Besides breathtaking landscapes, friendly locals, mouth-watering Italian cuisine and rich history and culture, what we most loved about Italy is their love for gelato. You can find a gelateria in almost every street – and sometimes, a few gelaterie side by side – and once you have tried gelato in Italy, you will never see it in the same light again.

Since you’re in Italy, you can totally afford to have a gelato a day. But make your calories count, because ain’t nobody got time for subpar gelato.

Here is our scoop on some of the best gelaterie you can find in Italy.

AMORINO

At this Italian gelato chain, watch the flavours of your choice get carefully crafted – petal by petal – onto a cone. What you get is their iconic gelato flower that does not only look good but also tastes good. To make it prettier than it already is, opt to add a macaron on top of it.

Via del Corso, 44
50122 Firenze FI, Italy
Tel: +39 055 267 0016
Sun to Thu: 11am – 11pm
Fri to Sat: 11am – 11.30pm

CIOCCOLATITALIANI

When you’re in Milan this is one gelateria you have to visit. Although you can choose your own flavours, their gelato combinations are a match made in heaven! As they also specialize in chocolate, cones are filled with decadent melted chocolate straight from the tap before gelato scoops are stacked on and finished with meringue on top.

Via San Raffaele, 6
20121 Milano MI, Italy
Tel: +39 02 8909 3820
Mon to Fri: 7.30am – 11pm
Sat: 8.30am – 12am
Sun: 8.30am – 11pm

EMILIA CREMERIA

If you ever find yourself in the ancient city of Pompei to see the ruins, Emilia Cremeria is the perfect place for you to get your gelato fix at, especially so during the unforgiving Italian summers.

Located at the main square Piazza Bartolo Longo, this quaint gelateria offers a small but diverse range of gelatos and sorbets with ingredients sourced from the best local produce.

Piazza Bartolo Longo, 54
80045 Pompi NA, Italy
Tel: +39 327 162 4477
Sun to Fri: 9.30am – 1.30am
Sat: 9.30am – 2.30am

GELATERIA DEL TEATRO

Having been featured in many guides to the best gelato in Rome, Gelateria del Teatro is not a secret for those in-the-know. It uses the freshest ingredients – like pistachio from Sicily, walnut from Sorrento – and there are many interesting flavour combinations such as white chocolate and basil, pear and caramel, cheese and cherry, custard and pine nuts.

Our personal favourites are their cheese almond and fig, and rosemary honey and lemon. But the only gripe we have is that the scoops here are much smaller than most gelaterie in Rome.

Via dei Coronari, 65/66
00186 Roma RM, Italy
Tel: +39 06 4547 4880
Daily: 11am – 10.30pm

GELATERIA VALENTINO

There are a dozen gelaterie around Fountain di Trevi, but the place that you should head to – besides the famous Il Gelato di San Crispino – is Gelateria Valentino. There are no outrageous flavours or mind-blowing selection, but what Gelateria Valentino offers is authentic gelato with classic Italian flavours.

Its Love Me (Ferraro Rocher flavoured gelato) is worth a try. Otherwise, go for a scoop of its signature dark chocolate. But a word of caution: the dark chocolate is pretty rich!

Via del Lavatore, 96
00187 Roma RM, Italy
Tel: +39 06 678 3219
Daily: 10am – 11pm

GELATERIA VERNAZZA

One way to explore the beautiful Ligurian coast is through the hiking trails that link the five colourful villages of Cinque Terre together. Stop by Gelateria Vernazza in Vernazza for a pick-me-up and enjoy your gelato by the coast as you take in the picturesque view in front of you. As Liguria is the birthplace of basil, you definitely have to try the basil flavoured gelato!

Via Roma, 13
19018 Vernazza SP, Italy
Daily: 10am – 11.30pm

GELATO FANTASY

Due to its close proximity to Piazza San Marco in Venice, Gelato Fantasy might seem like a tourist trap but rest assured it’s not. This gelateria churns out excellent gelato and has a great selection of flavours — even vegan ones!

Apart from the friendly service, the scoop here is significantly bigger than usual and prices are actually lower than other gelaterias around the square.

Calle dei Fabbri, 929
30124 Venezia VE, Italy
Tel: +39 041 522 5993
Daily: 10am – 11.30pm

GIOLITTI

Despite the mixed reviews on Giolitti – some people find it too touristy and over-hyped – it is a place that we return to again and again for their Nutella flavour whenever we are in Rome. We have sampled Nutella gelato from many gelaterie, but no one else comes close.

Via degli Uffici del Vicario, 40
00186 Roma RM, Italy
Tel: +39 06 699 1243
Daily: 10am – 12am

GROM

Any discussion of gelato in Italy will inevitably lead to Grom, which is quite possibly one of the most famous gelateria in Italy, with outlets in Florence, Venice, Milan, Rome and even New York! Grom is popular for its extensive range of fruit sorbet and serves a respectable scoop of gelato made with natural flavours. This is a must-try when you’re in Italy.

Piazza Navona 1
Via Agonale 3
00186 Roma RM, Italy
Tel: +39 06 6880 7297
Sun to Fri: 11am – 11pm
Sat: 11am – 12am

IL GELATO DI SAN CRISPINO

An establishment in Rome and of Eat, Pray, Love fame, this gelateria has been serving up gelato to locals and tourists alike, so it is fair to say that they know their gelato well. One thing about Il Gelato di San Crispino is that you can only get your gelato in a cup because they believe that the flavour of the cone is too strong for their exquisite gelato.

Via della Panetteria, 42
00187 Roma RM, Italy
Sun to Thu: 11am – 12.30am
Fri to Sat: 11am – 1.30am

LA BOTTEGA DEL GELATO

In Pisa to see the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa, and don’t know where to get good gelato? Skip the gelaterie near the tower and head to La Bottega del Gelato. Facing the Arno River, this gelateria is a local favourite — plenty of flavours to choose from and generous portions, what’s not to love?

Piazza Garibaldi, 11
56127 Pisa PI, Italy
Tel: +39 050 575 4675
Daily: 11am – 1am

OLD BRIDGE GELATERIA

After a day of exploring Vatican City, take a short walk to Old Bridge, which serves some of the best scoops in the city. An institution in Rome, Old Bridge uses only whole milk, whipped cream and fresh fruits, and it features popular flavours like stracciatella, creme caramel, pistachio, fior di latte and Nutella.

Viale dei Bastioni di Michelangelo, 5
00192 Roma RM, Italy
Tel: +39 06 4559 9961
Mon to Sat: 10am – 2am
Sun: 2.30pm – 2am

PERCHÉ NO!…

One of the oldest gelateria in Florence, Perché no!… has been serving up authentic gelato from their humble shop since 1939. With that much experience in the art of making gelato, you can expect top-notch consistency and flavouring from this gelateria.

The name of this gelateria means “why not” in Italian, and with so many inviting flavours offered, you really can’t help but ask this question to yourself.

Via dei Tavolini, 19r
50122 Firenze FI, Italy
Tel: +39 055 239 8969
Mon, Wed to Sun: 11am – 10pm
Tue: 12pm – 8pm