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FLYING

Italian airport waives liquids limit for hand luggage – but only for pesto

Travellers to Italy often choose to take a taste of the country home with them by filling their suitcases with local food and drinks - only to be thwarted by airports' strict regulations on carrying liquids.

Published: 21 June 2017 14:22 CEST
Updated: 22 June 2017 10:24 CEST
Italian airport waives liquids limit for hand luggage - but only for pesto
A jar of pesto. Photo: poppet with a camera/Flickr

One airport, however, is making an exception to the 100ml-maximum rule for taking liquids onboard.

From the start of June, tourists flying out of Genoa airport in northern Italy have been allowed to take larger quantities of liquids in their cabin baggage.

The catch? The 100ml limit is only waived for those taking pesto, the region's famous sauce made of garlic, basil, pine nuts and cheese. “If it's not pesto, it can't fly in hand luggage,” Genoa Airport press officer Nur El Gawohary told The Local.

Genoa's Cristoforo Colombo airport launched the 'Il pesto è buono' (Pesto is good) initiative at the start of June, allowing passengers to take jars of pesto up to 500g on board, in exchange for a donation to Flying Angels, a local charity which provides flights for seriously ill children who need to travel overseas to receive care.

The inspiration for the scheme came from airport staff. “Every year hundreds of pesto jars were seized at security controls and thrown away – a waste of food and an annoyance to our passengers,” explained El Gawohary.

READ ALSO: Low-cost flights to be launched between Rome and the US

“Ensuring safety is our primary goal,” said El Gawohary. “We use the same equipment [to check the pesto] that is used to check medicines, special foods or breast milk, which can already be brought in the cabin in quantities over 100ml.”

Tourists unwilling to part with their oversized pesto jars can ask for a sticker in exchange for a charity donation, and staff then scan the jars in a special x-ray machine which has an anti-explosive device fitted.

In the first 20 days of the project, more than 500 passengers have taken part. According to the airport, the initiative has been “particularly appreciated by locals from Liguria” who no longer have to go without their regional specialty when holidaying abroad, but several tourists have also taken advantage of the scheme to take home a garlicky souvenir.

The pesto must still comply with some limits: passengers can either take one 500g jar or two jars of up to 250g. They can only be taken on direct flights from Genoa, and the pesto in question must be Genovese.

READ ALSO: 21 photos that will make you say 'Only in Italy'

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FOOD AND DRINK

Six of the most Italian non-alcoholic aperitivo drinks

As well as its most famous cocktails, Italy has a long tradition of making refreshing aperitivo drinks without the alcohol.

Published: 11 April 2024 12:01 CEST
Six of the most Italian non-alcoholic aperitivo drinks

Italy’s favourite aperitivo-hour cocktails are known far beyond the country’s borders, so their names will probably be familiar to you whether you drink them or not.

But if you’re in Italy and not drinking alcohol, you might find yourself stumped when it comes time to order your aperitivo at the bar.

The first time I found myself in this situation, there was no menu. The waiter instead rattled off a long list of all the soft drinks available, most of which I’d never heard of, and I just picked something I thought sounded nice.

Luckily it turns out that Italy has some great options for an aperitivo analcolico. As well as ‘virgin’ versions of well-known cocktails, there are bitters, sodas and other Italian-made soft drinks that you’re unlikely to find anywhere else.

They might not be quite as iconic as the Aperol Spritz, but they’re as thoroughly Italian – plus, effortlessly ordering one of these will make you look like a true local.

SanBittèr

San Pellegrino’s SanBittèr is one of the most famous non-alcoholic Italian drinks of all, with its highly-recognisable red packaging, often enjoyed in place of Campari cocktails because of its similar dark, ruby-red color.

This drink is carbonated with a slightly sweet, citrus flavor. The recipe is more complex than that of an orange or lemon soda, with notes of spice and herbs, making it ideal to pair with your aperitivo-hour snacks.

Crodino

Crodino looks a lot like an Aperol Spritz with its bright orange hue, and that’s not an accident: it’s said to have been created as a non-alcoholic alternative, and the zesty, slightly herbal taste is similar. It’s typically served the same way. in a round goblet glass over ice with a slice of orange: a Crodino Spritz.

The name comes from the town of Crodo in Piedmont, where it is still bottled today by the Campari group.

Chinotto

Citrusy Chinotto is an acquired taste for many, but it’s worth trying: it’s one of the classic Italian bitters and is said to have a long history, dating back to a recipe shared by Chinese sailors arriving on the Ligurian coast in the 1500s.

It may look a little like Coca Cola, but don’t let the appearance fool you.

(Photo by Eugene Gologursky /Getty Images via AFP)

Aranciata/Limonata

Aranciata is Italy’s version of an orange soda, but not as sugary, and it tastes like oranges. Its base is sparkling water with the addition of orange juice and sugar. There are various brands, but San Pellegrino’s is the most popular. It also sells a ‘bitter’ aranciata amaro, with even less sugar, more citrus tang and herbal notes, which might be more aperitivo-hour appropriate.

Limonata is, as you might guess, the Italian answer to lemonade. Again there are many versions out there but the fizzy San Pellegrino limonata is beloved for its strong, sweet-sour flavour and there’s nothing more refreshing on a hot summer’s day.

Cedrata

Cedrata is one of Italy’s oldest and best-known non-alcoholic drinks. It’s a refreshing, carbonated drink made from a large citrus fruit called a cedro, grown in southern Italy. It’s far less bitter than a Chinotto, but not as sweet as limonata.

The main producer of Cedrata today is Tassoni, and this is what you’re likely to get if you order it at a bar.

Gingerino

This is harder to find than the other aperitivi on the list and is seen as decidedly retro, but it’s worth trying if you can track it down.

It’s another orange-coloured, sparkling drink which became popular in Italy in the 1970s and is still sold today, though you’re more likely to find it in the north-east, close to Venice, where it’s produced.

You may be expecting it to taste a lot like ginger beer, and there are similarities, but it has stronger citrus notes and more bitterness.

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