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If you have ever been to Italy chances are you still dream about gelato. The smooth, creamy alternative to ice cream is a heavenly treat. For some reason, no one in the United States is able to duplicate it like they do in Italy. Even in the very Italian North East of the United States we are subjected to icy mounds of overly sweet gelato look-alike masquerading as the real thing. I first had gelato as a child and quickly fell under its spell (within the first few bites). I have continued to have a love affair with it since, albeit a long-distance love affair.

When we recently visited Italy my goal was to have gelato at least twice a day from the very best places. We not only met my goal, but we broke it! Many of the days we had gelato 3 times, and one of the days gelato was the only thing I ate (I also came back 10 pounds heavier!). We did a lot of research and a lot of tasting, and in the end found our own unique ways of determining the best gelato.

Gelato Vs. Ice Cream

Gelato differs from ice cream in its fat content. Made primarily with milk instead of cream, gelato is a smoother mixture with a softer consistency. Gelato is also more flavorful due to the lower amounts of fat. Although fat is very good at carrying flavor it also has an annoying habit of solidifying in the cold. So when you eat ice cream the fat often solidifies in your mouth as it gets cold from eating the frozen treat. The solid, cold fat on your tongue creates a barrier to tasting.

Gelato has some fat but only 4-9 percent vs. ice cream’s 15-25 percent. This allows the fat to carry flavor within the gelato but keeping your tongue at its tasting best.

Gelato is also churned at a slower rate so it incorporates less air than traditional ice cream. Less air makes for a much smoother consistency and silkier mouth feel.

What are the best gelato flavors?

In our family we each have a favorite gelato flavor. It’s the flavor we each get at a new gelato shop in order to accurately compare against our prior tastings.

My favorite flavor is Amerena. This sweet, sour and vinegary cherry is grown in Bologna and Modena (Italy) and is very slowly gaining popularity in the United States. It hasn’t quite caught hold in the U.S. like it has in Europe, though, which is a shame. It has a complex flavor and makes a wonderful accompaniment to the creamy gelato.

My husband’s favorite is Pistachio. Some shops will charge more for pistachio than other flavors because it uses expensive ingredients. He enjoys the mild sweetness of the gelato juxtaposed with the saltiness of the nut.

My oldest one loves Caramel in every iteration. He likes it salted, unsalted, dulce de leche, caramello. He enjoys the burnt tones against the super sweet gelato. Every shop has at least one caramel flavor and many have more.

My middle one loves Stracciatella, a vanilla cream base with tiny flecks of chocolate. He enjoys the initial strong vanilla flavor that is quickly followed by the rich dark chocolate as it quickly melts in his mouth along with the gelato.

My youngest likes Hazelnut and Lemon. He even likes them together, which is not a good combination! It’s anyone’s guess as to why he favors such two diametrically opposed flavors!

Selecting The Best Gelato in Italy

There are some subtle and not-so-subtle clues that you can look for when deciding on a good Gelateria versus one that may be just mediocre. These may not be proven with certainty, but they helped lead us to some very tasty places:

Pastel and muted colors in the gelato

Natural flavors will always taste better than chemical flavors. The chemically-flavored gelatos will generally have brighter more vibrant colors, while their natural counterparts tend to have more muted colors. Bright green pistachio or neon lemon are both bad signs, for artificial coloring generally pairs with artificial flavoring.

Shorter mounds or no mounds at all

Since gelato is much softer than ice cream it doesn’t really mound well. Although those beautiful tall piles of gelato are gorgeous and make a nice picture, they don’t translate into deliciousness. In order to achieve the large mounds either stabilizers are added to the mixture or the gelato has been frozen to a much lower temperature. Colder temperatures mean less tasting due to frozen taste buds! Some of the best gelato I have had wasn’t on display at all but kept in metal pans with lids!

Mounded gelato like this is suspicious as are the bright colors.

This is a better example of good gelato. Notice the shallow gelato in the metal pans.

Longer lines in front of the Gelateria

Don’t let long lines dissuade you from a Gelateria; it generally means that the wait is worth it! Follow the locals and the tourists-in-the-know to the best gelato in any given town.

Look for a list of ingredients

I know that you may not speak fluent Italian, and the good news is that you don’t have to! If the ingredients are posted and you see very few listed you can bet that the gelato is made tutto naturale and was made that very day. Without stabilizers gelato’s shelf life is relatively short, so few ingredients means big taste and freshness.

Look at the texture

Do you see ice crystals? Air bubbles? Or does the gelato seem smooth and uniform? Ice and air will contribute to a less than delicious product.

How much does gelato cost in Italy?

Gelato prices are pretty much the same from one shop to another. Generally a small is between 2 and 3 euros and a large one is around 6-7 euros. Hazelnut and pistachio flavors are often more expensive as they are more expensive to make. (That is actually a good sign as to quality.) Most shops will allow you to select 2-3 flavors for a small and more as the size goes up.

Why can’t I just look on Yelp or TripAdvisor for the best gelato?

Every gelato place we looked up had 4.5 to 5 stars! My guess is that there are enough tourists visiting Italy that even subpar places get good reviews. We tried the 5 star rated gelato in San Gimignano at Dondoli Gelateria (it has won numerous awards for the best gelato in the world) and the 4.6 star rated gelato down the street. There was no comparison at all!!! The Dondoli gelato was smooth, complex in flavor and so delicious. The Gelateria down the street was icy and tasted like chemicals. Looking at the ratings, we might have missed out on fabulous gelato had we not done our research.

What is the best gelato in Italy?

I asked other travel bloggers to share their favorite Gelateria in Italy (and I threw in some of my favorites, too).  Hopefully this gives you a great starting point on your quest for fabulous gelato. Here is what they reported.

Best Gelato in Rome

Gelateria La Romana

I’ve always heard that the best gelato is in Rome, however, many have warned me that it’s a scam if I try it out in a touristy area. Stumbling upon Gelateria La Romana was a dream come true to me, I went there a lot, since it was a walking distance from my hostel. I remember my friends and I tried new flavors every time; they had a lot to try actually. The taste and texture was so heavenly and it was pretty affordable and not pricey at all! Definitely one of Rome’s hidden gems!
Nadine from www.curlsenroute.com

Venchi Gelato

This gelato shop is easy to spot. It has a huge chocolate waterfall lining the wall! Venchi primarily sells chocolate and their chocolates are world famous. We were told by some friends to try their chocolate gelato and I’m so glad that I did. The chocolate gelato is the perfect blend of sweet, bitter, and a little bit fruity. If you are a chocolate lover this spot is a must!

Alicia from Travels With The Crew

Giolitti

After initially getting a bit ripped off on gelato during our first night in Rome, I went back to our hotel and researched how to find ‘real’ gelato and where the best gelateria was in the area. After researching, I read about Giolotti and it did not disappoint!

Giolotti is reportedly the oldest gelateria in Rome, and the historical value alone does make it a popular spot. Despite the crowds, the line moved smoothly and the gelato was tasty. I made a combo out of Limoncello and Strawberry, which was incredibly refreshing on a hot, July evening.

The parlor is a very short walk from the Pantheon, but it is tucked away in a side street, so a GPS or researching directions in advance will be helpful. Once you get to the street, though, you will see the large sign so you won’t miss it.

Keri at www.flipflopweekend.com

 

Best Gelato in Florence

Gelateria dei Neri

This is Travels With The Crew’s pick for best Gelato in Florence. This Gelateria is only a few blocks from the Piazza Del Signora and is easy to find because the line is out the door! We went 3 times while we were there because we couldn’t get enough. This was my personal favorite for amerena gelato; it was full of fruit flavor and had some chocolate slivers mixed in. The other benefit of this place was the caramello and pistachio topping that was scooped up next to the gelato, kind of a take on an ice cream sundae.

My husband wasn’t thrilled with their pistachio, but the boys were all happy with their flavors of choice. There is some seating inside the Gelateria, and it is air conditioned.

Gelateria Sant Trinita

Gelateria Santa Trinita has everything you would expect from the perfect gelato in Italy: a beautiful variety of flavors, generous portions, and a good location close to the city’s attractions. But its main feature is that your delicious ice cream comes with a great panorama of the Ponte Vecchio. The Ponte Santa Trinita is the best place in town to sit down and enjoy the yummy tastes of Italy. There’s always a queue at the gelateria, but it’s well worth the wait!

Coni from www.experiencingtheglobe.com

Gelateria Edoardo

Edoardo is absolutely my favorite gelateria. It’s located at Piazza del Duomo, in the heart of the historic center of Florence, Italy. If you want excellent gelato in the shadow of the Duomo, this is the place to go. Edoardo’s gelato is all natural and the flavors are amazingly authentic. My favorite is their dark chocolate gelato with a scoop of hazelnut or coffee. Their sorbets are also outstanding (they have the best strawberry sorbetto I’ve ever tasted). There is no seating in this small shop, but you’ll find benches outside near the Duomo, or just take a stroll through the beautiful city while you eat.

Darcy Vierow from https://planreadygo.com

Best Gelato in Venice

Fantasy Gelato

Fantasy Gelato in Venice is probably my favourite gelato spot in Italy, which isn’t surprising since it’s been voted the best gelateria in the city. On any given day the store has about 20 different flavours on offer! While each of these are amazing, my personal favourites are the salted caramel and dark chocolate. More than this, the location of the Fantasy Gelato store couldn’t be better. It’s located a short walk from St. Mark’s Square, meaning you can easily slip away for a Gelato break in between sightseeing.

Rachel from www.earthsmagicalplaces.com

La Mela Verde

For people that don’t like ice cream (yes, believe me, they really exist, and they live among us!) it is hard to find a good gelato even in Italy. But we managed to find it. When visiting any city in Italy, eating a gelato is mandatory. In Venice, a place suffocated by tourists, eating a gelato that tastes like the home-made Italian ice cream so famous around the world, it is not easy. But wandering on some less crowded channels of Venice, we discovered a small gelateria called “La mela verde”. We tried the selection that gave the name of this gelateria – their green apple flavor. Sweet and sour, creamy and delicious, the green apple is not just a flavor of this ice cream: it actually has green apple pieces in it!  If you are searching for a tasteful experience in Venice, you should try it! 

Corina at https://anothermilestone.eu

Gelato di Natura

This Gelateria is in a less touristy part of Venice, and that is what made it so charming. We were able to get off the beaten path and enjoy our gelato in a quiet square.  Gelato di Natura uses fresh ingredients in their gelato. They keep the gelato creamy and smooth by using whisking machines to churn their gelato. Less air means more silky mouth feel. The melon flavor was different and refreshing.

Alicia at Travels With The Crew

Il Pinguino Gelataria

If you’re in Venice, make sure you visit Il Pinguino Gelataria for delicious homemade gelato with an incredible view of the Venetian lagoon.

As you can imagine, there are lots of places to buy gelato in Venice but I’d highly recommend venturing away from the crowds, towards the Castello area where you’ll find this amazing place on the waterfront.

We tried a lot of gelato whilst in Venice and other parts of Italy and this had to be one of the best.

You can choose from a huge selection of ice creams, sorbets, semifreddo, frozen yoghurt and slush. They even do vegan flavours and gluten free cones, all at reasonable prices.

If you really want to go to town, you can even get your cone filled with chocolate!

Here’s a photo of our daughter happily devouring her fresh strawberry gelato in front of the giant penguin.

Gemma Ratcliffe from  https://www.familiescantravel.com/

Best Gelato in Milan

Gelaterie Odeon

The north of Italy is (naturally) famous for it’s food, such as the balsamic vinegar and parmigiano from Emilia Romagna, and rightly so! Gelato is no different and you could lose yourself in the gelatarias of the northern Italian cities. No more is this so than in Milan, where you should seek out Gelaterie Odeon, who have three ice cream shops in the city, for a creamy refreshing snack! From their lab in the city, they can whip up a wondrous number of flavours, drawing on splendid local ingredients, including pistachios from Bronte and lemons from Amalfi!

Best Gelato in San Gimignano

Gelateria Dondoli

Gelateria dell’Olmo

What a treat it was to taste gelato in Italy. If you ask me to pick a favourite flavour, it would be difficult, but overall my favourites were both the salted caramel and lemon meringue gelato that I tasted at Gelateria dell’Olmo in the medieval village of San Gimignano, Tuscany, Italy. These two delicious treats were smooth and creamy and packed with flavour. Sitting at an outside table in the historic Piazza della Cisterna, while eating what some consider, the world’s best ice cream is a highlight of my time in Italy.

Lori Sweet & Sylvio Roy from www.voyagewriters.com

Best Gelato in Cinque Terre

The postcard perfect area of Cinque Terre, on the Ligurian coast of Italy is know for its colorful cliff side houses, cute little harbors and food. When I explored the villages of Cinque Terre for 5 days, I had to indulge in as much ice cream as humanly possible. I was amazed by the zingy taste of the home made lemon ice cream, the sweet Cinque Terre honey flavor but most surprisingly, the local basil gelato. That is right, fresh, light green basil flavored ice cream. In the little town of Corniglia, we had some of the best gelato in Italy, with their home made fruit flavors and basil gelato. Add in a crunchy cone and I might have gone back for seconds.

Naomi from www.probearoundtheglobe.com

 

Best Gelato in Pienza

I didn’t expect to find the best gelato in Italy in Pienza, but now I request that we detour that direction every chance I can.  Pienza is a tiny hill town in the heart of Tuscany.  Gelato is made fresh daily; you never know what you’re going to find at Buon Gusto.  You won’t be checking out the flavors because the gelato is made in canisters and kept properly frozen.  Instead, you will find the flavors on a chalkboard and available for tasting.  I have yet to find a gelato I didn’t enjoy.  My favorite “exotic” flavors are saffron, spinach-pear-kiwi, and orange-lemon.  My favorite traditional flavors are strawberry, hazelnut and Peruvian chocolate.   (The yogurt is good, too.)    

Sara from www.journeyofdoing.com

Best Gelato in Trento

Cherry Gelateria

Cherry is the new up and coming gelateria in Trento. It opened just two weeks ago and since then it’s become increasingly more popular with both locals and tourists. It’s a small shop and they do little over a dozen flavors, all of them delicious. They also have lactose free and vegan flavors such as cremino alla nocciola and dark chocolate. The latter is as decadent and as creamy as it gets – despite the lack of actual cream. It’s fudgy, it melts very quickly and you’ll feel compelled to have more. A two scoops cone costs only €2 so it’s also very convenient!

Claudia from www.myadventuresacroostheworld.com

La Gelateria

You can’t go to Italy without eating copious amounts of gelato. That was my goal when I showed up in Trento, Italy. On my first day in Trento the guide of my walking tour suggested La Gelateria. Later that same day I gave it a try and let’s just say it wasn’t my last visit! It’s rated number one in Trento on Tripadvisor for a reason! There are over thirty different flavors. You can get the traditional flavors like vanilla, but also more unique flavors like ginger. The caramel cream was my personal favorite. If you need help translating the flavors into English or want to sample some, the staff is more than willing to help. The prices are reasonable and the gelateria is only a minute’s walk from the main plaza where you can enjoy your ice cream and the sights of Trento.

Elizabeth from www.thefearlessforeigner.com

Best Gelato Chain in Italy

Grom

Grom is a consistently good choice for gelato in Italy. It is a worldwide chain as well, so you may have encountered it in a city near you. Grom doesn’t have the most interesting flavors or the variety you may encounter in other gelaterias, but it does have quality. The basic flavors are some of the best we encountered in Italy. If you go, order the chocolate, lemon, stracciatella, or salted caramel.

Alicia at Travels With The Crew

Is ok gelato still worth eating?

Of course! Even ok gelato is good gelato! We have been in places with our kids where it is easier to grab something quick and close rather than hike through town to find the absolute best. The very best isn’t always necessary. However, if I’m going to spend the calories on gelato, I want it to pack a punch! Ultimately you make the choice for your vacation! I hope you have some great ideas to try!

For a 10 day Italy travel itinerary click here.

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