Please don't go to Frommers - ignore what doesn't help here and the rest of us will try to help. One of the best things to eat in Italy is gelato. However, as a vetan, try the sorbetto - it is normally made with water like sorbet. Umm!

Sorry if you think I wasn't "compassionate" enough. I have close relatives who are vegans, and I eat very little meat myself so I was not picking on your diet choice. But you yourself made that statement about Italy being "all about the food". I was merely pointing out two facts that could impact your trip. One, that there is way more to enjoy about going to Italy than what you eat. And two, which you probably already know if you are a vegan, that there are animal products in all kinds of food including pasta and bread, two categories that are very important to Italian cuisine. In your first post you mentioned that there will be "lots of pasta choices" but you should be aware that between the pasta itself and the sauces the chances are slim that there will be much that you'll find that will be totally free of animal products such as butter, milk and eggs.

>><i>The truth hurts! I think I'll go to Frommer's, maybe they'll be a lot more compassionate there </i>

People don't normally come here for compassion, they come here to get truth and facts, which is what you were given. I was confused that you called yourself a vegan, (the MAIN point of this thread) then turned around a few posts later and said you ate fish now and again <i>and</i> would eat cheese and butter. <i>Then</i> stated you were "going vegan-ish". It's just hard to answer the question when you change mid thread.

Then when everyone did not post they way you expected, you "threatened" to go to another site. #-O

I agree with isabel- Being a vegan in Italy = difficult, merely having a few dietary restrictions = not so difficult.

I was going to respond in detail, but I'm sort of at the point where I'm not sure what the OP eats.

The short story: If you eat fish, vegetables, pasta, non-meat soups, and olive oil, you'll do OK, especially in the south.

I think you do need to be careful and aware that sometimes small amounts of meat, particularly pork, as well as stocks that may be chicken or beef are used for flavoring in dishes that seem to be vegetarian , especially bean dishes. So if this is going to upset you you need to know how to ask about this and to understand the responses.

LadyYogi - where are you going to stay? hotel or apartment?

IMO your life will be a lot easier if you rent an apartment - then you can take advantage of all the wonderful fruit and veg you see in the markets, and cook for yourself, at least some of the time.

not sure if anyone else has mentioned this, but you can get some very good already cooked "take away" type foods in Italy from places called "rosticcerie" where they predominately offer roast dishes - not just meats and fish but usually potatoes and veg too.

and the supermarkets can be vey good too.

buon viaggio!

"I know there are lots of pasta choices"

Pasta is made with eggs, so isn't vegan. Sorry.

"Pasta is made with eggs".

Not necessarily.

nonconformist - fresh pasta is normally made with eggs but dried pasta isn't:

http://www.deliaonline.com/ingredien...p-r/Pasta.html

so it's fine for vegans.

But why would you go to Italy and have DRIED pasta.. You can have that in the US ;)

Dried pasta, in its varying qualities, is not inferior to fresh, just different. For some sauces, it is a better choice.

I've seen comparisons where dried pasta came out better than fresh.

I think we can agree it's a personal preference then.

I was in Rome last Fall and have been a vegetarian for over 35 years. It was not a problem, much easier than some other European countries but I think it would indeed be difficult for a vegan. Try to find a website for vegan restaurants in Italy - and maybe rent an apartment to prepare your own main meals.

I prefer a vegetarian diet and I definitely do not eat
meat; I was in Italy May/June and didn't have any trouble
finding the food I wanted in restaurants or food stores.

I was careful with ordering risotto - the stock is usually
non-vegetarian.

...oh, and good luck with another site being more
compassionate; I'm wondering how many responses you'll get
there, let alone ones you perceive as caring. lol.

I think the OP has left the building

Weird reaction to a very innocuous post IMO (isabel was helpful actually) . . .

If in Naples, look up this place: http://www.sorrisointegrale.com/

You can't be "veganish"! You either are vegan or you're not. My daughter and her DH are vegan, you're not.

You can't be "veganish"! You either are vegan or you're not. My daughter and her DH are vegan, you're not.>>


no wonder the OP left.