No walk down the scenic streets of Rome is complete without a cone of hazelnut gelato nestled inside. While all gelaterias have 15-20 or even 25-30 different flavors, no visit to Italy would be complete without seeing over 150 flavors of gelato in one place.
Italy is a favorite vacation spot for ILP volunteers who are spending their semester abroad in Europe — I mean, isn't that the life? Get to spend a semester volunteering in Europe, traveling around and taking vacations to Italy. Count me in!
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Oh, and when you travel to Italy, getting gelato in Rome is a must-do for your bucket list (even if you're only there for a couple of days.
We've got a full guide to Rome if you're planning a vacation. Here's how to see Rome in 2 days.
No matter what flavor you decide on, eating silky smooth gelato is the only true way to experience the beauty of the Coliseum or the Spanish Steps. During your semester abroad, gelato has to be a part of your Italian adventure, and I've got just place you need to visit.
Where Is This Magical Place?
Around the corner from the Roman Pantheon (which you’ve got to see, by the way), there is the Della Parma, AKA heaven on this earth. This large gelateria has over 150 flavors of home-made ice cream. One. Hundred. And. Fifty. Flavors. And at the time of this post they have nearly 5,000 raving reviews on Google ... so sounds like we're not the only ones who are obsessed.
Gelateria Della Parma
Address: Via della Maddalena, 19-23, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Hours: 8:30 AM-12:30 AM Monday-Sunday
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You should probably plan out time on your vacation to get gelato here at least 6-7 times so you can try as many flavors as possible. They’ve got kiwi - complete with the black seeds that add a serious crunch, rich dark chocolate, mascarpone and pistachio, Nutella (?!), tangy Fruili raspberries, and more…about 146 more. You will feel like a kid in a candy store when you walk inside to see trays of creamy, rich gelato piled high and topped with fruits, candies and chocolates. I told you it was heaven on earth.
I recommend getting fruity flavors for breakfast, and having a chocolate one for after dinner…and any other flavor you want in between ... just a suggestion.
Wait — Why is Gelato So Good?
So, what’s the big deal with gelato? It’s not just Italy’s version of ice cream, it’s way better than anything you can get in America. American ice cream has loads of air whipped into it, and has a higher butterfat content because it uses more cream than milk.
Gelato does the opposite, churning it low and slow so you get more gelato per bite because there is less air. You also have less fat (so basically it’s a healthy meal right) meaning that your lemon gelato packs a bright lemony punch that isn’t clouded by the butter fat. If that was too scientific, just know it’s beyond delicious and a must-have while vacationing in Europe.
If you love the idea of living in Europe for a semester, check out ILP!
Spend your days as a volunteer teaching English and cross off every place on your bucket list in between exploring castles and eating gelato . With ILP, you have vacation time set up so that you can backpack Europe to your heart's content.
Here are all the European countries you can volunteer in, and you can click the button below to get your questions answered:
