My husband and I are planning a big trip for our 30th wedding anniversary next spring. I've always dreamed of traveling in Italy. The problem is that my husband is not a good traveler to begin with and is a very picky eater. I'm worried that he will complain so much about the food that it will ruin my trip. He will not eat pasta. How big a problem will this be for us?

By the way I should add that we've never traveled outside the U.S. before.

Not eating pasta is not a big problem at all. Meals in Italy generally consist of 4 courses: appetizer; pasta or soup; main course; dessert (frequently fruit or cheese). Sometimes, the cheese course is served in addition to dessert. Your husband tourists just eat pizza for lunch and/or dinner. Of course, this limits the kinds of restaurants you can eat in.

Sorry Mary, my posting got a little messed up. I meant to say that your husband never has to eat pasta, and that some tourists eat pizza for lunch and/or dinner.

Mary, there's no way any good is going to come of this trip. Italy is not going to magically transform your husband into a good traveler and an adventuresome eater; he will be miserable, you will be miserable, and everyone around you will be miserable. That's no way to celebrate thirty years of marriage. <BR> <BR>

Mary: No problem. You can skip the pasta course or ask for a nice risotto. <BR>On this board, I found a very useful website for Italian food (in English). Check it out: <BR>www.acena.it <BR> <BR>Enjoy Italy and do eat a lot of gelato (ice cream). ;-)

Stay at home Mary. We don't need more simple Americans in Europe who are even afraid to try the local cuisine. May I suggest Omaha for your vacation.

ok, first of all, if the husband doesn't eat pasta, i'd say leave him at home and take me, but since he is a part of the anniversary, i guess you have to take him - first, it's a question of how are you travelling (w/group bus, by train, by car, on your own). since it's your first trip, i'm going to assume it's with a group ... yes, there's pasta everywhere, and most tourists eat it as their meal, HOWEVER, it is in the italian tradition that pasta is served only as a course and the MAIN meal is fish/meat/veggies so the traditional italian restauranteur will appreciate you husband very much and you really should try to make him at least try the pasta in italy as there is just something different and better about it that we just can't get in the american made sauces. <BR>as for italy, it IS beautiful and it's about time you saw europe, which is just magical. also, my parents (i'm 27) who are likely similar in travel expectations to yourself and your husband just returned in june from a two week tour of italy and southern france (venice, rome, pompeii, florence,piza,cannes) so if you have any more specific questions, please feel free to email me: [email protected]

Mary, <BR>I used to live in Italy, and while pasta is abundant, there are plenty of other foods. Fresh fruit & vegetables of all kinds, eggs, wonderful chicken dishes, salads, and beef are all readily available. I think Italy is for you both. Please go & enjoy! <BR>BC

You din't mention where you were interested in going. <BR>Does your husband want to go. A lot is in the mind. <BR>I'm a picky though not demanding eater. Have you ever had pizza without tomato sauce? etc, etc. No problem. <BR>Depending upon where you go the only problem might be the plane over. Take something to ensure a good night's sleep. <BR>Italian trains do well. A train doesn't start quickly, doesn't stop quickly, doesn't turn quickly. Nor does it goe up or down quickly. <BR>Trains are a great ride and can get you to most places without trouble. <BR>Go for it.

Hi Mary. I'm leaning, like the tower of Pisa, toward Elvira's point of view on this. But, can you help us by explaining what you mean when you say "my husband is not a good traveler to begin with"? Thanks.

The food is so wonderful and varied, he will probably be eating pasta by the third day. He's thinking of heavy meatsauce and egg noodles. It's so much different in Italy. Light, melt-in-your mouth....sigh. Does he like soups? What about cheese? Tuscan beefsteaks are marvelous. Guess I'm the optimist, here. Does he like beautiful scenery and friendly people? It would be really difficult not to enjoy Tuscany. Unless he's very big-city cosmopolitan. Then he'd probably like Rome and Florence.

Mary: <BR> <BR>What I'm wondering is, if your husband doesn't eat pasta, what DOES he eat? Most of the picky eaters I know, even the really picky ones, will eat pasta. And no, he doesn't have to eat pasta in Italy; there is an abundance of choices. But maybe if you told us what he DOES eat, it would be clearer whether or not this is a good idea. Also, I would mention that, if this is your first trip out of the US and your husband is not a good traveler, I'm not sure Italy is the best destination. Wild as I am about that country, it requires some patience and a willingness to go with the flow that some other countries do not. In my travels in Italy I have found there is always a little bit of exasperation to deal with along with the flood of beauty and art and stunning countryside and marvelous cuisine.

Mary, I promise you he will ruin your trip! Go to Italy with a very good friend and have a ball! Leave your husband at home. Plan something simple to celebrate your anniversary. <BR>Dine out and exchange great gifts! <BR>

Might be a troll... but in any event.. why would you want to celebrate your 30th Anniversary with a spouse who doesn't travel well, travelling? Further why to a country where the food is likely to be an issue... Here's what I would do... go out to a nice restaurant on your Anniversary, or a romantic hotel in the next town.. then tell him you are taking a trip to Italy on your next birthday. <BR>Travel is not for the faint of heart, it's expensive and stressful, why spend money on carting someone around when they don't want to go? Let him buy himself a treat of somekind and you take yourself to Italy or join a tour. Believe me, you will all be happier that way.

Food shouldn't be an issue (except if he only eats tex mex food). I would be more worried about his actual willingness to travel. <BR> <BR>But who knows? Several people here have reported that their reluctant spouse couldn't wait to come back after a first <BR>travel. OTH, other have reported horror stories about a travel with someone whose only desire was to come back home. <BR> <BR>It would be a loss if you renounced to your dream travel, but you should probably give some more informations about the kind of travel you're planning and also about the reasons why your husband is unwilling to travel (the food probably isn't his main concern)

Agree with many of the above, if he doesn't like travel and pasta, he will just make your trip miserable. Go to Las Vegas and stay at the Venetian - it's a wonderful place and at least you will feel like you're in Italy.