Is there a particular region of Italy that would be ideal for an American who is travelling to Italy for the first time? I was thinking that Tuscany would be good since the diet there is rich in meats much like the American diet. Americans may also feel at home in a place like an Osteria which resembles American taverns. Any thoughts or suggestions?

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If you have Italian relatives I would go to Abruzzo. Many of the people there have relatives in America and/or Canada and are very welcoming to people from these regions.

Wow thanks! My bisnonno came from abruzzo. I don' think that we have any relatives there though! I would really be happy if someday I found out that I have family in Italy. I would love to meet them!

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My thoughts? Well, I work hard and penny pinch so that once a year I get to spend a month in a different place to where I live. I'd be a fool to travel far just to eat the same food and to sleep in the same hotel that I could find in the same town where I spend 11 months of the year.

My suggestions? Rome. It's the most amazing place in the whole world.

//My suggestions? Rome. It's the most amazing place in the whole world.//

Aussie Phil, I have to agree. It has to be seen and experienced - a ruin on every corner!

Aussie Phil,

I agree with you. However, for some people the "culture shock" of a new country can be intimidating so a few remiders of home may not be a bad thing as long as they are coupled with new and exciting discoveries, adventures, and information.

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Giacomo, Could you advise how much meat the average American requires each day while travelling overseas so that they can avoid culture shock?

Perhaps the average American would prefer to visit Australia where we eat our own bodyweight of undercooked meat each fortnight.
All up and down our country, meat is eaten for breakfast, lunch dinner and supper. The famed Angus Burger is consumed here in the guise of comfort food, just to fill in an empty corner between main meals.

Us Aussies like our meat raw and bloody, "Knock it's horns off, wipe it's bum, and put it on a plate," is a frequent call in restaurants, "And hold back on the vegies."

I think you would feel at home here Giacomo, We drive on the wrong side of the road compared to you, but that's a small thing to worry about.

Giacomo:
From your former posts on this forum I know that you are very interested in food. BUT, I think your precept about meat being a factor in the choice of a location for an American visiting Italy for the first time is wrong and native --even on the border of being offensive. Although we have a reputation for being big meat eaters and Stereotyped correctly for being fat (which many many, unfortunately are) most Americans claim that Italian food is their favorite. So my theory would be first time American tourist would like to see the places they have heard the most about and seen the most in movies. Rome would be on the top of the list. If you think about regions where people feel most comfortable I would suggest that it has more to do with the type region they come from. A small town person may feel more "culture shock" in a city than a person who is used to the city.
Suzan

You know, I had the feeling that I offended somebody with this question and I apologize! I meant nothing by it at all. Really!

Food is something that is very important to me...it's how I express myself...almost like an art form. Therefore, food is one of the first things that I think of in almost any given situation. I just figured that since Americans like to have meat almost every day, a region like Tuscany might be a good choice since meat plays such a big role in Tuscan Cuisine. For a first time traveler, there are a lot of things to get used to. If there are a couple of comforts of home that are present during the trip, (food being one possibility) then maybe the adjustment would be easier. Remember, I have never travelled before so I am a bit cluless about this type of thing.

As for Americans being fat....I didn't even think of that when I started this thread. It had nothing to do with my question.

Sorry for any misunderstanding. Sometimes it is hard to know what the other person really means when you can't see or hear them on an internet forum. It's good to clear things up!

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HI
I am surprised I wasn't called on the "fat comment". It was probably more offensive than your eating stereotype. You were thinking about how to make first time traveler comfortable.
I have found it is easier for some fellow Americans to feel more comfortable in Italy because the food is familiar as opposed to say France because there isn't a town in the states that doesn't hve some form of Italian food.

Suzan