Food tours, cooking classes, wandering streets in search of the best (non-touristy) food… these are all things I love to do while travelling. One of the great pleasures of travel is sampling culinary delights around the world. Paella in Valencia, new Nordic in Copenhagen, nasi goreng in Indonesia, street food everywhere. What you eat is a big part of the experience. In my opinion, culinary adventures around the world are one of the best ways to truly get to know a destination.
Mentally, too, we associate certain foods with certain places. I do this a lot. “I’m going to Barcelona, I need to eat tapas.” Or, “I’m in Italy, I must eat pizza!” As we travel, I think our palettes open up to new things. For me, this is one of the best parts of travel!
Global Culinary Adventures
No matter where you go, there’s at least one dish you must try. Moules frites in Brussels, jamon Iberico in Spain. It’s even better, though, when the local wine and beer pairs nicely with the local flavours. A few of our Virtuoso partners have put together some fabulous culinary adventures that will ensure your trip is excellent to the last bite.
Sicily
At the crossroads of the Mediterranean, Sicily has absorbed a lot of different cultures into its culinary history. Influences from Greeks, Spaniards, Normans and Arabs blend to form a rich cuisine. Sailing June 26, 2019, Ponant is offering a nine-day Sicilian Food & Wine Experience highlighting the many flavours of Sicily. This includes the arancini of Agrigento, Palermo’s revered street food, and the pasta, sardines and eggplant of the island’s east.
The volcanic soil around Mt. Etna produces spectacular wines to wash it all down.
Travel advisor suggestion: Don’t try to pack in Rome, Florence, and Venice, and Naples, and Sicily into one trip. You’ll run yourself ragged. Instead, focus on Sicily and Naples, or Sicily on its own, to truly immerse yourself.
Chiloe Island, Chile
Bespoke Journeys by Sportstour takes you into the mystical heart of Chiloe Island, whose culture is based on a unique mythology of witchcraft, ghost ships, and forest spirits. The culinary tradition features curanto stew. This homey dish is made from meat, seafood, and potatoes, and cooked in a hole in the ground. You’ll eat in the home of a local family which has been preparing the dish for generations. Located about two-thirds of the way down the coast, Chiloe Island is also known for its diverse wildlife, landscape, and history. Follow in the footsteps of Charles Darwin in Chiloe National Park and marvel at the 16 island churches that have UNESCO World Heritage status.
Rotorua, New Zealand
Luxury Treetops Lodge & Estate (Rotorua) showcases local produce including herbs traditionally used in Maori cooking. Karengo (sea vegetable) makes an appearance in plenty of seafood dishes on the menu, while a rub made from the leaves of the kawakawa tree is used to spice meat. Led by a local expert, guests can head out into the forest in search of such ingredients at their source, learning about the nutritional and medicinal properties that played a large role in the traditional Maori diet.
New Zealand has hundreds of other goodies for foodies to revel in. Head for Wellington to taste local chocolates, microbrews, and more. In Fiordland, pair a Central Otago Pinot Noir with lamb or venison – the local favourites. Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc (“sav”) pairs delightfully with freshly caught oysters.
Travel advisor suggestion: I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again. Don’t try to pack New Zealand into a week. Take your time – plan for at least two weeks – to take in the tiny country.
New York City
Beyond Times Square wants visitors to get to know the Big Apple through its food scene. There are several tours where guests get a taste of the different cultures that have made New York home. Focus on Italian food with The Real Little Italy tour along Arthur Avenue in the Bronx or understand the broader influence of Norwegian smoked salmon, Sicilian cannoli, and much more on the Eating Your Way Through Manhattan tour. Throw in artisanal chocolate and a perfect slice of pizza on the Brooklyn Biking & Food Adventure, and you can stuff your face in three boroughs.
Travel advisor suggestion: New York has something for everyone, and that includes hotels. Stay fairly central, otherwise you could find yourself spending a decent amount of time, and money, in transit.
Cape Town
As part of Belmond’s worldwide Art of Gastronomy program, the Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel aims to educate visitors about the dangers of food waste while showing them just how good the food we often throw away can be. In a five-course chef’s table menu, Rudi Liebenberg showcases items such as beef tendons, trout collar, and other overlooked products to demonstrate how to make the most of what the earth yields. The “fashionably rejected” parts of fruits, vegetables, meats, and fish become the stars of the show.
Travel advisor suggestion: Pair Cape Town with an excursion to the winelands and Kruger National Park for an in-depth exploration of South Africa.
These are just some of the culinary adventures around the world. One of my favourite suppliers, Context Travel, offers small group and private food tours in cities around the world. So can other preferred tour operators. Finally, many of our on-site companies can do the same on a bespoke basis. Whether its street food tour, a cooking class, or an elaborate five-course meal, you’ll find you can do no wrong when working with a Virtuoso travel advisor to plan your trip.
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Paper, Ink, & Passports Travel is a full-service travel consulting and design company. We craft custom itineraries for unique destinations around the world. An Aussie Specialist, New Zealand Gold Specialist, Ireland Specialist, and Scotland Expert. Contact me now to start planning your next culinary adventure!
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