Top 10 food holidays in Europe

On our top 10 foodie holidays in Europe you’ll meet local producers, shop in markets and learn the secrets of local recipes passed down through generations. You’ll cook, chop, sip, sup and munch your way through some of Europe’s most tantalising cuisine, and combine your culinary exploration with some, sometimes surprising, extra activities. You’ll also discover some of Europe’s lesser-known, but no less delicious gastronomic highlights. These are holidays to savour – bon appétit!
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1. Cooking & walking, Spanish Pyrenees

Enjoy a week of cooking and walking in an untouched corner of the Spanish Pyrenees. Holidays here celebrate Aragon’s famed local produce as well as the spectacular landscape it hails from, combining cookery workshops with visits to local producers and a selection of guided and self-guided walks in the region’s spectacular mountain scenery. Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park is a real highlight here.
When to go: March to October
Our top selling trip: Cooking and walking holiday, Spanish Pyrenees
See all our trips: Cooking and food holidays in Spain

2. Local cuisine in Umbria & Puglia, Italy

The rolling hills of Umbria hide agriturismos a-plenty, each with delightful farmhouse kitchens and friendly hosts keen to share the secrets of authentic local cuisine. Alternatively, head south to discover distinctive Puglian recipes passed down through generations. Cooking classes teach you with simple yet delicious dishes using seasonal ingredients, grown locally or sourced from the markets and producers you’ll visit during your stay.

When to go: April to August, or Christmas
Our top selling trip: Umbria cooking holiday, Italy
See all our trips: Cooking and food holidays in Italy
Read more: Umbria travel guide

3. Food & wine, Sicily

Get under the skin of one of Italy’s most unique islands via its cuisine, with every town and village offering a feast of local produce and colourful markets for foodies. Wander Palermo’s food stalls, tasting traditional arancini, panelle and sfincione as you go, sample local wine in the shadow of Mount Etna and enjoy a cookery class with a Sicilian chef.

When to go: April to November
Our top selling trip: Sicily food holiday in Italy
See all our trips: Cooking and food holidays in Italy
Read more: Sicily travel guide

4. Food & wine, Northern Spain

There’s more to Catalonia than Barcelona and Gaudi’s madcap architecture. Look closer and you’ll discover delis dripping with jamon and some of Spain’s freshest seafood. Forget boozy bar crawls, instead crawl Logrono’s 60 plus tapas bars. Try local blue cheese in the Picos de Europa mountains and taste Basque pinxtos in San Sebastian. Finally, wash everything down with fabulous Rioja wine direct from local vineyards.

When to go: May to October
Our top selling trip: North Spain small group holiday, a food adventure
See all our trips: Cooking and food holidays in Spain
Read more: Catalonia travel guide and Picos de Europa travel guide

5. Food & wine, the Caucasus

Armenia and Georgia are making a name for themselves in gastronomic circles for their delicious traditional cuisine and long wine making history. Let a local expert guide you through towns, markets and vineyards where food and folklore are intimately intertwined. You’ll hear tales rooted in the places you visit as you enjoy cookery masterclasses and a visit to the oldest winery in the world.

When to go: May to October
Our top selling trip: Armenia and Georgia food and wine tour
See all our trips: Food and wine holidays in Georgia
Read more: Caucasus travel guide

6. Wild food, Sweden

The sea meadows and forests of Saint Anna archipelago are a culinary treasure trove, if you just know here to look. Let wilderness experts show you the wild berries, mushrooms and herbs that form the building blocks of traditional cuisine. Kayaking trips through bird sanctuaries and campfire cooking show you how to collect and cook delicious meals from the seasonal ingredients.

When to go: June, July and August
Our top selling trip: Kayaking in Sweden – foraging and food
See all our trips: Holidays in Sweden

7. Douro valley & vineyards, Portugal

Portugal packs an almighty punch when it comes to culinary landscapes, from the fishing villages clinging to the wild Atlantic coast to the cork tree-filled Alentejo. These changing vistas produce microclimates and a variety of terroirs that fuel a rich and varied cuisine. The rolling vine-covered hills of the Douro Valley – famous for its ports and very drinkable table wines – is an excellent starting point, and best explored on foot or by bike. Weave from village to village, taking in the year-round activity at the vineyards and port cellars along the river.

When to go: All year round
Our top selling trip: Douro Valley cycling and food holiday
See all our trips: Portugal holidays
Read more: Portugal food and drink guide

8. Explore vegan cuisine, Greece

It should surprise precisely no-one that the Greek Mediterranean diet is good for you. But this vegan holiday based in the Peloponnese region demonstrates how Greek cuisine is also good for the planet, and has thrived for centuries. Staying at a charming villa in the heart of olive country, activities include learning about wild Greek teas, foraging around the walls of an ancient castle, dinner at a rustic farmers’ taverna and the ‘five euro lunch’ challenge. Come home inspired, enthused, and no doubt nicely tanned as well.

When to go: April to October
Our top selling trip: Vegan holiday in Greece
See all our trips: Vegan & vegetarian holidays
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9. Eat, drink and be merry, Albania

It may fly under the radar a little when it comes to European foodie destinations, but Albania has a wealth of gastronomic goodies to explore. Tailor made tours here pair traditional foods with wine, beers and raki, with an emphasis on seeking out small, local suppliers of everything from honey to cheese, wild fruit jam and olive oil. Everything is organic, all producers follow Slow Food principles, and no-one will be judging you when you reach for a second helping. br />
When to go: All year-round
Our top selling trip: Albania food and wine holiday
See all our trips: Albania holidays
Read more: Albania travel guide

10. Pasta making in Tuscany, Italy

So iconic it deserves its own entry. Master the art of making traditional fresh pasta and risotto on an in-depth cooking break in Tuscany. Here local chefs and family cooks are on hand to share their knowledge and you’ll return home with the skills to create delicious fresh pasta in all its guises, from tortellini to linguine.

When to go: April to October
Our top selling trip: Short break pasta and risotto making holiday, Tuscany
See all our trips: Cooking and food holidays in Italy

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Written by Sarah Faith
Photo credits: [Page banner: Brooke Lark] [Spanish food: Fernando] [Fish market: Simon Lochbrunner SJ] [Slovenian food: Christian Kadluba]
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