Travelling coeliac people: useful websites

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What is the first thing we think about when we organize a travel? Sure, finding a place that could offer a safe shelter. Not much time ago, I did the same. I did not consider a problem finding my food during my journey, maybe abroad. On the contrary, now this is one of my priorities and I think not only about a hotel and luggage, but I search information about places where I can find gluten free products. Yes, a person with coeliac disease must know how to move to eat and overall not to feel sick, depriving herself or himself of a precious day of her/his holidays.  

On this purpose, today I want to share some websites that can simplify our life as “intolerants”  when we travel – both in Italy and abroad – and, perhaps, it could be useful for those who want to invite a coeliac person to go out for lunch.

Let’s see  how to move in Italy. The Associazione Italiana Celiachia (AIC) is surely an essential resource for people affected by coeliac disease and, in particular in this discourse, its section dedicated to certified places, which are equipped for gluten free cooking. Besides, I think that its app with a list of certified products and public places is even more useful.

www.ristorantiperceliaci.net is another website that often turns to be useful. Selecting regions, provinces and tows, you can find all the places, certified by AIC and not, which provide gluten free food.

Let’s switch to foreign countries. Fortunately, our old dear Europe is quite organized in terms of coeliac disease. The list of the different national associations that you can find on the AIC website is a proof. I am going to take into exam just some countries (casually they are those of which I speak the languages!):

U.K. Its official website is really well structured. There is not a list with places where you can eat in tranquility but they provide an app for your smartphone for this purpose.

Besides, I suggest the website Glutafin. Here, you can search public places in the area you are interested in.

France. The French association provides a list not only of places for us but also of brands that produce gluten free food (in other words, if we want to do our shopping, we can).  

Germany. Whatever we could think about , in this field the German could do something more. The website of German association does not help very much with eating out. Anyways, the website www.was-ist-zoeliakie.de gives the possibility to search equipped place in whole Germany.

Lastly, we must not forget our precious Travelcard. For those who do not know what it is, it is a little text that sums up what a coeliac person can and cannot eat translated in 54 languages. Honestly, even though I am graduated in foreign languages, I would use it: no matter how good I could speak English or another language, surely this card would be clearer and more complete than me... I think!

My last piece of advice is just to ask managers of pubs if they are equipped for gluten free cooking. In this way, I have had pleasant and delicious surprises.

I hope that this blog post would be useful. If you have any other piece of advice or experience to share, please, write it down in the comments, because, let’s say it, they are always useful!