Breaks involving food and gastronomy are forecast to be on the rise in 2019, and it’s easy to understand why: what could be better than travelling around and sampling local cuisine?
Whether you are organising your own trip or taking an organised tour, there are many options of where to go to explore unique produce, visit vibrant markets, or taste authentic delicacies. Indeed, discovering a country through its stomach is an interesting way to get to find out more about local cultures and peoples.
Here are a few ideas of where you could visit for your foodie escape:
1. East Sussex, UK
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There’s no need to go abroad to experience spectacular scenery and wonderful wines. Fizz on Foot offer walking and wine tasting tours through the Cuckmere Valley, near the Seven Sisters chalk cliffs, and around the historical village of Alfriston. There are plenty of opportunities for wine tasting, to learn about the winemaking process, to visit a prize-winning vineyard for a tour, and to stop off at the Rathfinny Wine Estate. Their three-day tour is available at £395 per person.
2. Ragusa, Sicily
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A four-night break in Sicily with regional cookery classes at the Eremo della Giubiliana hotel and visits to the Baroque town of Ragusa will soon have you becoming an expert on traditional dishes to serve to friends and family back home. The trip organised by Expressions Holidays from £1290 per person allows you to discover the secrets of homemade pasta, how to prepare meat, how to select the best fish at market, or you can cover how to make Sicilian desserts. Soon your kitchen will be filled with those amazing Mediterranean aromas!
3. Basque Country, Spain
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The Basque country is constantly being showered with Michelin stars, so it’s worth considering for a foodie break. A Taste of Spain offers just that from €1755 per person: a five-day food and wine tour in San Sebastian and Bilbao which gives travellers the opportunity to cook at a members-only Gastronomic Society, taste pintxos, drink Txakoli wine, visit colourful markets and of course enjoy the beautiful coastlines and surroundings of the area.
4. Carcassonne, France
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The French House Party provides a unique experience which allows guests to learn directly from chefs who are on hand to demonstrate and teach the mastery of French cuisine. The trips, which start from £625 per person for a three-day break, also give foodies the chance to visit one of France’s oldest markets to select ingredients, enjoy the region’s fantastic wines, and tour the medieval city of Carcassonne. A longer stay may also allow guests to visit cheese-making farms or olive oil sampling.
5. Helsinki, Finland
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Nordic food is fashionable, but Finland often gets forgotten about when thinking of weekend getaway destinations. Helsinki is full of cafes, cocktail bars, and edgy restaurants, as well as local street food too. It’s also worth mentioning that with the rise of veganism and vegetarianism, Helsinki has plenty to offer on that count. Locals head to Sandro for weekend brunches with a North African twist, or why not try Finnish tapas (“Sapas”) at Juuri, with its little tasting plates topped with edible flowers. Don’t miss out on trying the traditional Finnish salmon soup (“lohikeitto”) at Café Succes.
Title Image Credit: Victor Ochieng (Image Cropped)