Genoa hates Coeliacs

Imagine the scene: you are dietarily disadvantaged in a country that caters to that dietary issue more than any other, yet you can't find anything to eat.

If I may, allow me to provide a brief history of Coeliac Disease (Celiac disease) in Italy. A few years ago, a member of the Italian government became convinced that a significant portion of Italians had a very serious problem: an inability to digest gluten. It turned out that this individual was correct. For some unknown reason, there was a large number of people with the disease. As a response, a national screening program was implemented for two years, during which any Italian could be tested. The results were astounding, leading to a shift in the population's dietary choices. Nowadays, if you visit places like Rome and Venice, you can easily find gluten-free food almost anywhere.

However, there is Genoa (or Genova, if you prefer), a place that, according to the internet, is well-prepared to accommodate Coeliacs. Unfortunately, that's not the case. Genoa seems to harbor a strong aversion to Coeliacs, making it the worst place I've been to in any country in the past decade.

To illustrate the extent of the issue, let me tell you that we searched at least 20 places from a list (and consulted Google reviews) that claimed to serve gluten-free pizza and pasta, but we found none. Absolutely none. Some people looked at us with disgust, while others acted as if we were speaking a foreign language (even though we were speaking in Italian). One host even came close to asking if we had hearing difficulties. It was a disconcerting experience, especially when you can easily find gluten-free options just twenty minutes down the road.

In the end, we resorted to going to a chain restaurant and ordering something labeled as "gluten-safe," which turned out to be perfectly fine. However, this experience has left me utterly puzzled and, to be honest, somewhat apprehensive.

They say that around 2% of the Italian population is coeliac, but I can't help but wonder if, like veganism, companies are confusing gluten intolerance with a passing trend or lifestyle choice. I mean, you could argue that it's a lifestyle choice; I choose to avoid gluten because I want to lead a longer life and avoid the risk of developing bowel cancer and experiencing a slow and painful demise—doesn't that qualify as a lifestyle choice? But have you noticed that over the past year, meat alternative products have been on the decline? Supermarket selections have dwindled, and the same applies to gluten-free options. Nearly two decades since the screening program, has Genoa turned its back on gluten-free food, seeing it as a fad rather than a health necessity?

In Italy, funding for screening has run out, which means that new generations are being born with the disease. Unfortunately, it's a condition that can be hereditary, and over time, people living in a country where two of the most famous dishes are gluten-rich can develop intolerance. Some are born Coeliacs, while others have a tolerance threshold that, once crossed, means they can no longer consume gluten.

Genoa does have a gluten-free bakery and a couple of restaurants that claim to be gluten-free-friendly. However, during my visit, these places were closed. The bakery, although open, was understaffed, and despite waiting at the counter for ten minutes, no one emerged to serve food.

Regrettably, there is no available data on Coeliac disease and why Genoa seems to have taken the lead in phasing out gluten-free products, but it undoubtedly has. What's even more surprising is that the standard fallback option, Mushroom Risotto, served in Genoa contained gluten in four out of the places we visited, while three others had no idea whether the risotto contained gluten or not, even though there's no logical reason to add gluten to it.

Genoa, it's time to introspect. You have so much to offer, yet your reluctance is causing significant problems for those who expect more from their trips than just sun and sea.