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We're Going To Rome!

BabsV

By BabsV
in Traveling with Celiac Disease

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BabsV Enthusiast
BabsV
Posted

I booked our tickets today -- we go at the end of February! We're staying in a flat with a kitchen so I'll be making some of our meals but if anyone has suggestions of restaurants I'd love to hear them. From everything I read I should be able to eat better than I do where I'm currently living (Poland...the land of wheat in all recipes!) Also, gluten-free gelato...I cannot wait to try it. Sorry, I'll stop gushing now, I'm just so excited. :)

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Bubba's Mom Enthusiast
Bubba's Mom
Posted

I don't have any restaurant/travel info..just wanted to share your joy and wish you a happy trip! :D

Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted

I am SOOOO jealous! Italy is very celiac friendly.

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love2travel Mentor
love2travel
Posted

I love your gushing - it shows you are enthusiastic and passionate! Nothing wrong with that. :)

Having been to Rome four or five times I would never, ever tire of it. How long will you be there? I cannot wait to hear about what you saw, experienced, ate, smelled and heard. Lots of details!!

I do have some resto info saved somewhere. I will look for it. Have you ever been on Chowhound? Go to the forum and do searches for Rome. It is the most helpful I have seen on food/travel. It is probably one of the top there is!

Glad you have a kitchen as Roman breakfasts are, well, not all that filling, not to mention safe for us. They are comprised of a cappucino and a pastry, eaten while standing in breakfast bars.

CeliacAndCfsCrusader Apprentice
CeliacAndCfsCrusader
Posted

When I was there, I was not celiac. But, perhaps this info might be helpful.

Be aware that "some" coffee places include barley in their coffee for flavoring. I would suggest printing off this question in Italian, on the 1% chance you come across it.

Gelato is normally gluten free, always ask. BUT, you do have to be careful of c/c because of the scoops they use.

Lastly, in Italy, many pharmacies/drugstores have a dedicated gluten-free food section. Even the tiniest of locations may have something you can either eat on the fly or take back to your own kitchen.

I'd be most careful of c/c in general, as bread, pasta and pastry seem to be at every turn. This USED TO BE, a good thing!

Have a great trip.

BabsV Enthusiast
BabsV
Posted
  • Author

We'll be in Rome for 4.5 days due to the vagaries of Ryanair flight schedules...I don't drink coffee so that won't be a problem. I know someone who's in Florence and she told me that she's been amazed at all the gluten-free options she's seen marked in stores and restaurants -- she's the one who told me about the gluten-free gelato option. I'm glad to hear that pharmacies have a gluten-free section...I was wondering if it would be in pharmacies or 'natural' food stores like it is here in Poland. I've got my Italian travel card and my fingers are crossed for a successful trip!

lucia Enthusiast
lucia
Posted

You won't have any issues. Italians are incredibly sensitive about celiac. You'll just need to be able to say that you're celiac in Italian (

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AVR1962 Collaborator
AVR1962
Posted

We'll be in Rome for 4.5 days due to the vagaries of Ryanair flight schedules...I don't drink coffee so that won't be a problem. I know someone who's in Florence and she told me that she's been amazed at all the gluten-free options she's seen marked in stores and restaurants -- she's the one who told me about the gluten-free gelato option. I'm glad to hear that pharmacies have a gluten-free section...I was wondering if it would be in pharmacies or 'natural' food stores like it is here in Poland. I've got my Italian travel card and my fingers are crossed for a successful trip!

Have you flown Ryanair before? Love it for the prices but do try and get to the front of the line if you did not pay for priority seating. Some of thsoe flights get very full and the seats are not assigned. Our family has been seperated on the flights on many occasion. If you are taking a checked bag, make sure you have checked in 45 minutes prior to departure, they are sticklers and will not let you thru if you get there even a second past cut-off time....better to be early and waiting.

If you have not booked a hotem yet in Rome, we had great luck thru the USO. You will love Rome. Easy to tour by city bus and on foot. You will ahve no problems runing into plenty of people who speak English and the food is fabulous. Enjoy!

BabsV Enthusiast
BabsV
Posted
  • Author

You won't have any issues. Italians are incredibly sensitive about celiac. You'll just need to be able to say that you're celiac in Italian (

BabsV Enthusiast
BabsV
Posted
  • Author

Have you flown Ryanair before?

If you have not booked a hotem yet in Rome, we had great luck thru the USO. You will love Rome. Easy to tour by city bus and on foot. You will ahve no problems runing into plenty of people who speak English and the food is fabulous. Enjoy!

Yep, we are old pros with Ryanair, Easyjet, etc. I always pay the extra for priority boarding since fighting a rugby scrum of other passengers to get seats on a place is not a fun way to start a trip.

We found our apartment through a site called oh-rome.com -- they had a lot of choices in different price ranges. We found one about a 10 minute walk from the Coliseum and even closer to a metro stop so playing tourist won't be too difficult!

Now if anyone knows of a good tour group to use to go to Pompeii...I'd love to hear about it!

Thanks again everyone for your suggestions. I used to love to travel and I am trying not to get too nervous and worried about doing it now with the gluten free restrictions. I imagine it will get easier over time...and the more I do it!

AVR1962 Collaborator
AVR1962
Posted

Yep, we are old pros with Ryanair, Easyjet, etc. I always pay the extra for priority boarding since fighting a rugby scrum of other passengers to get seats on a place is not a fun way to start a trip.

We found our apartment through a site called oh-rome.com -- they had a lot of choices in different price ranges. We found one about a 10 minute walk from the Coliseum and even closer to a metro stop so playing tourist won't be too difficult!

Now if anyone knows of a good tour group to use to go to Pompeii...I'd love to hear about it!

Thanks again everyone for your suggestions. I used to love to travel and I am trying not to get too nervous and worried about doing it now with the gluten free restrictions. I imagine it will get easier over time...and the more I do it!

Can't recommend a group but have been to Pompeii and it is well worth the trip, quite amazing! It was one of our stops on a cruise we did.

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