3 Ways to Explore Italy

Writer Elizabeth Minchilli travels all over the country for her app, Eat Italy. The digital guides reveal her top picks for everything from lunch (butter chicken at Sostanza in Florence) to cocktails (a spritz at the Aciugheta trattoria in Venice). itunes.apple.com

In Emilia-Romagna, Yummy Italy focuses on visits to artisans, including salumi producers and makers of Parmigiano-Reggiano. At Rosola Dairy in Zocca, you can taste cheeses aged from 16 to 65 months. yummy-italy.com

Emily FitzRoy of Bellini Travel has cultivated an incredible network that gives her exclusive access to palaces, galleries and private homes. She might arrange a villa stay in Sicily or a boat excursion through the Aeolian Islands, during which your private chef prepares sea urchin just plucked from the Mediterranean. "In Venice, rent a place on the Grand Canal and eat grilled razor clams at Alle Testiere." bellinitravel.com