There are many food lovers destinations across Europe. Great cities to taste local dishes and sample traditional cuisine. Locations worth seeing for their monuments and shopping areas but also for the gastronomic offer.
Food lovers Top Destinations
Here’s a short list of our top destinations for food lovers in Europe.
Rome
When in Rome, it is best to move around on foot. There are lots of walking tours on offer for most areas, or semi-private guided tours of Rome, which are worth the little bit extra. Expert guides with heaps of local knowledge helps to bring the history to life. A longer tour can be done over two days. On Day 1 tourists can start in Campo de’ Fiori and end at Villa Borghese. Then on Day 2 they start off at Circus Maximus and end at the Roman Forum.
Walking makes you hungry, making plenty of room for a delicious Italian meal. As one of the most famous world cuisines. The Eternal City offers some great foodie experiences. Find the best by asking locals or your tour guide.
What is Suppli ?
One of the famous food snacks in Rome is suppli. It is a hot fried ball full of creamy rice with a meat and tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese at the centre. This breaded delicious snack is best paired with a cold beer.
The best can be found at Suppli Roma, on Via di S. Francesco a Ripa, 137, Roma.
Seville
While Seville is famous for its Giralda Cathedral and grand architecture, its local food scene is pretty interesting too. Tapas bars are busy afterwork with locals bustling for a space at the bar. Traditional dishes such as spinach and chickpeas or cured meats such as Iberian ham and Caña de lomo (cured pork) are popular.
Seville is a historic city with lots of narrow cobbled streets and hidden corners to explore. Taste local wines such as Manzanilla produced in neighbouring Cadiz. Don´t miss the sweet wine made with the famous Seville Oranges. Another typical Spanish treat is Churros and chocolate. In Seville head over to the oldest bar, El Comercio to sample these. It makes a perfect mid morning snack for food lovers. You can even book a tour with a local guide to taste local food if you prefer.
Ireland
If you are looking for green picturesque landscapes, then Ireland is ideal. Known as the Emerald Isle, it offers rolling green hills and excellent hiking opportunities. Ireland’s luscious green grass is due to its copious rainfall all year round. So better bring your umbrella and raincoats when visiting Ireland.
Waterford
Ireland´s gastronomic scene is packed with lots of great restaurants. One of the best in the country is the Tannery Restaurant in Dungarvan, Waterford. Run by chef Paul Flynn and wife Maire. They offer various contemporary Irish cuisine with the best Waterford ingredients. Waterford was the recent winner of Foodie Destinations 2019 by the Restaurants Association of Ireland.
Vegan Food Lovers
With vegan travel trend spiking over the last few years. Those looking to go meat free, will be happy to find so many options. Especially in Dublin and Cork veganism has grown in popularity.
Croatia
In Croatia, particularly in Dubrovnik, the “Pearl of the Adriatic”, it is called as such because it is surrounded by the Adriatic Sea. Dubrovnik is the famous setting of the hit television series “Game of Thrones”. Taking a small boat luxury cruising tour in Dubrovnik is one best way to spend your days there. There are lots of packages offered by the cruising agencies to choose from. Other activities like a walk within the walls, a world away, shopping and more are also what the tourists are excited about in the country.
Dubrovnik Food Spots
The local cuisine is something you must try when in Croatia. In the old town you´ll find seafood restaurants which are popular. Also outdoor cafes in the Stradun district are a good place to enjoy typical treats. For the best views the Panorama Restaurant is recommended, especially at sunset.
As with most mediterranean destination Croatia is no exception. due to its climate Croatia produces fabulous wines. For wine tasting a good choice is D’Vino Wine Bar.
Food lovers Paris
Most visitors like to plan to pull in the top spots in France such as the Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum or Palace of Versailles. But maybe it is best to make sure that there is plenty of time to enjoy food hopping and french cuisine. In Paris alone there are 89 michelin starred restaurants. With plenty of vineyards to visit and all those patisseries its a foodie heaven.
French Bread
The iconic baguette, a Parisian staple since the 1920s can be found almost every boulangerie (bakeries) in Paris. The best time to enjoy a baguette is early morning or early afternoon. There are long lines during late afternoons. Look out for the baguette Classique (a classic white loaf) or baguette traditionelle (made by hand using unbleached flour and no additives).
Iceland
If you want to experience soaking in a geothermal lagoon or trekking across glaciers. Iceland is your perfect destination. Another unique activity is to experience the aurora borealis. As well as these more well known activities is Iceland’s have recently become the worlds must see gastronomic destination.
Icelandic Cuisine
The main ingredient of the Icelandic cuisine is freshly caught fish. Recipes created by modern chefs mix traditional ingredients with contemporary flair. Lamb and vegetables also play a vital role in Icelandic gastronomy. Dairy products are also excellent such as their youghurt style dessert Skyr. Which is now exported across the world.
There are a lot more gastronomic destinations that food lovers you should add to your foodie bucket list in European and Beyond.
Which is your favourite foodie destination?
