Eat the world: The rise of gastronomy travel
This feature was originally published in Selling Travel
I’m sitting in a farmhouse kitchen in the Tuscan countryside. There’s a thunderous electrical storm raging outside and the sky has turned a deep, dark black. As we gather around the kitchen table, our host pours us a generous glass of Chianti and we set to work making pasta, the storm pelting huge raindrops at the windows.
On the menu is pasta with black truffles that we foraged earlier with the help of a local truffle guide and his enthusiastic dogs. There’s something about cooking in this way with food we’ve gathered ourselves that makes the experience so memorable. The chef’s knowledge of regional Italian cuisine and passion for her craft is infectious and I find myself pondering that all meals should start like this.
On another press trip - a coolcation in the mountains of Austria and Italy - food is a major part of the itinerary. The trip takes me to Interalpen, a classic Tyrolean-style hotel 1,300 metres above sea level where we dine in the hotel’s mountain hut, eating traditional Tyrolean specialities while we enjoy enthusiastic Austrian entertainment from a merry group of Leiderhosen-clad men. At Leafy Resort Dolomiti we eat at the hotel’s Grual restaurant with its valley floor to high mountain dining concept, followed by a hike into the Dolomites for a foraging experience where we sample delicious homemade snacks sourced directly from the mountains.
The demand for authentic travel experiences is fuelling a growth in gastronomy travel. According to research by Accor, 32% of Brits are keen to take a trip centred around foodie experiences, coinciding with a 250% surge in “cooking tourism” searches and a 143% increase in searches for “best cities for food in the world.” For Intrepid Travel, Asia continues to dominate as the leading destination for culinary travel, with 70% of travellers choosing food trips in the region. January is the most popular departure month for food-focussed trips. Hazel McGuire, Director, UK & Ireland, says: “Culinary experiences leave an impression, connecting travellers to people and places through flavours. Travellers are also thinking more about sustainability and how their travel affects the environment – and this is reshaping gastronomy. Immersive, cultural travel is something that really roots you to the places you’re visiting, which makes it the perfect tool when trying to sell a destination.”
What’s new for 2025
Italian eats: With Naples voted as the number one foodie city by TimeOut’s UK readers in a recent poll, it’s a sign to book a trip and go in search of the local specialities that make this city so famous. Start with pizza and fresh seafood straight from the Bay of Naples. Follow it with the classic sweet treat sfogliatella and of course, an espresso. visitnaples.eu/en
Star cuisine: The inaugural MICHELIN Guide Texas highlights the state’s gastronomic excellence across 117 restaurants, representing 26 diverse cuisine types. Houston emerged as a standout, with six restaurants awarded the prestigious one-MICHELIN-Star accolade, and a total of 30 local establishments earning a spot in the guide. traveltexas.com
Walk it off: Walk Japan has introduced the Onsen Gastronomy: Noto tour, a journey through the rural landscapes of the Noto Peninsula in Japan’s northern Ishikawa Prefecture, combining light walking through rural countryside with a strong emphasis on the area’s renowned local cuisine, onsen hot springs and fine crafts epitomised by Wajima lacquerware. walkjapan.com
Top Experiences
In search of sake: Japan is a hot destination right now, so what better way to explore it than on a 12-day foodie tour from Tokyo to Osaka with Explore! Travel by bullet train and discover Tokyo’s trendiest area, the Harajuku district. Visit vibrant fish markets and local izakaya joints. In the mountains, enjoy dinner in a family-run minshuku, all washed down with sake. explore.co.uk
Udon Taxi: Discover the best Japanese food vendors with Udon Taxi. In the Takamatsu area and Kagawa Prefecture in Setouchi, travellers can go on an udon-tasting journey, a unique cab tour where local drivers take them to famous udon restaurants and places not listed in guidebooks. Drivers will also explain the history of udon, as well as the best way to order it in stores. udon-taxi.com
Dive into the Douro: For travellers wanting to combine gastronomy with a river cruise, Riviera Travel has a number of European options including Gastronomy of the Douro – from Portugal to Spain. The eight-day cruise includes a guided tour of a port producer, visit to Castelo Rodrigo and lunch at a traditional quinta to enjoy authentic homemade Portuguese food. rivieratravel.co.uk
Balkan bound: If you’re looking for a more off-the-beaten-track experience consider Intrepid’s nine-day Balkans Real Food Adventure. Dine on homemade meals and share stories with your hosts in North Macedonia, meet the makers behind the famous Njegusi smoked hams in Montenegro and sample Croatia’s famed charcuterie. intrepidtravel.com
Farm-to-table: On Trafalgar’s 11-day Best of Croatia and Slovenia tour, the group will visit Sibar farm near Slovenia’s Lake Bled as part of an original Trafalgar Be My Guest experience which allow guests to step into the lives of local hosts who share stories about their communities. They’ll dine with a sixth-generation farming family who will also host a guided walk around their property, teaching guests about their sustainable approach to farming and their recent venture into producing organic beer, bread and pasta. trafalgar.com
Where to book it
WALK JAPAN The Onsen Gastronomy Noto tour is a five-day, four-night fully guided tour with a maximum group size of 12. Starting at Kanazawa Station and finishing at Wakura Onsen, the tour is accessible to moderately active participants. Prices from JPY450,000pp (approx £2,300), based on double occupancy. walkjapan.com