of the island of Sicily, is Palermo, a city that Aida Mollenkamp, founder and CEO of Salt & Wind Travel , couldn't stop gushing over. "Palermo isn't a city where you eat well because it's been polished for tourists," she said. "You eat well because the food culture is ancient, layered, and still deeply alive."

The city's markets—Ballaro, Vucciria, and Capo—have been operating since the Arab period, which Mollenkamp said adds to its allure. "Walk through Ballaro on any morning, and you'll find vendors frying panelle, stuffing arancini to order, and grilling stigghiola over charcoal," she said. "These aren't re-creations for visitors but genuinely how locals eat."

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