Gelato in Italy is a whole vibe. It’s creamier and denser than regular ice cream, with richer flavors like pistachio, stracciatella, and hazelnut. Unlike the overly sugary versions you find elsewhere, Italian gelato is made fresh daily with natural ingredients.

Tip: Choose gelato shops with the gelato in the silver containers, those are the traditional ones. The ones with the colorful mounds you can see through the window are tourist traps!

I am typically a purist when it comes to ice cream – I don’t like different flavors to touch unless they are supposed to go together. But in Italy, it is pretty much expected to get a cone with raspberry and pistachio gelato slathered on top of each other. I still tended to go with flavors that I knew would complement each other, but be more adventurous than I am! Mix it up!

We were in Italy for 10 days and we ate gelato every. single. day. (and twice one day). Here are my recommendations. Most of these I have been to, a few others we didn’t have time to hit, but were recommended by locals!

Rome

• Fatamorgana: We went here twice. The passion fruit gelato is so incredible that I went back the next day for more on the way to dinner because I didn’t want to risk them being closed by the time we finished dinner! They have a few locations throughout Rome and its outskirts.
• Giuffrè: Off the beaten path in Trastevere. Giuffrè had probably the most unique flavors of any Gelateria we went to and each flavor was better than the next. Our consensus was that raspberry was our favorite here!

Florence

• Sbrino: Probably the most traditional Gelateria we went to. Classic flavors including my favorite gelato in all of Italy: Alla Creama (Egg Cream). It is located right around the corner from Fotoautomatica (an original 1969 Photo Booth). Recommended by a local.
• Vivoli: The affogato that TikTok made famous. It absolutely lived up to the hype – the gelato was so creamy and (as a disclaimer I’m REALLY not a coffee person) I could drink the espresso (which is more than I can say for any other coffee I tried in Italy)! As most things that have gone viral on TikTok, there is a bit of a line that extends into the square, but it moved fairly quickly.
• Gelateria Della Passera: Can you say Alcoholic Gelato??? With wine infused gelato and cocktails with a scoop of gelato in it, “senza rinunciare all’aperitivo!” (without giving up the aperitif!) Recommended by a local.
• Sorbetteria: Recommended by a local.
• Carraia: Recommended by a local.

Venice

• Grom: This is more of a touristy Gelateria, a chain with locations throughout Italy. But that didn’t keep us from going twice in the two days we were in Venice!

Italics indicate ones I have not been to personally.

It’s not just about eating it; it’s about savoring the experience. Whether you’re sitting in a Rome café or strolling through Florence, gelato makes everything feel a little more magical. And don’t rush, take your time to choose your flavors! Trust me, it’s worth it.