Gelato in Venice and Bolzano

In the Santa Lucia train station in Venice, Italy, be sure to visit the gelato counter GROM (www.grom.it). It’s dead ahead of you when you walk up the ramp on the left and through the station door.

Even though I hardly ever drink coffee, that flavor of GROM’s gelato was wonderfully “espresso” tasting. I also enjoyed the darker chocolates and the fruit flavors, all of them seasonally fresh.

One scoop (media) cost €3.20 (near $3.50), two scoops (grande) cost €3.80 and three (gigante), €5.50. (I chose gigante on my May 2016 visit.) Generous servings and very defined flavors!

An Italian friend told me that the taste of the limone (lemon) flavor is the true test of a superior gelato. A businessman who was buying some said he thought GROM’s brand was the best in Italy. Other locations of GROM in Venice are Campo San Barnaba; Cannaregio, on the Strada Nuova near Ca’ d’Oro, and Campo dei Frari.

• In Bolzano, I found Gelateria Eccetera (Via Grappoli 23, Weintraubengasse, Bolzano, Italy; phone +39 0471 972930, gelateria
eccetera.com) just a block from my hotel, the Parkhotel Laurin.

At the small stand, I paid only €1.80 for two scoops in a cone (three scoops, €2.50). Although I felt it wasn’t as rich in flavor as that at GROM, it was very good, and it was fun to see the schoolchildren come by for their treat after school.

MARILYN HILL

Portland, OR