Travelling to Italy? Check out our gluten-free city guides and read about our travel experiences and eating gluten-free in Italy!
All Posts – Gluten Free City Guides
- Gluten Free Florence, Italy: A Complete Guide
- Gluten Free Milan, Italy: A Complete Guide
- Gluten Free Rome, Italy: A Complete Guide – Ice Cream Parlors Edition
Gluten-free travel tips & tricks
If you are on a gluten-free diet, you may encounter language barriers while traveling, which can be a significant challenge. While people in Italy are generally aware of celiac disease and the gluten-free diet, I still recommended to carry an Italian Gluten-Free Restaurant Card to avoid any language barriers and make your gluten-free travel easier. Personally, I prefer investing in a reliable gluten-free restaurant card that includes information about cross-contamination. Additionally, I’ve listed some basic Italian phrases to help you explain your dietary requirements. You can find them down below.
Furthermore, it is a good idea to conduct some research before your trip. Look for local restaurants that offer gluten-free options. By combining a trustworthy gluten-free restaurant card and thorough research, you can confidently navigate your dietary restrictions while traveling. The Italian Coeliac Society is called Associazione Italiana Celiachia – AIC.
Gluten-free Italy: supermarkets & co.
There are several places to buy gluten-free ingredients, from local supermarkets to bigger chain stores and organic shops. Several stores have their own “free from” products in a dedicated gluten free product section.
- Conad – supermarket
- Selex – supermarket
- Coop – supermarket
- Végé – supermarket
- Agorà – supermarket
- Lidl – discount supermarket
- Eurospin – discount supermarket
Gluten-free in Italy: Italian phrasebook
gluten-free | senza glutine |
I have a disease called coeliac disease and I must absolutely avoid foods that contain gluten. | Ho una malattia chiamata celiachia e devo assolutamente evitare gli alimenti che contengono glutine. |
Even the smallest amount of gluten will make me very sick, so to avoid contamination, please do not use kitchen utensils, water or oil that may have come into contact with any of the products that I canʼt eat. | Anche la più piccola quantità di glutine mi farà molto male, quindi, per evitare la contaminazione, per favore non utilizzare utensili da cucina, acqua o olio che sono stati a contatto con prodotti che non posso mangiare. |
Does this food or sauce contain wheat flour? | Questo cibo o salsa contiene farina di grano? |
What kind of grain is this food made from? | Di che cereale è fatto questo cibo? |
Can you help me choose a dish from the menu? | Posso chiedere assistenza nella scelta dei piatti dal menu? |
Is this meal safe? | Questo pasto è sicuro? |
Please do not add soy sauce. | Per favore non aggiungere salsa di soia. |
Rice flour, cornflour, or potato starch are OK to use. | Può essere usata farina di riso, mais o fecola di patate. |
Thank you for your help and understanding. | Grazie mille peril suo aiuto e comprensione. |
Allowed | Permesso |
maize | granturco |
rice | riso |
quinoa | quinoa |
tapioca | farina di tapioca |
vegetables | verdure, legumi |
potatoes | patate |
milk | latte |
corn starch | amido di mais |
polenta | polenta |
rice noodles | mihoen |
buckwheat | grano saraceno |
guar gum flour | farina di guar |
fruit | frutta |
millet | miglio |
oil | olio |
Not allowed | Vietato |
wheat | grano/frumento |
oats | avena |
spelt | farro |
couscous | couscous |
bulgur | bulgur |
bread | pane |
rye | segale |
barley | orzo |
kamut | grano kamut |
semolina | semolino |
pasta | pasta |
breadcrumbs | pangrattato |
biscuits | biscotti |
Products containing these ingredients, such as sauces, soups, mayonnaise. | Prodotti ricavati dagli ingredienti riportati sopra, come salse, minestre, maionese |