Venice is a popular tourist destination, with an estimated 20 million tourists exploring the beautiful capital of northern Italy’s Veneto region.

With over 100 small islands all connected by quaint canals and incredible Renaissance and Gothic architecture to explore, it’s no wonder that Venice is so popular among holiday-goers. But let’s not forget some of the scrumptious food that you can find in the city without roads.

Sarde in saor

Due to the city’s location, a lot of traditional recipes use fish. Sarde in saor is no exception to this, as this recipe involves sardines and onions.

Saor refers to a specific way of cooking the onions, they are softened slowly over a low flame until translucent and then raisins and pine nuts are mixed in. This simple recipe is a must-try for those who love simple and great food.

Bigoli in salsa

This Venetian pasta dish provides a hearty and delicious meal, ideal for those looking to replenish after a long day of exploring the city.

Traditionally this dish was prepared with sardines, however nowadays it often uses an aromatic sauce of onions, anchovies, and fennel seeds, served with whole-wheat bigoli pasta.

Frittelle

These delicious treats are only available around Carnival time, so if you’re lucky enough to be visiting then make sure you try Frittelles. Frittelles are fried donuts that are dipped in sugar, they are either stuffed with cream or raisins.

“Frittelles or frittolles date back to the year 1300. For centuries the frittelle in Venice could only be made by fritoleri, who were special tradesmen, ” explains Rosa Mancini, a food expert from REVIEWBOX, “Since then other countries including the UK and Spain make frittelles, or fritters as they are known in the UK, however they taste best when they’re fresh and eaten in Venice.”

Baccala mantecato

This light snack is often eaten in the evening on small pieces of fresh bread and accompanied with prosecco.

Baccala mantecato is a dried cod fish that is cooked for hours until it becomes soft and the bones dissolve. The fish is whipped up with oil until it turns into a white cream. Baccala mantecato is a simple Venetian staple that you need to try when you’re in the city and is available at various eateries in Venice.

Tramezzino

If you’re looking for a light snack to fill you up at lunch time, then you need to try Venice’s Tramezzino. This typical Venetian snack is essentially a sandwich, as it consists of two triangular pieces of white bread and can have a variety of fillings.

Tramezzino can be found at various bakeries, shops, and cafes in Venice. There’s plenty of choice when it comes to the fillings, for example you can have prosciutto cotto and artichokes, or mozzarella and tomatoes, or radicchio with olives and soft cheese.

If you’re spending some time in Italy and looking for other great foods to try, have a look at 5 of the Best: Things You Need to Eat in Rome, Italy.