13 Best Gelaterias in Italy (Because Who Needs a Diet on Vacation?)

The best gelaterias in Italy, such as Gelateria dei Neri in Florence and Giolitti in Rome, reflect the country’s passion for gelato. Italy is famous for many things, including the Colosseum, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and the Amalfi Coast. However, it’s often the food and drink that steals the hearts of travelers, no more so than gelato.

Gelato has been consumed in Italy for decades. In fact, during the Renaissance, it became a delicacy among Italian nobility. Today, you’ll find it on almost every street in most Italian tourist destinations. Therefore, finding the best gelato is challenging.

We’ve selected these gelaterias for their excellent quality, dedication to using fresh, local ingredients, and inventive flavor combinations. Each offers a unique experience that reflects Italy’s local culture and traditions. Our list was curated by analyzing reviews from travelers, locals, and industry experts.

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Best Gelaterias in Italy Vivoli Artisan Ice Cream Shop, Florence

Vivoli Artisan Ice Cream Shop, Florence 1/5

Best Gelaterias in Italy Fiocco di Neve, Rome

Fiocco di Neve, Rome 2/5

Best Gelaterias in Italy Gelateria La Carraia, Florence

Gelateria La Carraia, Florence 3/5

Come il Latte, Rome 4/5

Best Gelaterias in Italy Gelateria del Teatro, Rome

Gelateria del Teatro, Rome 5/5

Results

Vivoli Artisan Ice Cream Shop, Florence

1 2

Fiocco di Neve, Rome

0 3

Gelateria La Carraia, Florence

2 1

Come il Latte, Rome

1 2

Gelateria del Teatro, Rome

0 3

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Table of Contents

Fiocco di Neve, Rome

Fiocco di Neve is one of the best gelaterias in Rome. Tucked away in the heart of Italy’s capital city, this gelateria prides itself on serving its customers original gelato using traditional recipes. You’ll find it conveniently located near the Pantheon.

As soon as you step foot in Fiocco di Neve, you’ll be hit in the face with mountains of delicious gelato. Fiocco di Neve serves all the classic flavors in several types of cones. They also serve coffee and affogato – an Italian dessert consisting of a scoop of gelato, plain milk or vanilla, and hot espresso.

Popular flavors include mango, melon, and chocolate. This gelateria also serves gluten-free gelato.

Come il Latte, Rome

In my opinion, the best gelateria in Italy is Come il Latte in Rome. Admittedly, I haven’t been to every gelateria in the country. However, I doubt anywhere else can top the delicious offerings at Come il Latte, which translates to “like milk.” This elegant black-and-white gelato parlor serves out-of-this-world ice cream, gelato, and frozen yogurt.

Located on Via Silvio Spaventa 24/26, near Termini train station, Come il Latte’s gelato uses natural and organic ingredients. Better yet, it’s made fresh every day, and there are plenty of tasty flavors.

You can opt for classic flavors like vanilla, chocolate, and pistachio or try something more unique, like persimmon. You can even coat your ice cream cone in chocolate. What’s not to like?

Gelateria del Teatro, Rome

If you’re near Piazza Navona or Castel Sant’Angelo, head to Gelateria del Teatro to get your gelato fix. It was only established in 2004, but that hasn’t stopped it from becoming one of the best gelaterias in Rome. You can find Gelateria del Teatro on Via dei Coronari.

Like many of Italy’s best gelaterias, Gelateria del Teatro uses high-quality, fresh, Italian-sourced ingredients to make its gelato. As such, you can expect different flavors throughout the year as the seasons change. Make sure you also try the homemade chocolates during your visit.

The location of Gelateria del Teatro is also perfect. It’s on a narrow cobblestone street with vibrant buildings and colorful plants.

Giolitti, Rome

European Cities for Foodies Rome, Italy — © Alona Dudaieva / Adobe Stock

Giolitti, located in the heart of Rome, is the city’s oldest and one of its most renowned gelaterias. It has been delighting customers since 1900. Famous for its old-world charm and exceptional gelato, Giolitti offers a dazzling variety of flavors, from classic stracciatella to indulgent zabaione, made with egg custard and Marsala wine.

Near the iconic Pantheon, this family-owned gelateria serves generous portions at reasonable prices. Go early to avoid the long queue.

Vivoli Artisan Ice Cream Shop, Florence

Vivoli Artisan Ice Cream Shop is one of the oldest gelaterias in Florence. It’s a stone’s throw away from the Basilica of Santa Croce in the city’s historic center and specializes in traditional Italian gelato. Vivoli Artisan Ice Cream Shop opened in 1929 as Vivoli Dairy and has been run by the same family ever since.

The gelato at Vivoli Artisan Ice Cream Shop is homemade using high-quality, locally sourced ingredients. This ice cream is so good that Vivoli has opened two ice cream parlors in the United States. These can be found in Orlando and New York.

Besides the delicious gelato and ice cream, Vivoli Artisan Ice Cream Shop also serves pastries, affogato, and semifreddo.

Gelateria La Carraia, Florence

Gelateria La Carraia is one of the top family-run gelaterias in Italy. You’ll find it in Piazza Nazario Sauro, alongside the Arno River in Florence. Like many of Italy’s gelaterias, Gelateria La Carraia offers its customers freshly made gelato that follows a traditional recipe.

However, it also takes things further by getting creative with new flavors and ideas. As such, it’s an excellent gelateria to visit if you want to try something new. Unique flavors you can try at Gelateria La Carraia include pineapple, peanut, white chocolate and pistachio, and ricotta and pears.

Like Vivoli Artisan Ice Cream Shop, Gelateria La Carraia also specializes in pastries, cakes, and semifreddo. Sounds great, right?

Perché No!…, Florence

Best Gelaterias in Italy Perché No!..., Florence — © Zivica Kerkez / Shutterstock

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Perché No!… is one of Italy’s top-rated gelaterias for authentic gelato. Since 1939, this historic ice cream parlor in Florence has been serving traditional artisanal ice cream using only milk, eggs, cream, and fruit. For those who don’t know, Perché No means “why not” in English, which is precisely what you’ll think when you see it for the first time.

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Today, this gelateria is run by the Cammilli family, which strives to offer exceptional flavors from only the freshest and highest-quality ingredients. On the topic of flavors, some of the flavors available at Perché No!… are incredibly intriguing. You can try ginger, peaches, Sacher cake, and green tea-flavored gelato alongside the more classical flavors.

La Mela Verde, Venice

If you seek an authentic experience, one of the best gelaterias in Italy is La Mela Verde in Venice. This small gelato parlor in Central Venice offers a no-nonsense gelato experience in a small, compact store. You can expect an exciting range of classic flavors and a handful of more creative concoctions.

Admittedly, La Mela Verde has fewer options than bigger, more famous gelaterias, but that’s one of the things most people love about it. With fewer flavors, the gelateria can put more time, effort, and love into making their gelato. The gelato at La Mela Verde is made daily using whole Italian milk.

Therefore, it has a super creamy flavor you won’t soon forget. Popular flavors include ricotta & Sicilian pistachio, strawberry sorbet, vanilla, and cherry.

La Gelateria della Musica, Milan

One of the most unique gelaterias in Italy is La Gelateria della Musica in Milan. Located on Via Lodovico Il Moro, this fascinating gelateria sells music-themed gelato and regularly hosts live music performances. We don’t know about you, but that sounds like a hugely entertaining ice cream parlor.

It’s common to see tourists queuing out the door to taste the delicious fresh, homemade gelato at La Gelateria della Musica. Examples of artists the gelato in this gelateria is named after include Guns N’ Roses, Francesco De Gregori, Hanz Zimmer, and Maneskin. As for the flavors, you can expect everything from classics like vanilla and chocolate to creative flavors like popcorn & salted caramel and zucca & amaretti.

Il Massimo del Gelato, Milan

Il Massimo del Gelato in Milan is one of the finest gelaterias you can visit in Italy if you love chocolate. While this famous ice cream parlor offers a wide range of delicious flavors, its main draw is its chocolate variations. Il Massimo del Gelato sells ten different variations of chocolate gelato in total.

Popular chocolate flavors include 100% cocoa, chocolate with chili pepper, chocolate and cinnamon, and chocolate and orange. As you would expect, this gelateria also serves classic flavors like vanilla, coffee, and strawberry. That’s not all this charming gelateria offers.

Inside Il Massimo del Gelato, you’ll also find various sorbet flavors, cakes, pastries, and panettone. You’ll undoubtedly struggle to decide what you want to try first.

Fresco Sorrento, Sorrento

Fresco Sorrento is a cozy gelateria found down a narrow cobblestone alleyway in Sorrento. Offering an escape from Sorrento’s busy streets, you can tuck into delicious gelato and other Italian desserts at this gelateria. However, there are only a few tables and chairs, so you might struggle to find a seat.

Fresco Sorrento offers over 20 gelato flavors, so you’ll definitely find something you enjoy. Popular flavors include chocolate, vanilla, lemon, and pistachio. There are also plenty of toppings to choose from.

Like all of Italy’s top gelaterias, the gelato at Fresco Sorrento is made using fresh and locally sourced ingredients. Aside from gelato, this quaint gelateria also sells granitas, smoothies, sweets, and ice cream sandwiches.

La Sorbetteria Castiglione, Bologna

La Sorbetteria Castiglione is one of the top-rated gelaterias in Bologna, Northern Italy. It is located on Via Castiglione in central Bologna. La Sorbetteria draws tourists in with the promise of rich and creamy gelato.

It uses high-quality, local ingredients to make gelato, so you can expect immense flavors and seasonal offerings. There are many exciting flavors to choose from at La Sorbetteria, so deciding which one to try isn’t easy. However, some flavors stand out from the crowd.

Salted caramel, dark chocolate, stracciatella, and espresso coffee sound delicious. Liquorice, raw almond, lemon & ginger, and mascarpone del capo also sound like intriguing options. What flavor will you try when you visit La Sorbetteria?

Suso Gelatoteca, Venice

You’ll also find many of Italy’s most highly-rated gelaterias in Venice, one of the best being Suso Gelatoteca. Nestled in the heart of Venice, this exciting gelateria combines tradition and experimentation to offer ice cream lovers iconic flavors and unique concoctions. Like many Italian gelaterias, the gelato is made from fresh and Italian-sourced ingredients.

Noteworthy gelato flavors at Suso Gelatoteca include tiramisu, chocolate chip, and mango. If you want to try something different, you could also try walnut fig, peanut butter, or cheese tart. Either way, you’re in for a real treat.

Suso Gelatoteca also serves vegan ice cream, cakes, and waffles. I don’t know about you, but the combination of freshly made, creamy gelato and waffles sounds divine.