Tours of a Lifetime

The Top 10 Foodie Experiences in 2018 with Insight Vacations

From farm-to-table meals, hands-on cooking demonstrations to dine-at-home experiences with a local foodie

For many people, the calling card of an unforgettable travel experience includes truly mouth-watering meals that won’t soon be replicated anywhere else. With the busy travelling season approaching, so do a host of new food trends that travellers will hope to experience and sample on their journeys. One such trend is the idea of communal dining, something that has fallen by the wayside over the years, but has been brought back to the forefront as a quintessential human experience. While serving as a practice we are eager to share among like-minded people, at the same time it gives us the sense of the community we seek. How food is experienced has everything to do with the rituals surrounding the meal, the décor, the ambiance, and yes, the company we share it with.

According to food trend spotters, The Food People, who release a list of food trends every year, 2018 will be focused on delicious carbs, boundary-pushing meatless options, home cooked meals with foodie chefs, balanced spices, vivid colours, and craft spirits. Insight Vacations’ new 2018 Europe Premium Escorted Journeys program includes a multitude of memorable and authentic dining experiences that promise to be unmatched.

Ten exceptional offerings are below:

1. Oyster Tasting in Croatia with an Oyster Farmer

During the Country Roads of Croatia journey, guests will step onto a private boat for a cruise along the coast to the village of Ston, meet a local restaurant owner and farmer and discover how oysters are harvested before enjoying a delicious tasting. Then, enjoy a farm-to-table seafood tasting at the family-owned restaurant.

2. Innovative and Locally-Sourced Menus at the iconic Ashford Castle

While enjoying the scenery of Ireland on the Irish Elegance journey, guests will dine at the magnificent 800-year-old Ashford Castle where creative cooking and local ingredients reign supreme. An après dinner walk around the stunning grounds provides the perfect end of any meal.

3. “Dine-at-Home” Dinner in Sarajevo

On the Eastern Capitals & The Dalmatian Riviera journey, guests are invited into a Sarajevan family home for a Dine-at-Home dinner where they will savour the authentic cuisine and hear inspirational stories about the beautiful city and a rich culture filled with resilient and wonderful traditions.

4. Pasta Making with Chef Lorenzo in Orvieto, Italy

At a restaurant in the medieval heart of Orvieto, explore the art of Italian cooking with Chef Lorenzo and observe how he makes fresh pasta by hand while on the European Dream journey. Enjoy a deeper and more enriching experience by devouring Chef Lorenzo’s passion for local cuisine and, of course, his delicious food.

5. Introduction to Greek Cooking in Olympia

Authentic Greek flavours tend to be a favourite among travellers and while on the Treasures of Greece & The Islands journey, they’ll get just that. Join a local chef for an entertaining cooking demonstration and savour the regional specialties in a fun, exciting introduction to Greek cooking.

6. The Art of Strudel-Making in Budapest

At a traditional Strudel House, on the Easy Pace Budapest, Vienna & Prague journey, guests will see pastry chefs at work preparing delicious strudel by stretching the dough and readying filings. Enjoy a delectable taste of this famous delicacy paired with a rich aromatic coffee.

7. Traditional Basque Pintxos in San Sebastian, France

Once in Spain on the Mediterranean Journey, dining with the locals will be on the schedule. Wander through Old Town, the hub of social life in San Sebastian, to enjoy the gastronomic Basque tradition of pintxos (a type of canapes), said to be the best in the region.

8. Cornish Coast Experience in Britain

Visit a Cornish fishing village during the Best of Britain journey and enjoy a farm-to-table experience that includes the freshest seafood for the ultimate in farm-to-table dining.

9. Paella Demonstration in Valencia, Spain

While on the Highlights of Spain journey, meet the chef of a local family-run restaurant in the heart of the Old City and learn the traditional recipe for paella during a cooking demonstration. Savouring the delicious flavours of this classic dish, washed down with a glass of sangria.

10. Dine-At-Home in Portugal

Journey through the rolling vine-laden hills to Quinta de Marrocos, home of the Sequeira family where guests will learn about their passion for wine making and join them for a farm-to-table dinner on the Country Roads of Portugal trip. Taste freshly prepared from locally sourced ingredients and served with wine from the estate.

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