There is something unspeakably magical in the moment ice cream touches your lips. Like time stops in that moment and the world melts into shades of vanilla, strawberry or chocolate. That isn’t just a cold treat -it’s the breath of summer, and as far as I’m concerned, it’s a drop of pleasure placed on Earth by Gods themselves, to remind us that heaven still exists. Within that creamy swirl of aroma hides pure romance. Love on the tongue, fleeting and eternal at the same time. Like a first kiss at sunset or like the hand of dear person touching yours while choosing flavors at an ice cream shop. Pistachio and tenderness. Hazelnut and the silence of understanding. Blueberry and laughter.

Ice cream knows no sadness or at least freezes it for a moment. Within it hide summer days spent on a bench, in some park, walking by the beach with drops running down the cone and hands… and those accidental glances with someone, while you try to stand up to the scoop leaking down the cone. The glance is conspiratorial, as if you share a thousand-year-old secret. If gods ever wanted to deliver the message of love, I think they did it through ice cream. It’s a song with no words, a love letter without paper, a summer’s kiss. Pure love. Because when you love, you love like you eat ice cream: without fear of it melting, without hurry, without limits. Just pure, sweet present. When the sun blazes, and the street starts carrying the smell of the sun, there’s no better company than perfect ice cream. Summer travels, vacations, getaways, don’t include just beaches and the sun, sun beds and sand – but also the hunt for that perfect bite that melts all worries away. Summer is made for exploring, traveling and ice cream. And where is ice cream the best? If you’re like me, every trip is a chance to try something new, to find a new place, to try something tasty and refreshing. That’s why I decided to combine two great loves: travel and ice cream, and to take you to a few destinations where ice cream is more than a mere treat or dessert – a true art form! Let’s go!

Florence: The place where it all started!!! Gelato in Florence isn’t just ice cream. It’s tradition, emotion, a taste explosion. Take a walk down cobblestone streets and visit Gelateria dei Neri and take two scoops- one pistachio and the other dark chocolate. Trust me, that isn’t ordinary ice cream – it’s an experience to remember.




In Rome you have famous gelaterias which use local ingredients, especially Gelatiria del teatro, while Fatamorgana is famous for unusual flavors (for example lavender and white pepper). But wherever you are in Italy, the best gelato is with hazelnut, a true operatic aria of flavor, a hug. Places with huge, colorful piles of ice cream in the window you should avoid. Real gelato is mostly modestly displayed – and tastes much better.

 

Tokio: For brave palates! Japan is heaven for adventurers in every sense of the word, which includes ice cream. Would you like to try black sesame ice cream or even wasabi- or squid-flavored ice cream!!! Or how about matcha ice cream with seven levels of green tea intensity? Nanaya , in the Shizuoka district, offers the most intense matcha ice cream in the world and is a real sensation for green tea lovers. There you can try all of this. Like everything in Japan, some flavors are unusual but so rich that they’ll make you want to come back. If you are a tea lover, be sure to try Matcha No. 7- the most intense in the world.

Paris: Ice cream with style! In Paris everything comes with style, including ice cream. Berthillon, hidden on the quiet island Saint-Louis in the city center, offers flavors reminiscent of flower gardens and French elegance. Lavender, rose, apricot with lavender – they’re gentle, but deep flavors that take you straight to the heart of French romance. Regarding Paris, my recommendation is to buy ice cream and enjoy it sitting on the banks of the Sene. All that around 9PM while watching the spectacular sunset. The French know what they are doing!

Mexico City: Exotic flavor on a stick Forget regular ice cream, paletas in Mexico are a dream refreshment. That are fruit ice pops on a stick, often made with fresh ingredients like mango and chili, tamarind, coconut or hibiscus. At places like La Michoacana you can try authentic flavors which perfectly quench the thirst. They’re the perfect choice for hot Mexican days and an even better atmosphere while you wander the streets. Always ask for local, hand crafted paletas, it’s a huge difference!

New York: where ice cream gets a new meaning New York is a city that always takes things a step further. Cereal ice cream for breakfast? Vegan avocado ice cream? Of course it exists here, even though it sounds strange and, like a real Carrie Bradshaw, I recommend that you look for it, it’s very delicious. New York is the epicenter of all trends in the world, including ice cream. From vegan versions in Brooklyn, to cereal ice cream for breakfast in Milk Bar, every bite will be an adventure. If you love innovation, this is the city where every ice cream becomes a form of modern art. You must try the soft serve with a caramelized cone – crunchy heaven!

Istanbul: Orient in a cone That’s a city famous for dondurma- chewy, stretchy ice cream. In Istanbul you can find Mado, a chain of patisseries, which also serve traditional ice cream made of goat milk and salep. Or Dondurmacu Ali Usta (Kadıköy) which is a classic among local ice cream lovers. By the way, their flavors such as pistachio and honey are sensational.



I won’t even think about ice cream in Buenos Aires. Everybody already knows about their beautiful patisseries with sensational flavors. Those unforgettable flavors dulce de leche or ice cream with fruit flavors from Patagonia often appear on lists of the best in the world. I won’t write about delights from Vienna; that’s for you to discover yourselves. Because anyone who hasn’t had ice cream in Vienna hasn’t really tasted ice cream at all.



Since we are already talking about ice cream, in our city, Belgrade, go to my friend Veroljub Šobić, who moved from my neighborhood, from Maršala Bijuzova street, all the way to Zemun, so I don’t get to enjoy his gelato specialties as often as I used to. Alongside perfect flavors like lemon, mint, cornelian cherry, and especially hazelnut sourced from Italy, Veroljub makes ice creams with flavors like ajvar, kashkaval cheese, plum brandy, tamjanika wine, or chamomile… His ”Poslastičarnica” in Zemun is waiting for you to discover the taste of real gelato in Belgrade without the need to travel, just crossing the river.

Whether you are in the streets of Rome or a market in Mexico; or rather under the lights of New York, ice cream is the universal summer language. So, on your next trip—wherever in the world you may be, pay attention to local gelato makers; often these are the places that hide the most delightful flavors, not just of summer, but of culture.
When asked: - “chocolate, vanilla or lemon”? The answer is always: - “yes”, says a big ice cream lover.
As far as I’m concerned, ice cream is cheaper than therapy. (🍦). Remember that.
Stay cool

JJ Beba