Close your eyes. Think about your favourite city or place to visit. Now, imagine a food you love passionately. I’m sure you smiled! That’s it, eating and travelling are things that really move us. Well, that is what Food Travel means. Is there a better thing than to combine these two passions in a culinary trip?

What is Food Travel

Food Travel means moving around with the aim of exploring a destination gastronomic offer. Exploring the pleasures of the table has always been associated with moments of leisure, but on a gastronomic trip, the culinary experience is no longer just a complement but the main motivation in choosing a destination and in the way of exploring it.

In general, it means travelling to do food tourism, which we define as follows:

Food tourism is composed of activities that provide experiences of consumption and appreciation of food and beverages, presented in such a way that value the history, the culture and the environment of a particular region.

by Food’n Road

Why Food Travel?

What we want to highlight is that, in practice, when we combine travel with gastronomy, there is a whole set of experiences and learnings about the history, traditions, environment and local culture that go beyond taste. Realizing this is life-changing!

visit to the golden temple kitchen in Amritsar to make Indian food is also food travel
Making Indian Food at the Golden Temple Kitchen in Amritsar, India

Food and Travel, an experience we never forget

On a trip, we want to have different experiences from our daily lives. These experiences become remarkable when you feel connected with them. That’s exactly how food plays its role.

The bond with food is a universal language, after all, no matter where you came from, food is certainly part of your history. That is why every travel memory always comes with a flavour.

meal in restaurant with traditional food in Cambodia is considered Food Travel as a culinary trip

The experience is for everyone

It is a mistake to think that this type of trip is only for those who like to (and can) eat in renowned restaurants, or visit expensive wineries. The food tourism industry is creative and aware of the interests of travellers.

Best of all, it is a democratic and flexible way of travelling. Nowadays, you can easily explore a gastronomic culture in different ways: in the countryside or in the city, individually or in groups, with luxury, with adventure. There is a broad range of options for all budgets and tastes.

We should not fail to mention that technology has also helped a lot of people who are looking for food experiences during a trip. Today, you can easily find online restaurant reviews, menu translation, independent guides, local dining platforms, and more.

For example, how about including a cooking class on your next trip? In addition to having fun while learning traditional dishes, you can cook these dishes when you return home, and remember the trip while sharing the experience with friends and family.

Want more ideas? Check out the list below with some examples of what to do on a culinary trip.

Activities in Food Tourism:

  • Take a street food tour;
  • Tasting of local dishes and beverages;
  • Follow regional product routes (e.g. travel on wine or coffee routes);
  • Eat at traditional restaurants;
  • Share meals with local people;
  • Participate in culinary events and festivals;
  • Visit local markets;
  • Learn about the production of food by visiting farms and artisan producers;
  • Participate in cooking classes;
  • Visit exhibitions that explain the history of local cuisine;
  • Culinary expeditions with chefs and specialists.

If you want to understand each of these activities in detail, we have written another article that explains the main activities of food tourism.

How to Food Travel

You can choose between an immersive food trip, where the entire itinerary is centred on the culinary experiences of the destination, or just include some food tourism activities to complement your itinerary.

But, regardless of your travel style, there is a secret to unlock the full potential of food tourism: Curiosity!

Try to understand not only what people eat, but why they eat in one way or another, what are the local ingredients, what is the story behind the food they prepare. Ask, interact, taste and smile.

How to Plan a Culinary Trip

You can plan a culinary trip independently or through agencies. And whatever your choice is, Food’n Road will help you.

To begin with, get inspired by our Food and Travel blog and explore food destinations with guides and content from each country.

After choosing the destination of your next trip, we suggest two paths:

If you want to plan your itinerary independently, visit our marketplace to find and book experiences, we handpick the best food tourism activities and tours from around the world.

Now, if you want a true gastronomic journey adapted to your taste, we suggest our Food Travel Design service to make a completely customized itinerary for you.

It makes a difference to go beyond the plate

On a culinary trip, you end up learning a lot about the local culture and the best, directly with the residents, exchanging information, trying new flavours and having fun.

During our travels, something that always strikes us is to notice the similarities between the cuisine of distant countries and how the same ingredients are used in such different ways.

For example, have you ever wondered how important the chilli pepper is for Asian cuisine even though it is a native ingredient from the Americas? With each trip, a new discovery!

driving to taste the sugar palm fruit during a culinary trip amid food travels
Hunting local ingredients in Southeast Asia

Food Travel is much more than travelling to eat

We can learn a lot on a trip like this, meet people with different realities from the ones we live in, see other lifestyles, and encourage the preservation of heritage and traditions.

By sharing the table with local people, listening to their stories and talking about typical dishes, you will feel part of the place and will appreciate aspects that were previously unknown. 

On your next trip, try to learn about the destination by exploring the local cuisine and I am sure you will never forget this experience.

Count on Food’n Road to plan your next culinary journey and have a nice trip!