Think back on some of your favorite vacations. You probably remember the famous landmarks you visited, the beautiful scenery you photographed and the hotels where you stayed. But chances are, some of your most vivid memories involve something else entirely: FOOD.
Maybe it was a plate of fresh pasta at a tiny family-run restaurant in Italy. A warm croissant enjoyed at a sidewalk café in Paris. Fresh seafood overlooking the Mediterranean. A glass of Riesling while sailing past vineyards along the Rhine. Or perhaps it was something as simple as wandering through a neighborhood market and discovering a food you had never tasted before.
Food and drink have an extraordinary ability to connect us with a destination.
At CruisePlanners – Joy & Wonder Travel, Donna and I believe the best vacations aren't simply about checking attractions off a list. They're about experiences—the moments when you slow down, meet people, discover something unexpected and begin to understand how people in another part of the world live.
And one of the most enjoyable ways to do that is through food.
Eat Like a Local
When visiting a new destination, it's tempting to stay close to the major attractions. After all, that's where many of the restaurants catering to visitors are located.
Step away from the busiest tourist streets and you may discover neighborhood cafés, bakeries, tavernas, pubs and family-owned restaurants filled with local residents rather than tour groups.
Ask a local, “Where do you eat?”
Imagine sitting in a small Roman trattoria enjoying a simple bowl of cacio e pepe, sharing tapas in a lively neighborhood bar in Seville, or eating freshly grilled fish at a seaside taverna on a Greek island.
These aren't simply meals. They're opportunities to experience everyday life in another culture.
Make the Local Market Your First Stop
One of our favorite ways to begin exploring a destination is with a visit to a local food market.
Markets are colorful, energetic and wonderfully authentic. They also provide a fascinating glimpse into what people actually cook and eat.
Walk through a European market and you'll encounter displays of fresh produce, cheeses, breads, spices, meats, seafood, pastries and regional specialties. Vendors may have been selling their products there for generations.
Barcelona's markets are filled with colorful produce, seafood and Spanish specialties. Florence offers wonderful Tuscan ingredients and prepared foods. Borough Market in London brings together British traditions and flavors from around the world. Markets throughout France overflow with cheeses, breads, olives, produce and local delicacies.
You don't necessarily need to buy much. Wander. Sample. Ask questions.
Take a Food Tour Early in Your Vacation
A guided food tour can be one of the smartest activities to schedule during the first day or two in a new city.
A good local guide doesn't simply introduce you to food. They introduce you to neighborhoods, traditions, history and people.
During a walking food tour, you might visit a bakery that's been operated by the same family for decades, sample cheese from a neighborhood shop, discover a hidden café or learn why a particular dish became associated with that city.
Food tours can also make unfamiliar destinations feel much more approachable. By the end of a few hours, you may know how to order a local specialty, understand a little more about dining customs and have several places you want to revisit.
Learn to Make Something
There is another way to bring a destination home with you: learn to cook something while you're there.
Cooking classes have become increasingly popular travel experiences, and they can be tremendous fun.
Imagine learning to make pasta from scratch in Tuscany, preparing tapas in Spain, making croissants or macarons in France, or learning the secrets of authentic Greek cuisine.
Some experiences begin with a chef taking guests through a local market to select ingredients. Then everyone returns to the kitchen to prepare the meal together.
And finally comes the best part—you eat what you've made.
You can now prepare that dish at home. That's a much better souvenir than another refrigerator magnet.
Drink Where It's Made
Wine, beer and spirits often tell fascinating stories about the geography, climate and traditions of a region.
Visit Portugal's Douro Valley and learn how port has been produced for generations. Travel through France and discover Champagne, Bordeaux or Burgundy. Cruise along Germany's Rhine and Moselle rivers past hillsides covered with vineyards producing wonderful Rieslings.
Italy offers everything from Chianti in Tuscany to Prosecco in the Veneto. Belgium is famous for its remarkable beer traditions. Scotland has whisky, Ireland has whiskey, and here in the United States, Kentucky's Bourbon Trail has become a travel destination of its own.
You don't need to be a wine or spirits expert to enjoy these experiences. A vineyard, brewery or distillery visit is often as much about history, agriculture and craftsmanship as it is about what's in the glass.
If You’re Cruising – Let It Become a Culinary Journey
Today's cruise vacation can be much more than breakfast, lunch and dinner aboard the ship. Many cruise lines now offer impressive specialty restaurants, chef-inspired menus, wine tastings, cooking demonstrations and sophisticated cocktail programs.
But some of the best culinary experiences happen ashore.
Instead of choosing only traditional sightseeing excursions, travelers can visit vineyards, take cooking classes, tour food markets, sample regional specialties or join small-group culinary tours.
River cruising takes this idea even further.
Imagine sailing through Europe while the food and wine change as the scenery changes. One day you might sample wines in the Rhine Valley. Another day could bring regional German specialties, French cuisine in Alsace or Dutch cheeses and treats in the Netherlands.
What Will You Remember?
Years from now, you may not remember every museum you visited or every monument you photographed.
But you might remember that little café where you lingered much longer than expected.
You might remember the chef who taught you to make pasta.
The bustling market where you tasted something completely unfamiliar.
The vineyard overlooking a beautiful valley.
Or the unforgettable dinner where you raised a glass with someone you love and thought, “This is why we travel.”
So, when you begin planning your next vacation, ask “What do I want to taste when I get there?”
Donna and I would love to help you answer both questions—and create a journey filled with the experiences, flavors and memories that make travel truly unforgettable.
joyandwondertravel.com | Donna and Neil Knasiak | CruisePlanners® – Joy & Wonder Travel
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Plan Food Before You Leave
Many destinations require reservations weeks or even months in advance. Cooking classes and small-group food tours can sell out. The perfect restaurant might not be near the attraction you've scheduled. Thoughtful vacation planning makes a difference.
When Donna and I work with travelers, we want to understand more than where you want to go. We want to know how you want to experience it.
Do you love seafood? Are you interested in wine? Would you enjoy a cooking class? Do you have dietary restrictions? Would you prefer elegant dining or a tiny neighborhood restaurant where the menu is written on a chalkboard?
Those details help transform an itinerary from a collection of reservations into a vacation designed around you.
We love helping clients identify culinary excursions, food tours, special dining experiences and opportunities that complement the rest of their trip. Along with the logistics—where an experience is located, how it fits into the day's sightseeing and whether reservations should be made before departure.