A Vegan in Italy: Travel Tips For Vegetarians and Vegans.

A staff guest post by Amy Brooks.

Vegan

noun

A person who does not eat or use animal products. 

One who abstains from eating animal products or using leather and products tested on animals.

I’ve been vegan for 10 years, before that I was vegetarian for 7. In the UK, this isn’t a problem, most people understand the differences between vegan and vegetarian and there are now many vegan restaurants in the UK (particularly Brighton). Things get a little trickier when I mention I’m gluten intolerant as so many dishes call for flour in a sauce, or require it as a key ingredient.

Travelling is becoming easier and easier every year. Countries such as North Korea, Cuba, and Iran are becoming more accessible. Whilst communication and cultural understanding is becoming easier it can still be tricky to travel confidently if you’re a vegan. Many people get stressed at the thought of being away from the things they know are safe, but this doesn’t have to be the case if you’re prepared to do some research and throw a little caution to the wind.

When I was planning my recent trip to Italy and Croatia, food was a bit of a concern. But although I couldn’t eat much of the classic Italian foods, I could still eat things I enjoy. Being a vegan in Italy doesn’t have to be hard or involve living off salad, it just requires a little common sense and a willingness to jump in and get on with things. Ultimately, all I really want to know before I travel is there’s just one vegan friendly restaurant close to where I’m staying. This means I can explore as far as I want safe in the knowledge I have a backup.

Eating vegan in Italy

In all honesty, it was my gluten intolerance which was more of a concern when heading to Italy. Let’s face it, Italians know their way around a kitchen and most Italian recipes can be made suitable for vegans. The same cannot be said for coeliacs. The 2 “safe” Italian foods, pasta and pizza, are obviously out of the question unless you happen across a restaurant which has the Italian equivalent of Doves Farm.

Photo by: andrima/Fotolia

Now I’m back, I can safely say Italy is really switched on when it comes to vegan travellers. There were a few language barriers at first but all the restaurants were really helpful and went out of their way to help. Florence and Venice were particularly good for this, whether it’s because they’re so touristy I can’t say but we didn’t have any problems. Just try and remember: lo sono vegano. La prego di assicurare che non ci sia né carne o pesce, frutti di mare, né formaggio, burro, salsa di panna, né uova nel mio cibo. It sounds better than: I am vegan. Please ensure there is no meat or fish, seafood, cheese, butter, cream sauce, or eggs in my food. If you really can’t cope, just say lo sono vegano.

I also found a really good co—operative supermarket chain, Conad, which has a fantastic range of vegan food. This certainly made eating out during the day much easier and enabled us to pack more in as we could grab whatever we fancied and just explore. They’re about the largest chain in Italy so the chances of finding one are pretty high although other co-operatives also offer a good range of vegan food.

You’ll be pleased to know that vegan gelato is quite common, particularly in touristy towns and cities. Soia gelato (soy gelato) can be fantastic but make sure you stay away from the chains as they often use the same machine to make the real stuff and the soy gelato.

All in all, being vegan in Italy isn’t tricky at all. Restaurants and staff tend to be very helpful and obliging and I’d recommend Italy to any vegan.

Vegan Restaurants in Italy

There are a growing number of vegan restaurants in Italy.

In Florence, Bioveggy on Via Erbosa has a great reputation and serves fantastic food. Serving Tuscan wine and offering a separate raw food menu, it’s pretty popular with both locals and tourists. Call +39 333 835 9787 or visit www.bioveggy.it.

If you’re in Venice, the bizarrely named Bio Sound System Vegan Vegetarian Bistrot on Via Doge Michiel is well worth a visit. Open for lunch and dinner, it gets busy as there are few vegan restaurants in town. Call +39 340 899 2429.

Rome is home to the wonderful Ops! Cucina Mediterranea on Via Bergamo. It may not be cheap but it’s in a beautiful part of the city and not far from the Villa Borghese. Call +39 06 841 1769 or visit www.opsveg.com.

Vegan Croatia

Croatia on the other hand, was a little more difficult. They’re very into meat as you can tell by these Croatian dishes but most restaurants have a vegetarian menu. It’s then a case of making sure they appreciate you’re vegan rather than veggie.

Photo by: xbrchx/Fotolia

If you’re in Dubrovnik, head to Nishta on Palmotićeva. Great food, great prices, and a great location! Call +385 20 322 088 or visit www.nishtarestaurant.com.

Split’s Macro Vega on Leština is also worth a visit if you’re in town. Reasonably priced and offering a great selection of vegan food (including a vegan burrito) and deserts, this is becoming a well-known spot. Call +385 21 394-440 or visit www.makrovega.hr.

The majority of sandwiches I saw had cheese as a main ingredient but again, if you can communicate your needs, they’ll make you a suitable one. Supermarkets weren’t as vegan friendly as they had been in Italy but the restaurants were just as accommodating and friendly as their neighbours across the Adriatic.

Tips for vegans abroad

• Learn some useful phrases that will explain your needs. The Vegan Passport by George Rodger covers 74 languages and includes foods that vegans can and can’t eat in each language.
• Get social. Facebook is a great place to search for vegan pages and groups in your destination. Get in touch and they’ll give as much advice as you need. If on twitter, keep an eye on #vegantravel for the same support.
• Hit the forums. I found TripAdvisor was really useful when I was planning my trip. You’ll probably find someone else has already asked the same question so don’t be shy!
• Check supermarket websites to see if they carry vegan lines. If you’re self-catering or have a kitchen this is pretty important!
• Throw yourself into it and have fun!

My next trip

Next up, I want to do a Norwegian fjord cruise so if you’ve been on one or know someone who has, please leave some tips below! Actually, any tips on travelling through Scandinavia would be great!

Photo by: javarman/Fotolia

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