Eating well in Venice – classic dishes for figure-conscious visitors

When we think of Italian food, we immediately imagine that it’ll be difficult to eat healthily on a trip to Italy. There’s a false but widespread idea that pasta is fattening. In reality, it’s what goes with pasta that’s really fattening. We’re not talking here about the vegetables, but about the butter, the cheese, the cream and so on.

Another important fact – it’s not all just pasta in Italy!

Menus are very varied, and include a number of dishes to attract people who are watching their figures. For example you can head for the grills, salads or seafood.

Rather than searching for any particular restaurant by name, I suggest that you try losing yourself in the narrow streets of the town and pick one by instinct.

Did somebody say “dessert”? I must admit that it’s very difficult to leave without tasting a tiramisu. I tested one at the I TRE MERCANTI café / grocery, which has a Certificate of Excellence from Tripadvisor and is second in the “Shopping” category on the same website. Although they offer 25 different flavours of tiramisu, the most popular is still the traditional tiramisu.

It doesn’t contain any alcohol, just eggs, cream, mascarpone, “langue de chat” biscuits, coffee, sugar and cocoa powder. It goes without saying that to keep healthy, you have to avoid overdoing it! It’s very easy to find fresh fruits laid out on little tables in the city squares, which are a good way to satisfy any sugar craving.

How do you get around in the City of Water?

The absence of cars, and the maze of streets where it’s so easy to lose yourself, are factors that encourage walking in Venice, and help you keep active! There’s nothing like activity for burning off the calories in that little tiramisu you treated yourself to.

Optimism, Italian style

Italians are naturally welcoming, smiling and positive. They look on the bright side of life, and they’re always ready to help. They’ll help you find your way, or tell you about their culture without hesitation. It makes a great opportunity to be inspired by their positive attitude towards life.

After all your hard work, enjoy a little relaxation in the Floating City

Most hotels with spa facilities are seasonal and open only in high season, in other words from the end of March to the beginning of October.

However, let me tell you a little secret – there is a hotel with a wellness spa suite that’s open all year round. We spent our last morning at the REALI hotel where we were greeted by Faviola, a very charming Canadian lady. We enjoyed eating fresh fruit in the jacuzzi, which was a thorough and well-earned relaxation after a good activity session in the hotel’s sports hall!

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