Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Record is Archived

    This article is now archived and is closed to further replies.

    Jill Schaefer
    Jill Schaefer

    Amalfi Coast: One Couple's Quest for a Gluten-Free Holiday in Italy

    Reviewed and edited by a celiac disease expert.

    Celiac.com 08/07/2008 - We'd begun practicing basic Italian⎯buon giorno! We'd practically memorized the Frommer's travel guide. We'd scoured multitudes of online travel sites and finally made all the arrangements for our once-in-a-lifetime romantic getaway to the sun-kissed shores of the Amalfi Coast.

    As the date of our departure approached, we grew more excited to spend our first major vacation together, tucked away in cliffside hotels, taking in sweeping views of the Mediterranean from our seaside balconies. We had some lingering doubts, though. Jeff follows a gluten-free diet, and I was concerned about how well he'd be able to eat in Italy, the land of pizza, pasta and bread. I know how difficult it can be to dine out, even in our neighborhood in San Francisco. What could he possibly find that would be gluten-free in Italy? And, with the language barrier, how would we be able to easily communicate his needs?

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A12):
    Jeff: I know a little Italian, but solo un po’ (only a little), as the Italians say. So I, too, was a bit worried. At home, I keep tight control over what I buy, prepare most of my own meals and eat out only at select places that I know are safe. I was worried that consuming every meal at a hotel or restaurant for two weeks straight would present challenges. Like so many people with celiac disease, I've lost more than a few days to gluten contamination. That's the last thing I wanted to happen on such a special trip.

    One of the first things we did was to e-mail the hotels several weeks in advance to see what gluten-free options they might offer. We crafted a short inquiry in English, and just in case the staff only spoke Italian, put it through a free online translation service called Babel Fish. We included both versions in our messages. All four hotels responded within a day or  two, most in English. Three confirmed gluten-free options in the hotel and/or its restaurant. One pledged a solution upon arrival, suggesting that Jeff could communicate a preference for breakfast, and the hotel would meet his needs.

    Jill: I was especially impressed with Casa Astarita, a bed and breakfast along the first leg of our trip in Sorrento. The staff at Casa Astarita noted that we could request food without wheat or barley, recommended a restaurant in the square and pledged to help us during our stay in Sorrento. In addition, the Hotel Margherita in Praiano, a charming seaside town off the beaten path, assured us of gluten-free pasta and biscuits (probably what we would call crackers) in the hotel.
    Another step we took about two weeks before our flight was to contact the airline about gluten-free meal options. We wondered if Jeff would be able to eat gluten-free on both legs of the trip⎯from San Francisco to Chicago, and more importantly, the nine-hour haul from Chicago to Rome. Either way, we planned to pack plenty of gluten-free snacks to have on hand as a precautionary measure.

    Jill:  The American Airlines customer service representative told me the airline did not offer gluten-free meals on the short flight from Chicago to San Francisco, and we'd need to bring our own food. However, on the longer flight from Chicago to Rome, they could accommodate gluten-free needs. The representative confirmed a special meals code for the gluten-free food request (GFML is the code) that was entered into the reservation.

    American Airlines also pointed us to its Web site, which lists sample menu options that may vary month to month:

    • Brunch/hot breakfast - Mushroom cheddar omelet with sweet potato hash, yogurt, seasonal fruit
    • Cold breakfast - Yogurt, seasonal fruit, breakfast cookie
    • Lunch/dinner - Sweet chili salmon, green beans, white rice, salad, fresh fruit
    • Snack - Penne pasta  with artichokes, fresh fruit
    The quick and positive responses from the hotels and airline immediately put us at ease. A little online research into gluten-free travel in Italy promised a smooth experience.

    Jeff: It turns out that the Italians are actually at the forefront of celiac disease awareness and treatment. In fact, all Italians are screened for celiac disease before they are six years old. [1,2]

    Those with celiac disease receive excellent support, including monthly payments from the government for gluten-free food, as well as more vacation to offset extra time used to shop for and prepare gluten-free food.

    Italians are also on the vanguard of the gluten-free food movement. The country's robust celiac association, called the Associazione Italiana Celiachia (AIC), the Italian government and several large Italian companies that make and distribute gluten-free foods have joined together to promote awareness and understanding of celiac disease. This makes for knowledgeable restaurant owners, managers, chefs and waiters. [3]

    Italians are among the most expert crafters of gluten-free pastas and baked goods. Italian companies like Beretta and BioLand make delicious gluten-free rice pasta and a variety of other gluten-free food products, while others produce numerous gluten-free specialty items for import, such as chestnut flour.

    AIC has a helpful Web site and convenient 24/7 telephone hotline. Both offer celiac information and support in English and Italian, along with tips on gluten-free food and dining in every region of Italy. [4]

    So, all of the useful information we turned up in our search made us hopeful that our first vacation together just might be a gluten-free gastronomic delight.

    Tune in next month to find out how things turned out on the ground. Until then, happy gluten-free travels and, as the Italians say, Mangia bene! Eat well!

    1. Open Original Shared Link
    2. Open Original Shared Link
    3. Open Original Shared Link
    4. Open Original Shared Link
    Co-written by Open Original Shared Link


    User Feedback

    Recommended Comments



    Guest Allison

    Posted

    This is helpful and encouraging -- I've been very leary of travel since being diagnosed. Locally I have only a 50/50 success rate with eating in restaurants. It sounds like I could do better in Italy!

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest Judy Grainger

    Posted

    Very good article. We hope to go to Italy next year so I am anxious to see his experience there.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest Linda Sirpilla

    Posted

    This is great. My husband and I are more confident now to travel to Italy. Thank you.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest Annmarie

    Posted

    We just returned from a 2 week tour of Italy and I had absolutely no problem in any of the hotels or restaurants there. The Italians know all about celiac disease and English is spoken almost everywhere. If you want to feel more comfortable, you can request international restaurant cards from GIG. They will provide you a sheet with your dietary restrictions written in several different languages, free of charge. Relax and enjoy your trip!

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest Michael

    Posted

    We travel a lot. Recently discovered Oslo where they actually serve gluten free bread in restaurants its so prevalent. Excellent!!!

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest Janice

    Posted

    It is true that the Italians are very tuned in to Celiac Disease. I spent 4 weeks there this year and every restaurant server I met knew exactly what I was talking about and took great care in serving me safe meals.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest Elizabeth Cella

    Posted

    Of all the European countries, Italy is the safest and most delicious for celiacs. Italians are quite familiar with celiac and made our trips through Italy with a celiac teenager easy, pleasant, and completely safe.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest Sherry

    Posted

    My spirit soared as I read this article! How nice to hear the Italians are so advanced in gluten-free diets. I have been hesitant to travel abroad due to my diet but now may be unafraid. Thank you for sharing this information.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest Becky

    I also had a very good experience in Sicily last year. As soon as I would tell the waiters that I needed gluten free food, they knew exactly what I was talking about and never made a mistake. In France (where I live) the waiters are often unsympathetic, and make plenty of mistakes (a cookie in my creme caramel, or bread crumbs on the veggies).

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest claudia

    Posted

    I'm celiac and live in Rome (Italy) . I find life easy here only we don't have extra vacation to shop and prepare meals!!! The government gives €99 to celiac women and €140 to celiac men to be spent to the pharmacy. Come to Italy and for any information I'll try to help you!

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest Mary

    Very good article - thank you for sharing. Look forward to hearing how things went on what sounds like a wonderful vacation.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest Harper

    Posted

    I found it far easier to eat gluten free, and to eat very well gluten free, in Venice than in San Francisco. Difficulty came in the middle of the day, when I just wanted a quick snack, when others grabbed a panini or a slice of pizza. I learned always to carry a Lara bar or a hard-boiled egg.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites



    Guest
    This is now closed for further comments

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Donate
  • About Me

    Jill Schaefer

    Jill Schaefer is a freelance writer who lives in San Francisco. She has specialized in health and wellness communications for more than eight years.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):





    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):




  • Related Articles

    Jill Schaefer
    Celiac.com 09/11/2008 - After a two-leg flight and multiple trains, Jeff and I finally stepped off the local Circumvesuviana train in sunny Sorrento, our first destination on the fabled Amalfi Coast. It was hot, or as the Italians say, molto caldo. We’d been traveling for nearly 24 hours straight, and as we lugged our bags along the final stretch of cobbled sidewalks toward Casa Astarita, we both felt exhausted, ravenous and more than a bit disoriented.
    Jill: Any nourishment from our 10-hour flight from Chicago to Rome had long since faded. However, American Airlines had made good on its promise to provide Jeff with decent gluten-free meals. The attendant had confirmed his special meal selection at the beginning of the flight, and at both dinner and breakfast he was among the first t...


    Jill Schaefer
    Celiac.com 11/19/2008 - Day Four: After a ride on a local public bus, which hugged the narrow road's teetering edge and rounded hairpin curves with an alarming sense of speed, we felt grateful for the solid earth beneath our feet in Positano. Our first order of business was to check into the Hotel Villa Rosa and find a nearby trattoria to fill our grumbling stomachs! One of the staff, Stefania, recommended Caffè Positano on the Fornillo side of the town and arranged for a courtesy taxi to deposit us at its doorstep. Without a doubt, its chief allure was the alfresco terrace facing the sea. Situated across the road from the main restaurant and kitchen, the terrace held a dozen or so umbrella-topped tables and beckoned foreigners with unforgettable views.
    Jill: We decided to share an enormous ...


  • Recent Activity

    1. - trents replied to Therockfrog's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      1

      Itchy skin, tingling in feet and scalp

    2. - Therockfrog posted a topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      1

      Itchy skin, tingling in feet and scalp

    3. - HWB replied to HWB's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      14

      strange symptoms/ diagnosis accuracy

    4. - MomofGF replied to MomofGF's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      4

      Not sure if this is Celiac or just a gluten-free intolerance


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      125,709
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    Vinnyb
    Newest Member
    Vinnyb
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      120.8k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Popular Now

    • MomofGF
    • Louise Broughton
      4
    • marip
      4
    • sh00148
      19
  • Popular Articles

    • Scott Adams
    • Scott Adams
    • Scott Adams
    • Scott Adams
    • Scott Adams
  • Upcoming Events

×
×
  • Create New...