'Naples has more in common with Mexico City than Milan,’ one local told us on our latest visit to this gritty Italian metropolis. But despite its frenetic alleys and faded architecture, Naples is the epicentre of Italian cooking, where dishes are stripped back to their purest, most delicious forms, and often sold cheaply. The food here is more democratic than in Venice or Rome or the nearby but worlds away towns of the Amalfi Coast. Perhaps surprisingly, Naples has more Michelin stars than any of its glossier sisters – at one-starred Veritas, order soul-food dishes of simple spaghetti with anchovies and butter. Seafood-focussed L’Altro Coco Loco is Michelin-tipped for its sashimi and lobster linguine. And of course, Naples is the spiritual home of the world’s best pizzas – share one at every hole-in-the-wall you come across and make your ranking of the best of the bunch.
This island – cast adrift in the Mediterranean – is distinctly Italian and yet also unique. While Italy is known for its grand cities, Sardinia is more rustic, wilder. The stripped-back nature of the island is evident in its food culture. Pillowy fermented pizzas are topped with smoked salmon and cauliflower at Cagliari's Framento pizzeria, while suckling pig is the dish to try at Su Gologone, one of the top hotels on the island. Sardinia’s distinct landscape is one of its loveliest attributes, with mountains and forests giving way to the brightest white beaches. The food heritage charts the varying topography – order seafood by the coast and mutton in the mountains.
