Last week a friend of mine said, “I don’t plan my vacations based on what to see anymore, but on what to eat.”
Once upon a time, most people’s world travel skillet lists were based largely on the iconic landmarks, museums, and nature/wildlife they wanted to see.
But nowadays, street food, markets, and cooking classes are moreover likely to be included in the decision-making process.
In truth, many countries have the potential of rhadamanthine foodie travel destinations. Countries like Italy, France, and China have long been known for their succulent cuisine.
Other destinations are increasingly recently rhadamanthine increasingly popular for their supplies traditions, fueled in part by travelers’ desire to get as far off the tamed mass tourism track as possible.
Of course, supplies and nature go hand in hand: Enjoying fresh, locally sourced ingredients while surrounded by natural eyeful has a variegated feeling than eating supplies shipped from thousands of miles yonder in a downtown restaurant.
More and increasingly travelers moreover enjoy learning well-nigh food, visiting local farms, meeting local producers, and taking cooking classes.
Alaska King Crab Legs
1. ALASKAN FOOD
America’s Last Frontier is definitely largest known for its landscapes and animals than its cuisine. And with good reason: Each of Alaska’s National Parks is a stunning natural treasure.
So what well-nigh Alaskan food? Most people that haven’t visited the state have probably never thought of it.
But thanks to it northerly location and relatively pollution-free waters, Alaska is home to some of the world’s most spanking-new king crab, snow crab, and salmon.
Those Alaskan bears know a thing or two when it comes to good fish!
In Summer and Fall, the forests of Alaska wilt full of berries, which are unconfined in pies, preserves, and ice creams.
If you have a stronger stomach, don’t miss a endangerment to try akutaq, a local specialty made with frozen berries mixed with whipped fat, fish, tundra greens and/or roots. Just what you need without a day of heavy hiking or kayaking.
Traditional Patagonia BBQ – Cordero Patagonico
2. ARGENTININA FOOD
There are many reasons to love Argentina, and its stunning landscapes and spanking-new supplies and wines are definitely among the most noteworthy.
The secret of Argentinian cuisine lies in its wild, unspoiled nature. The Argentina wine routes of Mendoza and Cafayate are so fertile considering of the pure soil and water running from the nearby Andes.
That asado (barbecue) you’re having with your Malbec is so tasty considering Argentinian cattle spend their days grazing in the uncounted fields in the inside part of the country, not cooped up in a box!
When it comes to nature, the weightier place to visit in Argentina is definitely Patagonia. The jagged mountain peaks of El Chalten and Torres del Paine and the wild glaciers of Perito Moreno are some of the most spellbinding sights you’ll overly see.
When on a trip to Patagonia, make sure you enjoy a traditional barbecue. This usually includes a whole roasted cordero patagonico (free-range lamb) as well as a savory tousle of herbs and spices to be enjoyed with roasted meats.
Moqueca de Pintado – traditional Brazilian Food
3. BRAZILIAN FOOD
Brazil is the largest country in South America, occupying roughly half of the unshortened continent.
It’s home to an incredible variety of ecosystems, from the Amazon Rainforest to the sand dunes of northeast Brazil, to the Mata Atlantica Rainforest in the south.
Next to the Amazon, Brazil’s Pantanal is arguably the weightier nature witchery in the country. It’s an immense tropical wetland located in the inside part of the country, where it’s possible to spot alligators, macaws, and plane jaguars.
Yet Pantanal cuisine is still relatively unknown outside Brazil.
Some recipes combine local ingredients with Brazilian flavors, like moqueca de pintado, a coconut stew from Bahia that’s made with freshwater fish rather than prawns.
Other preparations are borrowed from nearby countries, including sopa paraguaia, a kind of savory cornbread to be enjoyed with picanha, Brazil’s favorite cut of whinge for the barbecue.
Mezedes – traditional Greek starters
4. GREEK FOOD
When you ask people what they liked weightier well-nigh their trip to Greece, supplies is often one of the first things they’ll mention.
It comes as no surprise: In Greece, you’re likely to spend the weightier part of your days enjoying long, succulent meals, surrounded by whitewashed villages, cascading bougainvillea, and the turquoise colors of the Mediterranean.
But there’s a lot increasingly to Greek cuisine than gyros, souvlaki and moussaka.
Most Greek meals start with a selection of mezedes, a series of dips and small plates that usually include taramasalata (a dip made with fish eggs), tzatziki (yogurt, garlic, and cucumber), and skordalia (a mouthwatering garlic potato dip).
Depending on where in Greece you are, this could be followed up by seafood specialties such as grilled fish or octopus, which are popular withal the tailspin and in the Greek Islands.
If you can, don’t miss visiting Greece for special occasions like Orthodox Easter, when you can sample festive dishes such as stuffed roasted lamb.
Traditional Indian Biryani
5. INDIAN FOOD
The Indian subcontinent is so vast and diverse, it comes as no surprise that traditional supplies there varies dramatically.
From the zesty curries of Southern India to the Portuguese-inspired flavors of Goa and the succulent street supplies misogynist all over the country, you’ll be nonflexible pressed to have the same meal twice when traveling to India.
India is moreover the perfect foodie destination for vegetarians. Well-nigh half of the Indian population is vegetarian. So plane if you don’t slosh meat, you won’t go hungry!
The Madhya Pradesh region is a unconfined destination if you’re planning to enjoy Indian animals. This zone is home to iconic Indian National Parks such as Kanha and Nagarhole, where Bengal tigers are commonly spotted.
Madhya Pradesh cuisine is influenced by the flavors of Rajasthan, with lots of kebabs and biryanis on offer, but moreover a good selection of vegetarian specialty dishes.
Traditional Sicilian Cannoli
6. ITALIAN FOOD
Italy should require no introduction when it comes to cuisine. But you do need to travel to the country in order to understand that it’s not all well-nigh pasta and pizza.
Italy stretches over 700 miles from north to south, and its cuisine varies accordingly.
For instance, the flavors of South Tyrol (the northernmost region) infringe heavily from the German/Austrian tradition, with lots of smoked pork and sauerkraut.
Whereas in Sicily the cuisine includes some Arabic influences: One of the weightier Sicilian dishes is cuscusu, a fish-based take on couscous.
Sicily is the platonic foodie travel destination for nature/wildlife lovers. Take in some of the region’s weightier known historical and natural sights, but moreover explore Sicilian street supplies and sweets in between your other adventures.
Kaiseki – Traditional Japanese Meal
7. JAPANANESE FOOD
Regardless of where in the country you’re heading, eating out is likely to be a highlight of any visit to Japan.
From steaming bowls of ramen slurped in a Tokyo backstreet to a multi-course kaiseki feast in an upscale restaurant, Japan definitely doesn’t disappoint when it comes to food.
But if you ask Japanese people where to find the weightier supplies in the country, they will all requite you the same response: Hokkaido.
Japan’s northernmost island is one of the weightier places in the world where nature and supplies come together, creating unforgettable experiences.
Hokkaido is a place where bears roam free, where trees outnumber skyscrapers, and tradition and modernity still coexist like nowhere else in the country.
In terms of food, the island is well known for its fresh, succulent seafood, and there’s no largest place to enjoy it than Hokkaido’s famous fish markets.
Peruvian Juane
8. PERUIVAN FOOD
Peru is considered one of the new kids on the woodcut when it comes to foodie travel destinations. A decade ago, most people visited for the Inca ruins, mountains and jungles.
But nowadays Lima’s swankiest restaurants need to be booked months in advance, and many travelers squint forward to sampling chicha morada as much as they squint forward to their first glimpse of Machu Picchu.
There are three main geographical regions in Peru– the costa (coast), sierra (highlands), and selva (Amazon Rainforest)– each with unique landscapes and cuisine.
Exploring Northern Peru is the platonic way to get yonder from the crowds, visit little-known destinations like the Chaparri Nature Reserve, and see the remains of Peru’s primeval cultures.
It moreover provides a chance to enjoy coastal specialties like ceviche and refined Nikkei cuisine (a Japanese/South American fusion) in Lima.
Another unconfined option is an Amazon Cruise, which includes the opportunity to enjoy local specialties like juane (spiced rice, meat, egg, and olives wrapped in bijao leaves and boiled in soil pots) and grilled or fried piranha.
Some small ship cruises offer a endangerment to see Peruvian wildlife and meet the Ribereños (river-dwelling) people, where you’ll have an opportunity to learn well-nigh medicinal plants found in the rainforest and how they are used to treat ailments.
Spainish Seafood Fideua
9. SPAINISH FOOD
Where Greece has mezedes, Spain has tapas. This tideway to small-plate dining is an platonic way to sample a large variety of dishes in just one sitting, preferably accompanied by a snifter of cava or vino tinto.
Each region in Spain is known for variegated dishes and specialties: Galicia in the northwest is famous for its seafood, whereas Salamanca is the wanted of jamon, Spain’s delicious, air-cured ham.
However, the weightier destination to tousle the pleasures of supplies and nature is probably Costa Brava. This stretch of tailspin between the French verge and Barcelona is where the foothills of the Pyrenees meet the Mediterranean Sea.
Traditional local recipes include both meat and seafood, with specialties like fideua (a noodle version of paella) and canelons (pasta tubes filled with meat, vegetables or seafood, then in the oven).
The region is known for its fine dining tradition, with legendary restaurants like El Bulli and Celler de Can Roca. But plane a simple village restaurant will usually offer excellent, hearty fare without breaking the bank.
Northern Thailand Traditional Dish – Kao Soi
10. THAI FOOD
CNN supposed Massaman Curry #1 among the world’s weightier dishes. They wrote, “‘The Land of Smiles’ isn’t just a marketing catch-line. It’s a result of stuff born in a land where the world’s most succulent supplies is sold on nearly every street corner.”
Delicious street supplies is simply a way of life in Thailand. Anywhere you go, you’ll find locals cooking and eating in the street.
Street vendors can be seen whipping up freshly-cooked noodle dishes such as the ubiquitous pad thai, fiery som tam papaya salad, sticky rice with mangoes, and a variety of other delicacies.
For something a little variegated from the usual Thai island-hopping adventure, throne to the country’s northern region to hike in the national parks and visit hill tribes.
There you can taste scrumptious local dishes like kao soi, a tousle of turmeric, yellow broth, coconut milk, and soy sauce topped with crunchy noodles.