Home cooks may find in particularly hard to come across great food while staying in some of Italy's most notorious tourist destinations, an expert believes.

Rosalind Cooper, wine writer, editor and author of the Wine Year, explained that the likes of Rome, Florence and Venice are "tourist traps".

"Why not head south to Sicily for a wonderful climate, excellent local wines - look for the Planeta name on the label - and a varied and healthy cuisine based on all the Mediterranean staples?" Ms Cooper questioned.

She emphasised that Piemonte is ideal for those who love rich recipes, as it is famous for gnocchi, truffles and meat dishes.

Last month, research from Jenny Craig showed that eight out of ten women are planning on dieting this year, compared to 70 per cent of men.

A third of men are planning on eating more healthily because they are not happy with their appearance.