The Top 5 Culinary Destinations to Visit in Europe

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Europe is many people’s top pick when it comes to culinary travel. Its history and ideal temperatures make it an excellent getaway, and there are plenty of restaurants and chefs to choose from. Plus, there are lots of small countries, and each has its own style of cooking, so there is something for everyone. There are a few destinations that stand out from the rest.

Planning Your Trip

Travel is never cheap, so it’s important to stick to your budget by planning ahead of time. If you are traveling to multiple destinations, determine how long you will be in each area and set a budget for each destination on your list. Make sure you allot a generous amount for eating out, as this is the point of your trip. In some countries, you could get deals on happy hour, midday meals, or other areas, so do your research on each area you plan on visiting. You can apply discounts, coupons, and promotions from plenty of online sources. Go online to look for restaurant deals and discounts. If you do your planning right, you can include some high-end restaurants in your itinerary.

One way of increasing your travel budget is by taking out a personal loan. That way, you’ll make sure you have the right amount of money to pay, and you won’t have to worry about missing out on unique cuisines just because they don’t fit into your budget. If you really want to visit a certain place, give them a call and see how early they take reservations. This ensures you won’t be disappointed by not getting in. You don’t want to visit a place only to find it is closed or they don’t have any available seating.

When you arrive, consider stopping in at the local tourist office. You can get guides on different parts of the city, and some of these guides have deals and coupons. Ask about food travel tips at the desk. They may know about areas off the beaten path so you can get a feel for the real area. See if they have recommendations on go-to areas. You might be surprised at the recommendations you receive from them.

London, England

You may not think of London as offering unique and special cuisine, but the best restaurants in London and overall food scene can be extremely varied. There are plenty of restaurants to pick from, and you could even try authentic classics, such as fish and chips. Fish and chips is a dish that has been popular for a long time, and it’s a classic meal. You could start the day with a traditional English breakfast. It tends to be a large meal and often comes with sausages, hash browns, bacon, eggs, tomatoes, and buttered toast. It often comes on one large plate.

Paros, Greece

Paros is an island near Greece, and there are lots of styles of food to pick from. The island is a popular tourist spot, and there are plenty of beaches and natural areas to explore. There are also settlements and wooded hills. You can fly into Athens and then take a ferry to the island. On the island itself, you can choose from ferries and catamarans to get around. While ferries tend to take longer, the rates are lower, so they could be a good option if you’re looking to stick to a budget.

For food, you might try the traditional dish gyros. It’s a style of cooking the meat on a vertical spit. You might pair it with moussaka, which is another traditional Greek food. It’s a casserole with a meat-based sauce and contains eggplant. It may have a type of cheese on top. But there is lots of variety in moussaka. Many have potatoes, but others have other vegetables with the potatoes.

Rome, Italy

Of course, you can travel to Italy to study art but you can also find plenty of food in Italy, but the styles can vary depending on the region. Even individual regions often have specific types of food, and these can vary quite a bit. You can find a wide variety of pizzas in Rome. Pizza Al Taglio is a type of rectangular pizza that comes as pizza pockets. You can find them at places that sell hot food ready to eat. You can also find a pizza with a thinner crust, which is served at many sit-down restaurants in Rome.

You can also choose from several kinds of pastas in Rome. Gricia pasta is relatively simple and comes with a light layer of pecorino. If you love cheese, you might go with cacio e pepe, which has more pepper and plenty of cheese. The carbonara style is more indulgent and has meat and an egg. Spend some time researching these dishes so you can figure out which ones you would most like to try.

Bordeaux, France

If you love trying new wines, consider a stop in France. Bourdeaux wines have been popular for many years, and they can give you a feel for the country. The demand for good wine has increased, and you have lots of types of Bourdeaux wines to choose from. There are plenty of less expensive ones to try. You could sign up for a wine tasting tour, which can give you a sampling of some of the best ones. Then you can pick up a couple of bottles for your family and friends.

Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul has long been one of the most popular culinary destinations because of its unique food. You’ll likely encounter people from all areas in this city, as there are numerous places to get snacks and meals. It’s an excellent option if you are looking to find all cultures and people groups. While in Istanbul, you might try kebabs, which is a collection of foods on a spit or skewer. There might be meats and vegetables, in unique seasonings or sauces. You can also find kebab restaurants, where you can try a variety of kebabs. The Grand Bazaar Market is an area you can find these foods.

About the Author

Jared Levenson is a former binge eating wrestler turned Zen Buddhist Monk, Internal Family Systems counselor and nutrition wellness coach. He's helped hundreds of people through universal meal principles and internal family systems to make peace with food, stop binge eating, and find true health and wholeness.

@jared_levenson

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