eat in italy food tours

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Food & Culinary Tours in Italy

Head out on a truffle hunting adventure in Tuscany , sip on the freshest limoncello at the Amalfi Coast or indulge in the finest berried blends in Sicily . Ignite your inner epicure with melting Margherita pizzas and spoon-swirling spaghetti on an Italian food tour. Whether you're indulging at a bàcari in Venice or celebrating la dolce vita with an aperitivo in Milan , there's no competition for the best food experiences in Italy.

104 Food & Culinary tour packages in Italy with 677 reviews

• Food & Culinary

Small Group Sicily Food & Wine Tour (Maximum 8 Guests)

I was extremely impressed with everything surrounding the tour. This was the first tour I’ve taken after years of traveling. I enjoyed all of our guides and the knowledge they shared with us about the area we were in. The itinerary was very manageable and loved having enough time to explore on our own at each destination. The wineries we visited were beautiful and the wines were excellent.

• 10% deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

Taste of Salento-Authentic Culinary Experience

A truly Salento experience. A variety of local food lovingly cooked & served together with various local wines. All carefully explained. A caring family approach to every aspect of the tour. This is a place for those looking for a relaxing time in a friendly country atmosphere & environment. Highly recommended especially but not exclusively for solo travellers.

• Wine tasting

Italy Real Food Adventure

Italy Real Food Adventure tour is amazing! I'm happy to travel around the cities in Italy and eat all of the food there!

Private Sicily Food & Wine Lovers Tour

This is a MUST for any foodie. Our guides were amazing and it was nice to have a true foodie tour while still learning a lot and having a ton of fun. While each day was filled with beauty and delicious food, my favorites were being by Mt. Etna (because, it's Mt. Etna!!) at the winery and farmhouse, then the cooking class in Taormina. Our chef was so kind and always smiling! It's a truly wonderful experience. The wineries we visited gave us that feeling that life can't get any better. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that my husband and I will never forget. Everyday was a new and exciting memory. I didn't stop smiling throughout the whole trip. What really stuck out were the people and how kind everyone was. They really wanted you to have an amazing time...job well done, everyone!

Discover Matera and Taste of Salento Tour

Great Tours! A wonderful experience first in Salento at Emilio's Masseria and then in the enchanting Matera. We appreciated Emilio's excellent cuisine and his flexibility in organizing our tour days around the villages of Salento. The hotel booked for us in Matera was excellent, the cave room is an experience to live! Thanks for all the extra arrangements you made for us.

Charming Sicily Food & Wine Small Group Tour - 8 days

I really enjoyed the tour!

Sicily Food Adventure

Valentina was the best guide and made the trip so much fun and educational!

8-Day Foodie Tour Of Northern Italy

• €50 deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

• Christmas & New Year

5 Days Italian Cookery Getaway in Umbria

Beautiful location with delicious food and good instruction. Fun mornings taught in a small friendly group, a slap up lunch cooked by us and then afternoons free to spend how you wish. Most had a car so went touring, we did not so spent the afternoons by the large pool which we had to ourselves. Raffaella was a most welcoming boast with good English and teaching style instilling confidence to try all the skills shown and repeat them at home using the recipes and apron provided. A pasta machine is definitely going on my Christmas list!

South Italy Campania Escape

Hotel room was large and comfortable = 5* Hotel location was difficult : NO buses, NO subway close by. We had to walk a LOT , even to reach meeting points for daily tours !! (2*) Staff was VERY friendly and helpful. (5*) TOUR to POMPEI / VESUVIO was excellent, considering the conditions... Excellent LUNCH and wine testing (5*) We did the VESUVIO hike, all the way to the TOP ! (5*) TOUR of NAPOLI was good. / We saw many more places, and took the subway (5*) Note : we had problems with the street food . Difficult to find good, relaxing places to have dinner in NAPOLI. ..Next time we will consult a TOUR GUIDE BOOK.

• In-depth Cultural

A Taste of Tuscany - Hilltop Towns and Vineyards

Gourmet Rome, Sorrento & Capri

Campania Wine, Food & Heritage Experience

5 Luxury days on the Sacred Land of Umbria

Grand tour of Campania, from Napoli to Amalfi

What people love about food & culinary tours in italy.

The food and guides were great! Hotels were very comfortable. Drivers were excellent!

Continued.. Besides both Carla and Emilios own knowlege and history of each place they had Profesional guides to take you around to the other places. Nice to be in a private car. Great food like I said before. Emilio really takes care and you can see the passion in every dish he makes. Very well put together tour. Loved my stay at the farmhouse learning about the olive trees. Overall a Wonderful experience during my week in brindisi. Will visit again! Crystal

Italy Real Food Adventure tour is amazing! I'm happy to travel around the cities in Italy and eat all of the food there!

Food & Culinary Tours

• Wine tasting (12)
• Cooking classes (8)

Regions in Italy

• South Italy (40)
• Central Italy (24)
• Northern Italy (20)
• Tuscany (16)
• Puglia (12)
• Apulia (12)
• Campania (12)
• Amalfi Coast (11)
• Sicily (10)
• Emilia Romagna (9)
• Lazio, Marche & Abruzzo (9)
• Piedmont (6)
• Prosecco (6)

Travel Styles

• 10 Best Food & Culinary Tours 2024/2025
• Italy Travel Guide | All You Need to Know
• Itinerary Ideas for 10 Days in Italy, 2022-2023
• Best 7 Day Italy Itineraries 2024/2025 (with Reviews)
• Discover the Best Italy Vacation Packages 2024/2025
• What is the best time to visit Italy in 2024/2025?

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Home / Destinations / Italy

Tours in Italy

Italy is a bucket list destination for millions of visitors, and for good reason. It offers incredible regional diversity, a vibrant and colorful culture, and most importantly, lots of great food and wine.   

The beautiful thing about Italian cuisine is that it’s very regional. Rustic Roman fare, the original Neapolitan pizza, creamy risotto from the north, and everything in between—there’s no one singular definition of Italian food, and we’re okay with that.  

Cities to Explore

Most popular tours in italy, what we have to say about italy, 12 best restaurants in naples for every budget.

In Naples there’s a certain saying: A Napoli, si mangia bene, which simply means: in Naples, you eat well. While Naples is world famous for its pizza (after all, it’s the birthplace), the culinary culture of the city offers much, much more. You can find restaurants in Naples that are great for every budget that […]

The Best Coffee in Bologna: 10 Must-Try Places

Bologna has a well-deserved reputation for academic excellence. It’s also a haven for excellent cafes, with many places vying for the title of the best coffee in Bologna. If you’re looking for the best coffee in Bologna, there’s a wide range of places to find it: traditional coffee shops, cafes tucked away in gardens, cafes […]

5 Cooking Classes in Naples, Italy You Won’t Want to Miss

Naples, Italy, often hailed as the birthplace of pizza, is undeniably one of the world’s most iconic cities, renowned for its rich history and gastronomic treasures like Neapolitan pizza, incredible seafood, pasta perfection, and mouthwatering Neapolitan pastries. Considering all of this, it makes perfect sense to include cooking classes in Naples, Italy as a necessary […]

Eat in Italy Food Tours

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Eat in Italy Food Tours - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Italy Food Tour: The Best Places to Visit for Foodies

David Angel

An Italy food tour is many people’s idea of heaven, mine included. There’s no single Italian cuisine as such: Italian food really encompasses around twenty different regional cuisines. The one thing they’ve all had in common, for me, is that they’re mouth-wateringly fantastic.

After many Italy vacations, I decided to devise this ultimate indulgence, a culinary tour of Italy, taking in seven top Italian destinations. You’d get to see the best of each, and also experience the best Italian cooking and regional dishes.

This is a tour of Italy that can take as long as you wish. I’ve suggested places to see in each city, and what local dishes to try and where.  We’ll be covering everything from the best cicchetti in Venice to the best pizza in Naples, and the best Bologna food tour to the most scrumptious Sicilian street food.

The itinerary is also a series of suggestions. You could just stick to one area, and Sicily holidays based around sampling Sicilian cuisine would be amazing. Or you could combine several, building a Tuscany itinerary around trying a bistecca in Florence or cacciucco seafood stew in Livorno. We suggest an Italy food tour package, as well as city food tours to get you started at each destination.

However you choose to do it, trying the best in traditional Italian food in some of the best places to visit in Italy is a wonderful way to experience the country.

Table of Contents

1. Italy Food Tour – Food in Venice

What to eat in Venice : Sarde in saor; risotto al nero di seppia; cicchetti

Where to eat in Venice: Le Bistrot de Venise; Osteria al Squero in Dorsoduro and Trattoria da Romano on Burano

What to See in Venice: St Mark’s Square and Basilica, San Giorgio Maggiore, the Doge’s Palace, and exploring the canals and back streets

How Many Days in Venice: Three or four, ideally

Venetian cuisine is based around local produce: seafood from the lagoon and Adriatic, vegetables from the lagoon islands and hinterland, and rice.

There are thousands of restaurants in Venice serving food from all over Italy and beyond, but I’ve found over many visits that eating local is best.

Bars all over the city serve cicchetti (sometimes spelt cicheti), bar snacks along the lines of Spanish tapas, albeit with different ingredients. These include seafood, local ham, cheeses, sausages, and vegetables including delicious artichokes from nearby Sant’Erasmo, the garden island that’s as far off the beaten path in Venice as you can go.

Many signature Venice dishes originate from the sea, of course. They include sarde in saor , sardine with raisins, onions and pine nuts marinated in vinegar. We’ve also loved risotto al nero di seppia , cooked in black cuttlefish ink. A friend bought us a Venetian cookbook after visiting the city with us, and the leek risotto from that has become one of our home menu mainstays the last few years.

Venture out into the lagoon to the island of Burano , and one of the restaurants there, Trattoria da Romano, serves another local delicacy, risotto di gò , which includes the black goby fish that lives near the lagoon bed.

2. Food in Bologna, Modena & Parma

What to eat in Bologna : Tagliatelle al ragù, lasagne, prosciutto crudo (Parma ham) con melone, tortellini pasta, Parmesan cheese

Where to eat in Bologna : Trattoria Valerio, Buca Manzoni and the tavola calda at Tamburini. There are hundreds of other places around the Quadrilatero

What to See in Bologna : Piazza Maggiore, Torre degli Asinelli, the University, Basilica di San Petronio and the Quadrilatero

How Many Days in Bologna : Three for Bologna alone – you’ll need more if you want to make day trips from there

Bologna is food heaven. The sauce that’s many people’s introduction to Italian food bears its name, Bolognese. However, this sauce – known locally as ragù – tastes very different – and much better – in its place of origin.

My wife took me to Bologna for a recent birthday, and food-wise it was like all my birthdays and Christmases rolled into one. The city is the capital of the region of Emilia-Romagna, which many would suggest is the best region in Italy for food. Modena (home of the delectable balsamic vinegar of Modena) and Parma (Parma ham and Parmesan cheese, or parmigiano reggiano ) are both easy day trips from Bologna . It’s a popular starter across the world, but try the Parma ham and melon starter somewhere. We never tire of the salty yin and sweet yang of this simple but stunning dish.

Bologna is a very beautiful city, quite distinctive in appearance because of its red brick buildings and porticoed streets. Food lovers should head for the Quadrilatero, a small area of narrow streets between the Asinelli and Garisenda towers and Piazza Maggiore. The city also gave the world mortadella sausage and tortellini, the ring (or navel!) shaped pasta you see all over the world.

3. Food in Florence

What to Eat in Florence: Ribollita, Bistecca alla fiorentina

Other Tuscan Food To Try: Farro soup in Lucca, panforte from Siena

What To See in Florence : Duomo, Baptistery and Campanile; Cappelle Medicee in San Lorenzo Church; Michelangelo’s original David in the Accademia; the Galleria Uffizi

Where to Eat in Florence:

How Many Days in Florence : Three

There is such a wealth of Tuscan cuisine to discover, and every time I return I seem to discover even more.

Florence is among the best places to stay in Tuscany , as it’s easy to branch out from there to the other main cities and towns.

One of my favourite Tuscan dishes is ribollita , the sort of dish you cobble together with whatever’s left in the kitchen cupboard. Its staple ingredients are stale bread and cannellini beans. What comes with this tends to vary from place to place, but usually includes a hearty, healthy selection of vegetables.

Florence’s signature dish is bistecca alla fiorentina , an enormous and delicious T-bone steak cooked rare. It would be bordering on sacrilege to ask for it to be cooked ‘well done’. Chef will almost certainly refuse your request to cremate such a beautiful piece of meat. It’s normally served with a selection of contorni – vegetables – including garlic potatoes.

The Chianti wine region is just to the south of Florence, with many a fine accompaniment to Tuscan food to choose from. Further south, the sublime medieval city of Siena is home to panforte , a delicious rich flat fruitcake.

Some of the best food in Tuscany can also be found to the west of Tuscany, with the truffles of San Miniato and the delightful olive oil and zuppa di farro – similar to wheat – from Lucca.

4. Food in Livorno

What to Eat in Livorno: Cacciucco fish stew

Where to Eat in Livorno: La Barocciaia; Osteria del Mare

What To See in Livorno: Piccola Venezia; the grand Terrazza Mascagni seafront promenade

How Many Days in Livorno: Two.

The port city of Livorno is the least-known destination on our gastronomy of Italy tour. However, it’s home to one of the best surprises in the country: cacciucco , an outstanding seafood stew. It’s up there with the better-known bouillabaisse of Provence and Portugal’s caldeirada and cataplana .

Recipes vary greatly, with some using red wine, others white. Garlic, parsley and tomatoes form the basis of the sauce, and the fish can vary, depending on the catch and season. Mussels, clams, prawns and baby octopus often feature, as do gurnard, sea bass, monkfish and sole. It’s then served with bread brushed with garlic.

Livorno is one of the hidden gems of Italy, very much overlooked and underrated. Many of its buildings were lost during heavy bombing in World War II, but it has held onto its multicultural identity from its time as a free port, when it was also known as Leghorn. It was a real Mediterranean melting-pot, with sailors from all over Europe frequenting the port’s bars.

The best things to do in Livorno include exploring Piccola Venezia (Little Venice), the atmospheric canals and streets close to the port. The Mercato Centrale (Central Market) is the largest in Italy, and where the daily catch is sold on. The artist Amedeo Modigliani had a workshop upstairs in the building.

Livorno port is an arrival point for cruise passengers who are then whisked away to Florence for the day. Livorno is also an ideal starting point for a day trip to Pisa, which is only 20 minutes away by train.

5. Food in Rome

What to Eat in Rome: Carciofi alla giudia, Jewish salt cod, Pizza Romana, Saltimbocca, Cacio e Pepe; Trapizzino

Where to Eat in Rome: Testaccio, Trastevere and the Ghetto.

What to See in Rome: The Colosseum, Roman Forum, The Pantheon, St Peter’s and the Vatican Museums and much more

How Many Days in Rome: 4 days

Roman food is an extremely broad church, just like St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. Its influences go back thousands of years, and are borrowed from various cultures of people who have made the city their home. I didn’t think so first time around, but on my second visit I came to see that Rome really is among the best food cities in Italy.

I found that the further I went off the beaten path in Rome, it was easier to find traditional (and new) Roman dishes. One of my most enjoyable discoveries was the survival of traditional Jewish dishes in modern cucina romana . My favourite Roman dish is probably carciofi alla giudia , Jewish-style whole artichokes deep-fried, then served alone, with bread and lemon or (my recommendation) pecorino cheese and saffron. The season for this is February to April if you want your artichoke to be of local origin.

I also found baccalà , salt cod, served in several places in the Ghetto. It’s usually deep fried, and you can have it by itself, with vegetables or even chips. Cod and chips in Rome: who would have thought it?

Pasta and pizza are also prominent on the Roman menu. Pizza Romana has a thin, crispy base, distinctly different from its Neapolitan cousin. Cacio e pepe is a Roman pasta dish with a creamy sauce made from pecorino, black pepper and pasta water. Amatriciana is another popular pasta sauce, made from pecorino, tomatoes and pig’s cheek (and sometimes pancetta). The trapizzino is a recent Roman innovation, a pizza folded and filled with popular Roman dishes from broccoli e salsiccia (broccoli and sausage) to tripe to chicken with peppers.

We can’t leave the Eternal City without mentioning saltimbocca . Its name translates as ‘leap in the mouth’ and it certainly does that. According to Roman tradition, the main ingredient is veal, though I’ve also seen chicken saltimbocca at some restaurants in Rome.  The veal is wrapped in prosciutto (Parma ham) and sage leaves, then cooked in a white wine (or occasionally Marsala) sauce.

6. Food in Naples

What to Eat in Naples: Pizza (marinara or Margherita), Seafood, Buffalo mozzarella; Sfogliatelle

Where to Eat in Naples: Da Michele or Trianon da Ciro

What to See in Naples: Museo Arqueologico Nazionale, Museo Cappella San Severo; the churches of the Spaccanapoli area; Mergellina for the best city views with Vesuvius

How Many Days in Naples: Three days would be a good introduction to the city. If you’re staying for a week or more, you’ll have plenty of time for day trips from Naples, including Pompeii .

Naples is a fascinating city, with a wealth of layers of life and history to explore. You need a few days there to try some of the best Neapolitan dishes, mixed with discovering some of its incredible art treasures.  Venture underground into the Catacombs, or discover the cult of the city’s patron saint, San Gennaro . You can visit the Museo Arqueologico Nazionale – one of the best museums in Italy, I’d venture – for a few hours, then sit down at one of the oldest pizzerie on the planet, delighting in an original Naples pizza.

Naples is the home of pizza. The idea of bread (usually focaccia) with a topping goes back to ancient times. But the refinement of the idea to the pizza in Naples that you see today dates back to the late 19 th century. Tomato was already a staple topping by this time, but pizzaiuolo Raffaele Esposito made a ‘pizza Margherita’ in tribute to the Queen Consort, Margherita of Savoy. This was topped with tomato, mozzarella cheese and basil leaves – roughly corresponding to the colours of Italy’s red, white and green national flag.

The Antica Pizzeria Da Michele is one of the oldest in the city, and serves some of the best pizza in Naples. They only serve two varieties – the Margherita and its predecessor, the marinara . Both are mouth-wateringly delicious. The marinara is topped with garlic, oregano, olive oil and tomato. The beauty is in the simplicity. The end result is a dough that’s softer than pizza Romana, and melts in the mouth.

The mozzarella di bufala is a product from the surrounding Campania region. As you travel beyond Salerno towards the great ruins of Paestum, you see many roadside signs offering it for sale fresh from the farm. The limoncello liqueur also originates from the Sorrento area, close to the Amalfi Coast.

Naples street food is another joy to discover. You can get a cuoppo of fried just-about-anything. This can be fish, vegetables, deep fried pasta balls, rice balls, seafood, you name it. Ask for a cuoppo di mare and you get fried seafood. A cuoppo di terra is a selection of fried food ‘from the land’.

No trip to Naples is complete without sampling a sfogliatella. The riccia version of this delicious dessert has many delicate frills of pastry, with ricotta cinnamon and candied peel hidden within.

7. Food in Sicily

What to Eat in Sicily : Spaghetti alla Norma; Caponata; Arancini; Pesto alla Trapanese; pistachio pizza

Where To Eat In Sicily :

What to See in Sicily : Ortigia and ancient Syracuse; Mount Etna; Palermo and Monreale; Cefalu; several great ancient Greek sites including Agrigento, Selinunte and Segesta

How Many Days in Sicily : anything from three days for a short city break in Sicily to three weeks

For me, Sicilian food has always been among the most exotic and exciting in Italy and indeed the Mediterranean.  The island has been occupied many times over, with influences as diverse as Carthaginian (modern day Tunisian), Greek, Italian, Norman and Arab all present in what you can eat there today.

The produce you get in these hotter climes is incredible. Sicilian olives are delicious, lemons and tangy blood oranges grow on trees. One of the most prevalent vegetables is the aubergine, or eggplant, and this features in the best known Sicilian pasta dish, pasta alla Norma. It’s also the main ingredient in caponata . These dishes originate from the east of the island, in the shadow of Mount Etna.

Etna dominates much of the Sicilian landscape, and its eruptions have greatly influenced  what can be grown in the area. The slopes of the great volcano are home to some of the best Sicilian wines, but the soil is not as good for cultivating vegetables. Yet Etna played a very important role in the development of arguably the best dessert in Italy – gelato. The word translates as ‘frozen’, and the concept comes from the Arabs, who would bring ice down from the mountain and flavour it with ingredients like honey.  Granita has the same origins; the ice is crushed then flavoured. Granita stalls are everywhere in the main Sicilian towns and cities.

Sicilian recipes to the west of the island are different to those in the east, simply because of the availability of different ingredients. ‘Red pesto’ is of Sicilian origin, known there as pesto alla Trapanese , after the western town of Trapani. Pasta con le sarde is pasta with sardines, served with fennel, pine kernels and sultanas. The far west of Sicily is also where Marsala wine, an exquisite dessert wine, is from.

Italy Food Tour – Final Words

I hope that you have enjoyed reading my Italy food tour guide. And that it has left your taste buds tingling with anticipation!

For more general articles on Italy, ideal for the armchair traveller, see my guides to the most beautiful squares in Italy and the 50 best landmarks in Italy .

I have written numerous guides to Venice. To get a flavour of the city, check out my 17 Photos of Venice introduction and my guide to the Grand Canal Venice , the most beautiful street in Europe.

Discover even more in my guides to Venice landmarks , Churches in Venice and Venice off the beaten path .

Many regard Bologna as the food capital of Italy. It’s an essential stop on any food-themed travel in Italy, worth at least a couple of days of your time. Check out my guide to the best things to do in Bologna for lots more information.

If you stay in Bologna, then take a look at my guide to the best day trips from Bologna . This includes other cities in the Emilia-Romagna region (including Parma) and to the north. Take a look at my guide to the best things to do in Padua , a stunning city with two UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

If you’re heading south from Bologna, then take a look at my guides to the best places to stay in Tuscany and Tuscany hidden gems .

If you’re exploring further south, then check out my guides to a Rome to Pompeii day trip and gorgeous Ortigia Sicily .

David Angel is a British writer and photographer who has been travelling and photographing Europe for over 25 years.  His work is regularly featured in worldwide media including the BBC, the Guardian, the Times and the Sunday Times.

Food Tours in Rome Italy: 11 Top-Rated Options for Authentic Italian

What are the best food tours in Rome Italy? Is it worth doing a food tour in Rome?

Now, if you don’t have the luxury of being related to an off-the-boat set of Italian grandparents who hand-crank pasta as the perfect pairing to the wine they made in their basement every time they see you like I do, then an authentic food tour in Rome is the next best thing!

On your next trip to Italy, chances are you’ll be stopping in Rome whether it be just for a quick stopover or for a few days to check out the Colosseum and the Vatican. Either way, it wouldn’t be complete without enjoying the delicious cuisine that Rome has to offer.

When it comes to food tours in Rome, there are plenty of options available. Actually, some would even say that there are too many options available to travelers. There are literally dozens of local companies to choose from making it overwhelming for people to find the tour that’s right for their group!

Don’t have enough time to read the whole post? Not a problem!

The Rome Twilight Trastevere Food Tour with Eating Europe is unquestionably the #1 tour on this list!

⭐ 1,700+ 5-Star Reviews ⭐ 13 Food Tastings Across 7 Locations ⭐ Exclusive Access to the Oldest Wine Cellar in Rome!

From luxury food tours to private food tours with wine tastings, there are hundreds of options visitors can choose from. Fortunately, I know exactly how frustrating it can be to spend hours behind a computer screen scouring for the right tour, which is precisely why I created this list of only the top-rated Rome food tours… and there are only 11 of them!

In this post, in addition to the 11 best food tour options, I’ve also provided ample information on whether or not booking a food tour in Rome is worthwhile, how much you can expect to spend on a food tour, if you should bring cash for tipping, and more. Let’s get started!

11 Best Food Tours in Rome Italy

1. rome twilight trastevere food tour with eating europe.

Arguably the #1 food tour in the city, the Rome Twilight Trastevere Food Tour with Eating Europe offers a guided gastronomic journey that takes you through the historic Trastevere district, a neighborhood known for its bustling eateries and traditional Roman fare!

Savor hand-picked regional specialties, from mouth-watering supplì (fried rice balls) to organic, artisan gelato. You’ll also make your way to the oldest wine cellar in Rome, which just so happens to be over 2,000 years old .

This 4-hour food tour is perfect for those looking to explore traditional Roman cuisine in a fun and intimate setting. With a maximum group size of only 12 people, you’ll get plenty of personalized attention from your guide as they take you through hidden streets and alleyways that are often overlooked by tourists.

2. The Roman Food Tour in Trastevere with Free-Flowing Fine Wine

With over 1,200 5-star reviews, it’s easy to see why The Roman Food Tour in Trastevere is a popular choice for many travelers! This tour offers a unique blend of history and gastronomy, guiding you through one of Rome’s most picturesque neighborhoods while indulging in an array of traditional Roman dishes.

Enjoy a relaxed evening strolling the charming streets as you stop at select local haunts to sample a variety of authentic foods – from the finest charcuterie, cheeses, and pasta to sweet gelato and of course… plenty of local wine!

On this 4-hour tour, your knowledgeable guide will provide inside knowledge on the history and culture of each dish while also sharing insights into the local food scene. Perfect for food enthusiasts and wine lovers, this tour promises a delightful experience for the senses and a deeper appreciation for Italian cuisine.

3. Rome Food Tour – Unlimited Food & Free-Flowing Fine Wine (Barolo)

Those seeking a top-rated food and wine tour in Rome should look no further than this Rome Food Tour – Unlimited Food & Free-Flowing Fine Wine (Barolo) , where you can feast to your heart’s content!

Venturing through the elegant Prati district, this tour is a foodie’s dream come to life, featuring an array of amazing tastings across 5 different locations.

You’ll be treated to fine Italian wines, including the prestigious Barolo, known for its depth and complexity, to complement a carefully selected range of Italian dishes including pasta, pizza, charcuterie, and even 30-year-age balsamic vinegar!

Definitely one of the most unique food tours in Rome Italy, this tour is easily one of the best.

4. The Award-Winning PRIVATE Food Tour of Rome: 6 or 10 Tastings

When it comes to the best private food tours in Rome, this Award-Winning PRIVATE Food Tour of Rome is hard to beat! Suitable for smaller groups who prefer an intimate atmosphere, the tour gives you the option to indulge in either 6 or 10 tastings of authentic Roman delicacies.

Crafted for connoisseurs of fine food, guests will be led by a local epicurean guide through some of the top food regions in Rome including the Jewish Quarter and Campo de’ Fiori.

With either 6 or 10 tastings included, guests will be treated to the famed buffalo mozzarella, freshly churned gelato, and everything in between. In just 3 hours, this phenomenal food tour provides visitors to Rome the chance to experience Italy’s iconic food scene!

5. Rome Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours

For those a little short on time, the Rome Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tour is the perfect choice! In just 2.5 hours, you’ll get to experience some of Rome’s most iconic dishes, from pizza and pasta to supplì (fried rice balls) and creamy gelato.

Led by a local guide with a passion for food and knowledge of the city’s best culinary spots, this tour offers a great balance between sightseeing and sampling delicious Roman fare.

Not only will you enjoy tasty bites along the way, but your guide will also surprise you with a special dish, that will only be revealed on the day of your tour! Possibly the best food tour in Rome for those who don’t have 4+ hours to spare, be sure to keep this option in the back of your mind.

6. Rome Testaccio Food Tour with Eating Europe

Discover the authentic flavors of Rome in the Testaccio neighborhood with the Rome Testaccio Food Tour !

Testaccio, known as the birthplace of Roman cuisine, is easily one of the best parts of the city to indulge in a food tour. This tour is extra special because it also includes a visit to the bustling Testaccio Market, which no other tour has yet to include on this list, and even offers 15 tastings across 8 different locations!

For those seeking 4 hours of pure culinary bliss, this tour is not to be missed. You’ll enjoy everything from fresh pasta and pizza to authentic Roman street food, all while learning about the rich history of the Testaccio neighborhood and its food culture!

7. Rome Trastevere Food Tour By Night with Wine Tasting and Guided Sightseeing

Explore the historic heart of Roman nightlife with the Rome Trastevere Food Tour By Night ! This enchanting, 4-hour evening tour takes you through the cobbled alleys of Trastevere, one of Rome’s most vibrant and picturesque neighborhoods.

Kicking off at 5:30PM, you’ll get to see the streets come alive with locals and tourists alike, while indulging in exclusive wine tastings, paired expertly with a selection of regional dishes. Your guide will lead you through a sensory journey that includes not only delectable food and wine but also fascinating stories illuminating the area’s rich history and culture.

This unbeatable tour promises a memorable night of gastronomic delight and finishes off with something sweet!

8. Jewish Ghetto and Campo Dè Fiori By Night Food, Wine and Sightseeing Tour

There’s something special about when the sun sets in Rome, offering a beautiful golden hue over the city. What better way to enjoy it than with a Jewish Ghetto and Campo Dè Fiori By Night Food, Wine, and Sightseeing Tour ?

Starting off just a bit later around 5:45PM, this tour navigates you to the best family-run eateries in Rome! Enjoy 10 different samplings of pizza, pasta, and sweet pastries and gelato before strolling through Piazza Navona among other popular spots.

An ideal choice for those wanting to spend a full evening out on the town with a local foodie, this tour deserves its place on this list of the best food tours in Rome, Italy!

9. Rome Trastevere Food Tour with Dinner and Wine

Limited to just 10 people, the Rome Trastevere Food Tour is one of the best small group tours on this list. This 4-hour excursion takes you on a journey through the charming Trastevere neighborhood, sampling nearly two dozen different street foods and wines along the way!

A great option for foodies looking to indulge in the most samples they can (with a surprise main course at the end!), this is a fantastic option.

10. Hidden Rome Food Tour in Trastevere with Dinner and Wine

Anyone looking to be treated to a full-on sit-down meal at a Roman restaurant in addition to numerous other food and wine tastings, the Hidden Rome Food Tour in Trastevere with Dinner and Wine should be your #1 choice!

This 3-hour tour combines all the best aspects of a Trastevere food tour with an authentic Italian dinner, making for an unforgettable evening. Along with your local guide, you’ll get to explore hidden corners and alleyways of Trastevere while sampling traditional Italian dishes and wines along the way, earning its spot on this list!

11. Rome Street Food Tour with Local Guide

Possibly one of the top 3 most popular tours in the city, the Rome Street Food Tour with a Local Guide invites you to sink your teeth into a variety of mouth-watering specialties like crisp pizza al taglio and dreamy gelato.

In a short 2.5 hours, you’ll cover a lot of ground in Rome stopping at popular and under-the-radar food spots, while learning about its history and the evolution of Italian cuisine. Your knowledgeable guide will also make sure to bring you to the best spots for unmissable street food delights!

FAQ: Food Tours in Rome Italy

In this last section, I’ve answered some popular questions regarding food tours in Rome and provided additional information on my number tour choice, what you should bring with you on a tour, how long Rome food tours typically last, and more!

If after reading through all of the tour options and nothing seems like a good fit, don’t forget that you also have the option of cooking your own food with one of these 11 Premier Cooking Classes in Rome Italy for Foodies too!

Is It Worth Doing a Food Tour in Rome?

A food tour in Rome is absolutely worth doing ! Not only does it allow you to try authentic Italian food with a local if you’re short on time, but it also gives you a better understanding of the culture and history behind each dish.

Plus, it’s an excellent way to explore different areas of the city that you may not have otherwise visited! These tours are curated to introduce you to a variety of flavors, from classic dishes to local secrets, and are well worth the time and cost investment!

What is Famous in Rome as Far as Food?

Perhaps the most celebrated is pasta carbonara, a simple yet indulgent dish featuring eggs, Pecorino Romano cheese, cured pork, and black pepper. Equally renowned are Roman pizzas, particularly Pizza Bianca—a focaccia-style pizza that’s crispy on the outside and soft in the center.

Not to be missed are the succulent Saltimbocca alla Romana, veal cutlets wrapped in prosciutto and sage, and the delectable supplì, fried rice balls oozing with mozzarella. These dishes, along with artichokes alla Romana and cacio e pepe, among others, comprise the essence of Rome’s storied gastronomy.

What are the Best Foods to Eat in Rome?

When dining in Rome, it’s essential to indulge in the city’s signature dishes to truly experience its culinary culture. Some must-eat foods include:

• Cacio e Pepe: A minimalist yet mouthwatering pasta dish that perfectly balances the sharpness of Pecorino Romano with the bite of freshly cracked black pepper.
• Roman Artichokes (Carciofi alla Romana): These artichokes are braised with herbs and olive oil until they are tender and packed with flavor.
• Maritozzi: Delicately sweet buns filled with whipped cream, a classic Roman breakfast treat.
• Gelato: No visit to Rome is complete without sampling the rich, creamy goodness of authentic Italian gelato in a myriad of flavors.
• Tiramisu: This iconic Italian dessert, made with layer upon layer of coffee-soaked ladyfingers and mascarpone cheese, is a sweet ending to any meal.

These foods represent a small fraction of Rome’s amazing cuisine, which is exactly why a food tour that provides you the opportunity to sample a lot of dishes instead of having to pay for full plates everywhere you go is such a great deal!

What is the Best Rome Food Tour?

The best food tour in Rome is undoubtedly the Rome Twilight Trastevere Food Tour with Eating Europe tour. This comprehensive 4-hour tour takes you through the charming Trastevere neighborhood where you’ll get to sample local foods like pizza, pasta, cured meats, and cheese while learning about the history of each dish and the city itself.

Rated as one of the top food tours in Rome by multiple travel websites, this tour offers an intimate experience with a small group size and provides 13 food samples across 7 local destinations!

Do You Tip on Meals in Rome?

Tipping is not mandatory in Rome, nor is it expected since the waitstaff do not rely on tips as a source of their wages . However, if you receive great service, you will notice that many people will round the bill up or leave a couple of euros on the table. It’s the polite thing to do, and we always do it.

Contrary to the United States where 15-20% gratuity is often expected since waitstaff are constantly waiting on you, Italians don’t typically leave a tip since their job is complete once they’ve delivered your beverage and meal.

It’s normal to have to wave down someone to pay your bill, so keep this in mind when dining in Rome.

What Should I Bring on a Roman Food Tour?

When attending a food tour, it’s a good idea to come prepared with the following items:

• Comfortable shoes: You’ll be walking a lot and Rome’s streets are less-than-ideal for heels, so be sure to wear comfortable shoes.
• Sun protection: Rome can get very hot and is often sunny in the summer months, so bring along sunscreen and a hat or sunglasses.
• Water bottle: Staying hydrated is crucial when exploring a new city, and many food tours will offer water, but it’s always best to bring your own refillable bottle (this LifeStraw Bottle is my favorite and always comes with me!)
• Cash for tipping: It’s not required to tip on food tours in Rome, but if your guide provides you with a great time then having some cash on hand to show your appreciation can be a kind gesture.
• An empty stomach: Make sure not to eat too much before the tour since you’ll want to leave room to try all the delicious dishes!

Do Rome Food Tours Include Wine Tastings?

Many food tours in Rome, Italy understand the importance of how a fine wine complements the culinary experience of Italian cuisine, and thus quite a few include tastings of select local wines.

However, not all tours include a wine tour as well, so if this is something you’re interested in then be sure to check out The Roman Food Tour in Trastevere with Free-Flowing Fine Wine !

How Long Are Food Tours in Rome Italy?

Most food tours in Rome last between 3-4 hours, depending on the tour you choose . Some may be longer or shorter, but this is generally enough time to experience a variety of dishes and explore different neighborhoods in the city.

Be prepared for plenty of walking and stopping at multiple restaurants, markets, and shops along the way! Overall, it’s a fun and delicious way to spend an afternoon or evening.

How Much Do Rome Food Tours Cost?

On average, Roman food tours can range from $50-$140 per person , although this varies depending on the type of tour, the number of tastings included, and any additional experiences or extras offered.

While it may seem expensive at first glance, keep in mind that a food tour typically includes multiple meals spread out over a few hours, so it’s actually a great value since you’ll get to taste between 5 to 10 different dishes that would otherwise cost between 15-30 euros each!

Jump to the bottom of the post? No problem!

Other Helpful Italy Resources

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A food tour in Rome is an excellent way to experience the city’s rich culinary culture, sample delicious traditional dishes, and learn about the history of each dish and neighborhood.

With a variety of options available, from street food tours to wine tastings, these are the top-rated food tours in Rome Italy for every type of traveler!

Hey there! I'm Emily Concannon, a seasoned globetrotter who has backpacked her way across over a dozen European countries, immersing myself in the diverse cultures, languages, and cuisines of the region.

My passion for travel transcends personal experiences; I've spent years learning how to transform my globetrotting knowledge into personalized itineraries for fellow travelers worldwide.

With a tally of 26 countries (and counting!) under my belt, my day job involves extensive research on different countries which often leads me to booking a new adventure every chance I get!

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Italy's Treasures

About this tour.

Vineyards, olive groves, and cities that float. Incredible history, indelible culture, and unforgettable cuisine. This is l’Italia at its most iconic. Enjoy the natural beauty and calm of the Alpine Lakes region. Snake along the edge of the sea to the medieval villages of Cinque Terre. Aboard off-road vehicles, explore the marble quarries of Carrara, where Michelangelo obtained the marble for his statue of David. Relax during a leisurely 4-night stay at a Tuscan villa. At a family-owned villa, learn the fine art of creating Tuscan cuisine during a hands-on cooking class. Explore Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance. Discover Venice, a city of winding canals and bridges. From medieval masterpieces to bustling piazzas, be swept away by the legendary treasures of northern Italy.

Your Tour Includes

• 4 Handpicked Accommodations

Included Highlights

• Italian Lakes Region
• Wine Tasting
• Impact Moment

Your Tour at a Glance

10 Breakfasts

Travel Style

Explorations

Food & Wine

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Optional Excursions

Starting at $75.00

Activity Level

• Level This Tour

For specific details about this tour's activity level and other info to know before you book your trip, click here.

Extension Style

Best time for travel italy's treasures art, food & wine of italy.

While just about any month is great to visit Italy, there are a few prime times of the year for the Italy’s Treasures tour. Here are some recommendations from our destination experts.

Throughout Italy, the most popular times to visit are April, May, June, September, and October. Along the coast, July and August are busy with locals and Europeans on summer holiday, while cities are usually less crowded.

Spring: In March, enjoy the calm before the summer season, especially Cinque Terre, which becomes quite crowded from April through October. While some seasonal attractions might not be open in early spring, countless opportunities to soak in the area’s beauty remain.

Fall: November is a fantastic time to visit Italy. The popular Cinque Terre becomes less crowded and even more enjoyable to explore.

Travel Styles

Highlights and inclusions.

Must-See Inclusions:

Spend two nights in romantic Venice.

Immerse yourself in Florence’s countless treasures on a guided tour of the city.

Uncover the prismatic landscape of the Tuscan countryside.

Cultural Experiences:

Explore Lake Orta, one of Italy’s hidden treasures.

Discover colorful Cinque Terre, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Explore the marble quarries of Carrara aboard off-road vehicles.

Culinary Inclusions:

Journey by boat to Isola dei Pescatori for a lovely welcome dinner.

Taste authentic Italian gelato from an award-winning ice cream parlor in San Gimignano.

Learn the art behind Tuscan cuisine during a hands-on cooking lesson.

• Italian Riviera
• Cinque Terre
• Carrara Marble Quarries Off-Road Excursion
• Tuscan Countryside
• Italian Cooking Class
• San Gimignano

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• No booking fee, *no change fees
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Getting Prepared

Know before you go, travel tips, enhance your tour, upgrade your room.

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Pre and Post Night Stay

Unique Experience

Cultural Experiences

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Hotel-Regina Palace Hotel

During your stay at the Regina Palace Hotel in Stresa, you may choose to enjoy views of Lake Maggiore by upgrading your accommodations to a lake view room. Please inquire about this upgrade at time of booking.

*Total for all passengers

Enhance Your Trip

• Tour Extensions

Hotel-Ca dei Conti Hotel

Surround yourself in the beauty and grandeur found on the lakes of Northern Italy. Cruise along scenic Lago Maggiore passing the Borromean Islands sprinkled throughout this stunning lake. These petite but incredible islands are brimming with grand villas and exquisite, world-renowned gardens. Glide past Isola del Pescatore viewing the gulf of Baveno before making a stop at Isola Bella. Then we make our way along the cobblestone streets of the quaint town to the impressive, Baroque Borromean Palace and gardens. This famed palace is steeped in immeasurable wealth and regal pageantry. On your guided tour, surroundings will bring you back to the 17th century. Get a glimpse inside life as a royal as you stroll through the opulent halls superbly decorated with rare artwork and tapestries. Then, you’ll head outside to the perfectly manicured, tiered gardens that abut the lakeshore. Behold stunning views and the splendor of the gardens as we make our way through with an expert. Return to the boat for a cruise back to Stresa.

Experience the romance that can only be found in Venice – La Serenìssima – while traveling on its famous waterways. Partake in one of Venice’s most famous pastimes – a gondola cruise. Take a pleasant stroll toward the Grand Canal to board your gondola. As you relax in your elegant watercraft, your gondolier navigates the Grand Canal as well as smaller side canals. Admire the scenery as you listen to the melodic voice serenading you in true Italian style – just like in those romantic Italian movies!

Accommodations

Arrive earlier.

Pre Night: Regina Palace Hotel From $150 per night

Regina Palace Hotel

Grand hotel dei castelli, hotel villa lecchi, ca' dei conti hotel.

Nights 9-10

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Post Night: Ca' dei Conti Hotel From $170 per night

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Twilight Trastevere Rome Food Tour

Discover trastevere, rome’s most vibrant and creative neighbourhood..

Daily Morning / Afternoon / Evening

Trastevere is Rome’s answer to Paris’s Left Bank – a buzzing neighborhood filled with exciting nightlife, local favourite restaurants and tasting rooms, and the city’s most authentic street food. Skip the waits and immerse yourself in this enchanting twilight tour of Rome’s trendiest nightspo t .

This food tour was the highlight of our week long trip in Italy! It was really special to be able to walk around Trastevere while learning about its history and trying the local food at the same time. This is a must do if you are in Rome!

Note : itinerary & tastings subject to change due to seasonality, day of the week, departure time and local holidays. More information upon selection. Regardless , your experience will be unforgettable!

Taste history with Julius Caesar’s favorite dish and visit a wine cellar older than the Colosseum.

Explore picturesque streets and indulge in traditional Roman foods, one bite at a time.

Gain exclusive access to two of Rome’s favorites, ‘Da Enzo al 29’ and ‘Spirito Divino’.

Dine at award-winning venues venues like ‘I Supplì’, and sit down for a pasta meal paired with wine at Rione 13.

Eat a gourmet gelato in Trastevere, and learn how to distinguish it from the ‘fake’ alternatives.

Vegetarian-Friendly Tours but vegan, gluten-free, or kosher options may be limited. Please share dietary restrictions upon booking for best accommodation. Note that tastings outside those catered for your needs are at your own risk. The company assumes no responsibility for any food allergies or intolerances.

1. Expert Local Guides : Fun, knowledgeable, and English-fluent Rome locals. 2. Rome’s Hidden Gems : Enjoy exclusive access to local favorites where you’re treated like family. 3. Culinary Diversity : Taste a variety of delicious dishes, and hear the stories behind the food. 4. Cultural Immersion : See Rome through the eyes of a local. 5. Established Expertise : Since 2011, simply the best food tours in Rome!

Adult (From 18) From €114

Adolescent (13-17 years) from €101, child (4-12 years) from €81.

Private tours

If you are coming to Rome with your entourage and you’d like to take a private tour just for you and your group – we can make that happen! 

Our guide was amazing, Best thing we did in Rome, and yes, we visited the Colosseum and Vatican. We did it on our first night and the information we learned helped us order food for the rest of our trip. - Kevin Ruth

Toni was the perfect host! We learnt so much about the area, ate delicious food and had the most wonderful time walking the beautiful streets of Trastevere. Highly recommend this tour especially if you’re staying in the neighbourhood. Make sure you ask for Toni. - Les Widmark

Toni was fantastic. She gave us so much information, made the walk around Trastevere fun. The food was really great but also the history behind the food and the buildings and area was really interesting and fun. We ( all four of us girls) enjoyed every minute. - Cyndi Connolly

We had a wonderful experience with Dario. The locations were all very special and the food and wine was great. I would recommend the tour without hesitation. Thank you for the experience! - Linda Ducousso

The venues were excellent, the food fantastic, but of course nothing would be the same without the outstanding tour guide Luca. His tone, information, history referrals and stories behind made this tour complete. I have been in Rome many times but first time at night in Trastevere. I Will Recommend my friends and clients to enjoy. - Cessy Meacham

Valentina was absolutely AMAZING! The food was incredible, as was the history lesson throughout Trastevere. Our family of five, including a very picky teenage eater, enjoyed every stop along the tour. Our favorite stops were different from one another, showing the wide array of food. We even discovered a new favorite wine! We would highly recommend this tour and especially Valentina! - Matthew Ferlito

Excellent tour, well worth the money! This made my trip to Rome go from amazing to a special experience of a lifetime. Cobbled Italian residential authentic streets of Rome with authentic as well as modern food! The experience made it! - Karina Devlin

Our whole family loved the food, drink, and friendly neighbourhood feel that Rish created in this tour. From the very start everyone felt comfortable and Rish’s insights and humour kept us engaged and eager to try the next delicious item. - Matt B. (TripAdvisor review)

We had an amazing time eating like locals on our food tour in Rome. Our guide, Eric, was incredibly knowledgeable about the city as a whole, the food we were eating, and the wine/beer pairings. This was one of our favorite activities in Rome! - Amy M.

Luca was absolutely AMAZING! We had a whirlwind vacation with travel through London, Paris, Rome and a cruise through the islands of Greece. We saw a ton on our vacation, but everyone in our group of 4 actually rated the Trestavere Twilight food tour as #1 of all the things we did and saw over our entire trip! - Julie

Meet Your Local Rome Tour Guides

Our team of Rome Food Tour Guides includes local experts that speak several different languages.

EATING EUROPE INC. CANCELLATION POLICY

Small Group Tours

A tour can be cancelled with a full refund up to 24 hours before tour departure.

Private Tours

A private tour can be cancelled and fully refunded up to 7 days before tour departure

Gift Cards, Travel Vouchers & Flexi-Pass™

Gift cards, travel vouchers and Flexi-Pass™ are non-refundable.

LATE ARRIVALS AND NO SHOWS

Due to extremely strict time slots for entry into attractions and for food preparation, both in-person & virtual/online, we recommend you show up 15 minutes before the scheduled starting time of the tour or experience. Our group tours begin & depart precisely at the scheduled tour or experience start time. If you show up late or cannot find the meeting point, for any reason, refund requests are not honored per policy. If you are having a hard time arriving on time we encourage you to contact us as soon as possible so we can do everything in our power to assist you with arriving at the meeting point at the scheduled time or reschedule to the next available tour.

CANCELLATION DUE TO PLANES, TRAINS, AUTOMOBILES OR ILLNESS

Inside of 24 hours, your spot on the tour has been reserved exclusively for you. Since we are unable to fill your spot if you’re unable to attend for any reason (including transportation or illness), we do not offer refunds after that time. Please plan ahead so that you are able to join us and don’t miss out!

DISCOUNT CODES

Discount codes are valid for new bookings only. They are not eligible for pre-existing bookings and can not be applied retrospectively.

AMENDMENT POLICY

We would be happy to assist you with rescheduling your tour, free of charge, with any requests made more than 24 hours of 8am CET on the date of the tour. We reserve the right to charge an amendment fee should you request to reschedule within 24 hours of 8am CET on the date of your tour . Once again, this is subject to availability and price changes. In general, we only charge you for any additional costs that we incur such as tickets. We have no intention of profiting from disruptions to your vacation and will work with providers and suppliers to get this cost reduced to a minimum.

CHANGES TO THIS POLICY

From time to time, the terms of this policy may change at the Company’s discretion.

If you have any questions regarding this privacy policy, you can contact us using the information below:

E-mail: [email protected]

Adult From €114

An immersive culinary food tour in Italy's south

SMALL INTIMATE GROUPS

SIGHTSEEING & COOKING

RUN BY AN ITALIAN LOCAL

BEHIND THE SCENES ACCESS

OPERATED BY AN ITALIAN LOCAL

A RESTAURATEUR TOUR GUIDE

Welcome to our food tours in Italy

Come and join one of the best food tours of Italy that is run and guided by a foodie. When we say ‘get immersed in Italian food and wine’ we mean flour on your hands, cheeks that are sore from laughing & a belt that needs to be loosened a notch or two after an indulgent day of eating Italian cuisine.

This is an intimate small group food and wine tour with up to twenty people. This means we can spend more time eating, relaxing and living like a local as we explore the best places to visit in Southern Italy around the island of Sicily. It is a culinary tour with a focus on local cuisines.

A million reasons to travel on our tours of Italy

Your experience starts from the very first website enquiry about a tour. Your tour guide Carmel provides a personal experience & makes it her mission to know each person by their first name & for you to feel like part of a family.

Come and learn why Italians are world famous as the masters of creating simple dishes that make every taste bud sing with flavour. Carmel helps you discover the secrets behind Sicily’s local cuisine that is hand crafted with abundance, using seasonally fresh produce, that is full of heart & satisfyingly authentic. It is no wonder this region has so many award winning dishes.

With inspiration from her Nonna’s kitchen, Carmel will surprise and delight you with opportunities to learn about her family’s authentic recipes that have been passed down by many generations.

It is a delicious mixture of stunning scenery, food, wine tasting and sun soaked locations that will leave you wanting more.

A food tour in Italy with sightseeing

The locations that we visit on our food tours include the flamboyant and feisty capital city of Palermo that is renowned for its architecture, pastry shops and street food.

We also venture to the medieval town of Erice with its historic castle, the gorgeous coastal town of Terrasini on the Tyrrhenian Sea, the historical 14th century town of Castelbuono (famous for its native Basilichi mushrooms and home to the world famous Fiasconaro Panettone) across to the region of Siracusa to explore the island of Ortigia and the 18th century towns of Baroque, Modica & Ragusa Ibla. 

It is a delicious mixture of stunning scenery, food, wine and sun soaked locations that will leave you wanting more.

A small group or private tour in italy

Pizza, pasta and seafood are just a sample of the diverse array of unforgettable food you’ll find on our tours that travel to some of the best places in Southern Italy.

As you will see from our reviews & Carmel’s social media profiles, her enthusiasm, passion and deep understanding of Italian culture is every bit as engaging as it is mouth watering. She is generous with her ideas and suggestions that are fuelled by a love of great food which makes life just that little bit more delicious. Her smile-inducing celebration of food connects people from all walks of life from around the world on a tour that feels like you are out with close friends. 

Our tours are not cooking classes, but you will get a chance to get your hands messy, create a dish and enjoy the fruits of your labour amongst friends & stunning backdrops. The recipes we create are uplifting, full of flavour using local seasonal ingredients and presented in a way that lets you play with them to suit your tastes. We love nothing more than seeing people get inspired to experiment with food and flavours.

7 DAY FOOD TOUR

1 day cooking tour, private tours, see why sicily is a great holiday destination..

Most people will go on vacation to Italy and travel to the top tourist destinations like Rome, Venice or Florence. Although for travellers who want a more authentic experience, Sicily is a relatively unknown holiday designation in Southern Italy.

Espcape all the typical tourist traps in Northern Italy and come experience life like the locals and have a relaxing holiday in the sun with pleny of food.

We Are the First and Original Food Tours of Rome , Proud of our 5 Star Rating .

We were the first to start food and wine tours in Rome. Hundreds of online reviews are a valuable proof of our great reputation and hi-quality services. Our tours are not only tasty but also informative and fun.

FOOD TOURS OF ROME - First and Original Since 2008!

We offer hi-quality food tours and culinary experiences in Rome, Naples, Venice, Florence and many other cities in Italy including the lovely countryside. Thousands of guests have loved our food tours since 2008 . We kept the most popular itineraries and introduced new ones recently. Check them out!.

OUR FOOD TOURS IN & AROUND ROME

JEWISH GHETTO & CAMPO DE' FIORI BY NIGHT FOOD TOUR

Marcellus theatre, navona, largo argentina.

TREVI & PANTHEON FOOD TOUR

Trevi fountain, montecitorio, spanish steps.

MONTI & ESQUILINO FOOD TOUR

Michelangelo's moses, basilica di santa maria maggiore, santa prassede.

SAN GIOVANNI & APPIO FOOD TOUR

San giovanni cathedral, ancient acqueducts and gates.

DESSERT TOUR IN ROME

Piazza di spagna, piazza montecitorio, pompey theatre.

GLUTEN-FREE FOOD TOUR OF ROME

Pantheon, largo argentina, campo de' fiori.

WINE TOUR IN ROME

Wine tasting led by a local sommelier.

NAPLES BY NIGHT FOOD TOUR

Piazza plebiscito, via toledo, piazza del gesu'.

FLORENCE FOOD AND CULTURAL TOUR

Duomo, santa croce, sant'ambrogio.

VENICE FOOD & WINE TOUR

Rialto bridge, marco polo house, campo san polo, other tours in italy.

Each region of Italy has a unique climate, grows different products and offers a special variety of works of art. We offer hi-quality food and culture tours in Rome, Naples and the beautiful Italian countryside.

WHY CHOOSE US?

There are many reasons why hundreds of people have selected our tours and why you should do the same.

There are many things you can do in Rome but not all of them give you what they advertize. Our tours aim to make every dollar you spend worth.

Bruno is the founder of food tours of Rome and is a licensed tour guide. Him and his team will make each tour special and your experience memorable.

Some reviews might be fake but more than 500 hundreds of them are definetely real and prove the quality of our work.

We are licensed and official tour operator based in Rome. Most of other companies selling on Internet are not. Insurance, quality, customer care is a plus for us!

Our tours and activities are run and designed by locals born and raised in Italy. We want to make you taste the best of our land and have a great memory of us. Our tours are suitable for everyone, also people with special dietary requirements.

Our previous guests have been telling friends, family and colleagues about how good we are and suggested them to try us. Another proof of our success. Thank you!

UNIQUE TOUR PACKAGES

Rome & Italy offer a large variety of food, spirits and art. We designed the following tour packages to reward our most passionate guests.

OUR CLIENTS

Our tours are suitable to individual people, families, groups of friends but also companies staff. Many enterprises have already organized team building or celebrated special events with us.

Food tours in italy and naples

LARGE GROUP DISCOUNTS, EMAIL US!

Pizza Class In Anacapri with Francesco Civita

Anacapri - Capri

Learn how to make pizza in a beautiful garden while drinking wine and tasting incredible products.

Cooking Class in Anacapri with Francesco Civita

Authentic Neapolitan/Caprese cooking class

Pizza Lunch Or Dinner In Anacapri

Have a quiet pizza lunch or dinner in a private villa

Chiaia Food Tour & La Napoli Sotterranea

A tasty 5 hour tour around the Chiaia neighborhood and underground Naples

Featured Italy Food Tours

Location: Anacapri - Capri - Cost per person: € 150,00

Location: Anacapri - Capri - Cost per person: € 130,00

Location: Anacapri - Capri - Cost per person: € 70,00

Location: Napoli - Cost per person: € 120,00

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Travel to italy like an insider with the best local experts.

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A trip to Italy is too special to get wrong. Here's how to do it right. (San Gimignano, Tuscany)

I absolutely love Italy, for many different reasons. But I hate the way in which many Americans go about planning trips there. Survey after survey shows it is the number one dream destination for U.S. leisure travelers, but the way those travelers get their information and advice gives me nightmares.

Throughout the years I’ve heard people say over and over that “I was told to do this in Italy,” or “I was told not to do this in Italy.” By who? “A friend.” I have close friends who recently planned their entire 12-day trip on the basis of another couple they knew who gave them advice—after their first visit. I’ve heard of many people who skipped Rome because “we heard it was too busy, just another big city.” Or passed on Venice, one of the world’s most magical destinations, because, “I heard it was touristy.”

There are American tourists who say you should skip Venice. They are wrong.

It goes on and on, but suffice to say, I have been to Italy in the neighborhood of two dozen times, summer and winter, for food, wine, skiing, golf, hiking, cycling and more food, from north to south and east to west and islands too, and I know a lot about Italian cuisine, but I still ask real experts for advice every time I go. I specifically ask for advice on where to eat, what to see, and who to choose as guides. And by experts, I mean people how live in Italy, specialize in particular areas of travel, and know their subject matter.

“We get multiple guests a year who want to wing it,” says Cherrye Moore, owner of My Bella Vita travel. Moore moved to Calabria two decades ago after falling in love with the region on a visit, and opened a bed and breakfast, learning about what her visitors were looking for. Her company now specializes in planning trips—especially foodie and ancestry trips—to the area in Southern Italy where many Italian Americans trace their heritage. “They say, ‘My neighbor just showed up in their family’s hometown and it went great for them,’ or, ‘Our friends went to Italy last year and said we don't need a driver.’ It’s true that you can rent a car and drive to your family’s hometown, but that experience is vastly different from having a dedicated driver and a heritage specialist who has done research on your family’s history, who has already identified the home your grandfather was born in, and who has arranged meetings with locals upon your arrival.”

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Anyone can tour the Vatican, but only the right guides can get you a private visit.

I just got back from an exploration of Turin followed by a weeklong hiking trip in surrounding Piemonte, Italy’s most prestigious wine region, which included multiple winery visits. For restaurants and guides and sightseeing in Turin I used an Italian-based travel specialist that is the choice of many of the best luxury travel agents/advisors in this country (the best travel agents are savvy enough to know what they do not know and regularly rely on local experts). For the hiking trip, I used an Italy-based active travel specialist that does nothing else, and does it with a food-centric spin. It was another fantastic Italy trip, one amazing day after another, featuring many meals, wineries and experiences I never would have found by myself, especially by asking random friends or watching You Tube influencer videos by people with far less Italy experience than myself.

“We don’t focus on stars or diamonds, we focus on really special one-of-a-kind experiences and lodging that lets you discover our Italy,” said Heather Dowd, who lives in Turin and along with her Italian husband Beppe Salerno. They run Tourissimo , the active travel company we used. We had several friends hiking with us who were on either their very first or second trip to Italy, and when we reviewed our experiences at the end for the trip, one place we stayed, an 18 th century castle turned boutique hotel, was the overwhelming favorite. It did not have whirlpool tubs or Frette linens, it did not have a concierge or room service, but it had excellent food and beautiful gardens in which we had an epic dinner. It had cooking classes, a great location, a fun aperitivo evening cocktail session, and most of all, incredible charm..

Everyone wants the perfect meal in Italy, but not everyone knows where the locals go to find it.

It was exactly what my first timers dreamed Italy would be like, and it was a place we never would have found online. It was perfect, and even in Italy not every place is, but the reality is that Heather and Beppe and their guides spend a lot of time behind the scenes visiting small hotels and vetting them, way more time than the people who rate their stays on booking websites. One of my friends was so impressed he is already planning an extended family hiking trip to Sicily with Tourissimo next year.

If you want to have an insider experience in Italy, and see the places locals go, you need a local insider to help you out.

“Our goal is for guests to experience Calabria like we do, so we’ve built experiences that aren’t available online,” said My Bella Vita’s Moore. “Nowhere else can you find a multi-course lunch hosted at Zia Pina’s or a picnic prepared and delivered by Signora Francesca. Lunch in the home of our friend, Chef Massimo, isn’t available on Google. When creating or reviewing experiences I always think of my sister in Texas. If she were visiting, would I take her here? If that answer is yes, I know we have a winner.” That is exactly the standard by which I’d like my Italy travels to be judged.

A trip to Italy is a beautiful, special, and almost sacred experience, so don’t screw it up by taking bad advice. I do not know every local specialist—and I hope to keep finding more—but I know several experts I would recommend for different kinds of travel. Or use a good travel advisor, something I recommend for all travel (Read my article Why You Need A Travel Agent More Than Ever here at Forbes ), and communicate with them to ensure they are on the same page in terms of sourcing these kinds of local experts. If they are good, they will already be familiar with several of these companies.

Active Travel

All of Tourissimo's cycling and hiking trips in Italy emphasize food and wine, which is how it ... [+] should be.

Italy has long been the dream destination of cyclists, with Tuscany atop the Bucket List for global road riding destinations. But for the past few years the fastest growing sector of cycling has been “gravel grinding,” and with hundreds of miles of its stunning unpaved “white roads,” Tuscany has also emerged as the world’s top travel spot for gravel lovers. There are also plenty of other amazing places to ride in Italy, including Piemonte, Sardinia, Puglia, the Lakes region, and many other areas. World class hiking abounds, especially the stunning Dolomites—a UNESCO World Heritage Site of beauty unmatched by most other mountain regions on earth. Beyond this there are the Alps in the east, the Cinque Terre, Sardinia, and many other great options.

Italy is so well known for cycling and hiking that every major active travel company in the world runs trips there. But for my last two active trips, one hiking and one biking, I chose a tour operator that is actually based there, founded by an Italian with a passion for cycling and food. Tourissimo may be Italian, but they cater to the American market, and founder Beppe Salerno worked for am American cycling company as a guide before realizing he could do the real Italy better himself—to me, the perfect startup rationale. Over the years since, Tourissimo has grown its library of offerings, with both with an array of scheduled group trips and private custom options. While they do mostly road riding, they are notably one of the only tour operators scheduling gravel trips, and can also arrange custom mountain biking itineraries, with years of expertise in cycling and hiking.

Superstar Chef Mary Sue Milliken has led about galf a dozen Chef's Cycling Tours in Italy for ... [+] Tourissimo.

In addition, Tourissimo has also been a pioneer in “Active Culinary Travel,” a hot new category I have written about here at Forbes (and for other magazines and newspapers). They offer an annual series of six group rides (and a hike) each hosted by an acclaimed chef like Mary Sue Milliken, an award-winning chef, restaurateur, cookbook author (five!) and co-host of the popular PBS cooking show Two Hot Tamales . She is also an avid cyclist and has led the Tourissimo Chef Bike Tours for several years, along with other big names. These trips are a unique option for serious foodies who also ride, while the other trips cater to just about anyone. Otherwise they offer several styles of trips, from Bici Basics for new riders to Ambitious Tours for the more hard core.

Tourissimo puts a focus on local, choosing small and often historic hotels that they have curated and vetted (like the castle I just stayed at in Piemonte), places that you would never be able to distinguish from hundreds of other non-chain options online. Same for restaurants, wineries, and all the other ways they take you behind the scenes and into their real Italy. Their Mission Statement? “We don't want to be the biggest adventure travel company. We want to design and run the best tours in Italy. We strive to be the most authentic and the most beneficial to local communities.” Fantastico!

Bellagio on Lake Como is one of the most famous destinations in Italy — and the perfect place for a ... [+] food-centric bike tour!

Bike It! Bellagio offers another insider biking experience on a much different scale, providing a great one-day experience for visitors to Italy’s most famous lake town. This bike shop on Lake Como is run by a former pro racer and his wife. They rent bikes (road, mountain and e-bikes) out, but also offer one-day guided tours with multiple food and drink stops. Given that the owner grew up here and knows everyone, it’s not surprising that the food and drink spots are insider picks. The shop sits near the iconic Madonna del Ghisallo climb, the most famous in the Giro di Lombardia, a race more than a century old, and several days a week the shop offers guided group rides with a climb of the pass, on road or e-bikes—Bianchi bikes of course!

There are scheduled tours Monday through Saturday, as well as wide range of customizable private tours. These are often taken by families with mixed ages, but for more aggressive riders they offer longer road tours, mountain biking and gravel riding, along with a wide range of less demanding e-bike tours, including some even more focused on food and wine. They also offer a handful of multi-day tours and can put these together as custom on demand, usually for groups, including an iconic coast to coast traverse of Italy. If you are a guest of one of the many stunning (and pricey) ultra-luxury hotels around Bellagio, and ask the concierge to arrange a bike tour, they are likely going to call this shop anyway (and mark it up) so just do it yourself.

Luxury Travel in Italy

From planning your entire itinerary with flights, hotels, and transfers to just booking the best tours, guides and VIP access (often to non-public highlights), it pays to use a top local specialist.

Last year I attended the annual Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas, which has been called “the Oscars of the travel industry.” Virtuoso is the leading global luxury travel consortium, and many of the best travel advisors on earth belong, So does just about every top hotel, resort, safari lodge, cruise line, and luxury tour operator. Virtuoso CEO Matthew Upchurch was explaining the many advantages of using a travel advisor (I wholeheartedly agree) and something he said really stuck with me. He explained that with all of the new online tour booking companies, it was easier than ever to book a tour or guide in just about any destination on earth, but harder than ever to judge the quality. The caveat was that, “you can book a guide, but you can’t book my guide.”

One of Italy's greatest hidden gems, Turin was the nation's first capital and a Winter Olympic host. ... [+] It's worth getting a good guide if you visit.

The Vatican is the Vatican and the Colosseum is the Colosseum, so when you opt for a guided tour, what really matters and makes it a good, bad or great experience is the guide—and their special access, like a tour of the Vatican when no one else is there.

For my recent trip to Turin, I called Imago Artis Travel , an Italy-based luxury travel specialist. They are what is known in the travel industry as a destination management company or DMC, the same companies luxury travel agents call to arrange local details for their clients. There are great DMCs all over the world, and local knowledge is valuable everywhere, but many of them do not deal directly with travelers, while in Italy the best ones do.

I wanted a private day tour of Turin and its surrounding attractions for my wife and I, most importantly the Reggia di Venaria Reale, aka the “Italian Versailles” (one of two places in Italy with this lofty but accurate nickname). The guide they got for me was a licensed guide, and lifelong resident of Turin, and spoke excellent English, which was all good, but she was also an architect, which was great in a city where so much is driven by architecture. That’s not so easy to find on global tour aggregator website. Imago Artis also gave me a list of their favorite restaurant recommendations, which were spot on, then made my reservations for me. At a minimum this eliminates the language barrier of calling or the technology barrier of booking through often tricky (or non-functional) Italian restaurant reservation websites, but in many cases it also gets you a better table and instant VIP treatment—which definitely does not happen when I book myself.

Italy is rich in world-class crafts, and companies like Imago Artis can take you behind the scenes ... [+] to meet the makers.

Imago Artis Travel is a Virtuoso member, which means when you book through them, if you book your luxury hotel, you get extras like room upgrades, late checkout, spa credits etc., one of the big advantages of working with Virtuoso travel advisors. If you have a bigger budget than I do, they can handle all sorts of luxury transport, private jets, helicopters, boat charters, and also offer VIP Meet and Greet services at just about every airport in Italy. They can even arrange private security details. On a more accessible luxury level, they specialize in exclusive experiences, unlocking historic buildings and art collections not open to the public, and taking you behind the scenes with many artisans of Italy, from custom shoemakers to sculptors to jewelry designers. They know food, they know the guides, and I especially like their mission statement, “Our mission is simple: Getting You to the Heart of Italy.” That’s what it is all about.

Another top luxury DMC that is also a member of Virtuoso that I have used in the past with great success is IC Bellagio . They offer a similar array of luxury services and are very well connected, but they also specialize in Villa rentals as well as 5-Star hotels. Differentiating villas in Italy may be the single biggest challenge, more so than restaurants, with so many options and so few valid reviews. IC Bellagio has also boldly acknowledged the overtourism problems some of the most popular parts of Italy face, and are pushing “Slow Season Travel,” which varies in each of the country’s 20 regions but is something they are expert in. Last winter I went to Venice in the off-season, and it was spectacular, and I just traveled in a slow season to Piemonte. It was much, much better than fighting the crowds.

Skiing in Italy is awesome, and it's the best place in the world to stay in mountain rifugios — but ... [+] you need help for the perfect trip.

Skiing in Italy remains a bit under the radar for Europe, especially compared to France and Switzerland. Well, let the crowds go to other countries, because Italy has two different major ski regions, both of which have hosted the Winter Olympics, and the Games are returning to Milan and Cortina in 2026. The interconnected Dolomiti SuperSki lift and trail network in the Dolomites is arguably the largest “ski resort” in the world, and inarguably one of the most beautiful mountain landscapes on the planet. The towns are charming, the food is great, there are spectacular hotels from non-chain independent hidden gems to world-class luxury (Aman, Mandarin Oriental, Relais & Chateaux, etc.) and it’s cheaper than much of the rest of Europe. Did I mention the food?

I first went to the Dolomites to go hiking, and was so wowed I thought, “I have to come back and ski here.” I came back the next winter and skied, and the following year I got a group of friends together and went back. I have skied all over the U.S., and all over the world and never had the same compulsion to return to the same place immediately. That’s how good skiing in Italy is ( read much more in my Italy skiing piece here at Forbes ).

I’ve only used one company for ski travel in Italy and see no reason to switch gears, especially since the local logistics (a great guide/instructor, transfers, the best on-mountain meals and staying a couple of nights in the region’s unique on-mountain rifugios) is very hard to organize on your own. The company is Dolomite Mountains , a specialist in both resort ski vacations and backcountry touring trips (using skins and alpine touring or AT gear). They too are a U.S. facing company with mainly American clientele.

Like many active travel companies, they offer both group trip scheduled departure options and private custom trips to fit whatever you want. The group option is called the Dolomites Ski Safari and is a 7-day trip mixing stays in amazing rifugios with in-town hotels (4 and 5-stars on the Italian system) and includes all breakfasts and dinners, a full-time guide, ski pass, luggage transfers and more. Custom options include the same kind of trip for your own group, or anything you want, and while its name suggests local expertise—quite true—Dolomite Mountains also handles ski trips in the rest of Italy, like Courmayeur, and connected border regions of France, Switzerland and Austria, as many lift systems here know no national boundaries (ski with your passport!). They are also a Virtuoso member.

Calabria & Southern Italy

Many Italian Americans trace their ancestry to Southern Italy's Calabria, and if you want to visit, ... [+] make sure you do it right.

My Bella Vita travel focuses on this area, including both small group trips and custom privates. Their specialties include “Heritage Tours” for those interested in their ancestry, and a food focus for the rest of us. For instance, Taste of the South is a 12-day gastronomic journey through Calabria, Basilicata and Naples—the birthplace of pizza! Food & Wine of Calabria is an 11-daty trip and just what it sounds like.

These are some of the scheduled small group tours offered, but the rest of their business is private trip planning and custom options.

“Italy is deceivingly large, and travelers think two weeks is enough time to see everything. It isn’t,” insists Moore. “You can’t even experience all of Calabria in two weeks. Our team collectively spends about six months a year scouting new hotels, restaurants, and experiences in Calabria and we are constantly re-evaluating and tweaking our recommendations.”

There are some other Italy specialists I have not personally experienced, but that come highly recommended by some of my other experts:

My Bella Vita’s Cherrye Moore says, “ In Sicily, I recommend Lucia Davies of Sicily Tour , one of a trio of British expats who have lived in Siracusa, Sicily for decades.” A family-owned tour-guiding company based in Siracusa, they have nearly 40 years of experience on the island and create trips fostering cultural exchange between Italy and English-speaking visitors, specializing in small group and custom tours.

Food & Wine

Life is too short to go to Italy and not eat well.

Beppe and Heather Dowd of Tourissimo recommend Lazy Italian Culinary Adventures , a company that has also earned kudos from other travel industry folks I know. Owner Francesca Montillo grew up in Southern Italy where her father was greengrocer. An Italian-American cookbook author, she launched the company a decade ago, and she personally leads the tours. She does numerous scheduled tours to different regions each year, and also offers custom private itineraries.

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30 Delicious Destinations Every Food Lover Should Visit At Least Once

Posted: June 30, 2023 | Last updated: February 26, 2024

Fork in the road

Take part in a New York food tour

In a city as large as New York, it would be impossible to discover all the best restaurants, cafés, and hole-in-the-wall eateries by yourself, which is why we like to leave it to the experts. There are as many food tours in New York as there are bagel vendors, so it all depends on what interests you the most – whether it’s exploring the city’s wine and nightlife, sampling Greenwich Village’s Italian cuisine, taking to the streets of Chinatown, or visiting a selection of the finest food carts around.

Go on a wine cruise in Bordeaux

With historic towns and cities, beautiful countryside, and some of the world’s most wonderful wine, Bordeaux is a traveler’s dream for so many reasons. But, if you ask us, the best way to soak it all up is by taking to the waters of the Garonne and Gironde rivers on a wine cruise, stopping off at vineyards, wineries, and cellars to sample a taste of the local vin du pays. While you’re in the area, don’t miss steak frites (steak and duck fat fries); they’re the perfect complement to a bottle of Bordeaux red.

Taste Canadian cuisine in Québec City

If you want to try treats that were born and bred in Canada, then you simply must make a stop in Québec City. Here, you can indulge your sweet tooth with gooey butter tarts, Tim Horton’s famous Timbits donut holes, and maple syrup-infused favorites like lollipops. More of a savoury person? Combine all your favorite food groups in one meal with a serving of poutine (fries covered in gravy and cheese curds), or try a hearty portion of Québécois meat pie – then wash it all down with a Caesar cocktail (a Bloody Mary-like cocktail made with Clamato).

Do a pintxos crawl through San Sebastián

San Sebastián is considered by many to be Spain’s foodie capital, which is high praise indeed considering the staggering range of gastronomic delights the country has to offer. It’s all down to pintxos: tapas-like finger foods served at bars throughout the Basque Country. There are hundreds of places that offer up these tiny snacks, but we recommend heading to the Old Town and Gros districts for the best of the bunch. Expect everything from boquerones (fresh anchovies served in vinegar and olive oil) to grilled octopus and txangurro, the famous Basque crab.

Try the world’s best sushi in Tokyo

From its high-end restaurant show-stoppers to its on-the-go convenience store offerings (and all sorts of other fantastic creations in between), there’s nowhere better in the world to sample sushi than Tokyo. Don’t miss the Japanese capital’s signature sushi style: Edomae sushi, a delicacy that combines expertly compacted, wasabi-smeared rice balls with meticulously cut fish that holds onto its seasonings, resulting in maximum umami. You can find it among the other super-fresh fish and seafood at the famous Tsukiji Fish Market , as well as in the hip eateries and conveyor belt cafés of the nearby Ginza district.

Tuck into platefuls of Texas barbecue

They say everything is bigger in Texas – and when you’ve seen a plate piled high with authentic Texas-style barbecue, you’ll understand why. Here, mighty slabs of brisket are slowly cooked to perfection in custom-built pits; the sausage (usually kielbasa) comes regular or spicy, but is always satisfyingly smoky; and the ribs are a triumph of melt-in-the-mouth goodness. As if that meaty trifecta weren’t enough, if you’re lucky, your meal will come complete with a side of hushpuppies: golden, doughy, ball-shaped nuggets that are perfect for dipping.

Graze on street food in Mexico City

Tacos, quesadillas, tamales, tortas… whatever tasty morsels catch your eye in Mexico City, they’re likely to be surprisingly cheap, flavorful, and abundant. We’re not exaggerating when we say that there are thousands of food stalls to choose from among the markets of this must-visit foodie Mecca. Head over to Coyoacán Market for the best tostadas (tasty tortillas piled high with toppings), try tacos al pastor at historic restaurant El Huequito , and indulge in a crispy, rolled-up flauta or two at the excellent street food market outside the Chilpancingo Metro stop. Delicioso!

Experience South Korean cuisine in Seoul

Like South Korean TV shows, films and K-pop music, South Korean cuisine seems to be sweeping the globe right now – but if you want to try the best of the best, you should set your sights on Seoul. From fried egg-topped bibimbap (a rice dish) to grilled, marinated beef bulgogi (fire meat) and spicy-and-sour kimchi, the food here is fresh, tongue-tingling and riotously colourful. And then there’s the KFC (no, not that KFC). In Seoul, Korean-fried chicken is the crispy, crunchy fast food on everyone’s lips.

Stroll through the souks of Marrakech

Stalls, souks, spices… Marrakech is a sensory overload, in the best possible way. Inquisitive taste buds will love local delicacies like peppery snail soup, slow-steamed sheep’s head, and tehal (stuffed camel’s spleen), while mint tea, tagine, chebakia cookies, and sweet and savory chicken b’stilla pie are local treats pretty much everyone can enjoy. Then, of course, there’s the orange juice. Once you’ve tried it freshly squeezed, why not try it in delectable cake form at Nomad  – a restaurant in the medina that overlooks the famous Rahba Lakdima ('spice square')?

Experience pizza in Naples

Sure, you might be able to find good pizza pretty much everywhere in Italy these days, but Naples is an absolute must-visit if you want to try the real deal. The birthplace of the classic tomato, mozzarella and basil margherita that we know and love today, Campania’s capital is positively brimming with pizzerias: Pizzeria Oliva da Carla e Salvatore, Sorbillo and L’Antica Pizzeria Da Michele (which you may recognise from Eat, Pray, Love ) being a few our favorites.

Visit Copenhagen, Scandinavia’s foodie capital

Rød pølse (red sausages served hot dog-style), Smørrebrød (open sandwiches with every topping imaginable), and Flæskesteg (roast pork baked with spices and cloves) – the pronunciation of Copenhagen’s big-hitting dishes may be a little tricky to get your tongue around, but the flavors sure aren’t. In fact, to add to its flourishing street food scene, the city has no fewer than 13 Michelin-starred restaurants – making it Scandinavia’s undisputed gastronomic capital. Whether you choose to go high-end or quick and easy is your call.

Do a food stall crawl in Bangkok

You simply can’t go to Bangkok without sampling its street food. First of all, it's everywhere – and it’s a great way to get under the skin of the local culture. For the finest street eats of all, make your way to Chinatown, where you’ll find all manner of dumplings, pancakes, soups, and curries prepared hot and fresh from stalls billowing with aromatic steam. And who could forget pad Thai? Grab it and go, or opt for a sit-down serving at Pad Thai Thip Samai restaurant – it’s the locals’ favourite for a reason.

Satisfy every food craving in London

Welcome to the city that has absolutely everything – food-wise, at least. In London, classic British dishes like pie and mash, Scotch eggs, and Sunday roasts exist in harmony with tasty fare plucked from every corner of the globe. Just visit one of the city's bustling food markets for proof. At Borough Market you’ll find a touch of Spain at Tapas Brindisa ; at KERB King’s Cross, you’ll stumble upon Lebanese chicken shish wraps ( Lil Watan ); and at Mercato Metropolitano you’ll encounter the capital’s best gelato ( Badiani ). 

Taste hangi-cooked lamb in New Zealand

There’s a reason why New Zealand lamb is so popular around the globe. Grass-fed and raised free-range on farms with clean air and water, it’s lean, tender, and full of nutrients – and, most importantly, it’s incredibly tasty. You can find it on restaurant menus up and down the country but, for something a little different, why not try it Maori-style, cooked in a traditional hangi oven? The technique involves filling a pit with heated stones, placing leaf-wrapped lamb and vegetables on top, covering it with earth, and cooking to smoky perfection.

Feed your soul in New Orleans

Cajun and Creole food is hearty, spicy, and all-round scrumptious, and the best place to eat both cuisines is New Orleans. Prepare for a party on the streets and in your mouth as you taste your way through delights like gumbo, jambalaya and crawfish pie on a foodie crawl of the city – then quench your thirst with a rum-based Hurricane cocktail (or, if you’re feeling brave, a fluorescent green Hand Grenade). Got room for a hefty, overstuffed po’boy sandwich afterwards? No? Trust us, you’ll want one anyway.

Visit the vineyards of Mendoza

Backed by the Andes and filled with pretty, leafy avenues, Mendoza can be found deep in the heart of Argentinian wine country, and travelers say that, in harvest season (December-March), there’s nowhere quite like it. The vineyards in the surrounding countryside are the home of the Malbec grape: a deep-purple marvel of a berry whose flavor is best sampled on a winery tour. Whether you choose to go tasting in the Maipú Valley or wet your whistle in Luján de Cuyo is up to you; just don’t miss out on a grilled meat asado lunch while you’re at it.

Tuck into fish curry in Goa

What’s better than Goa’s glorious palm-lined beaches, warm winter temperatures, and beautiful architecture? Three words: Goan fish curry. The Indian state's most famous dish is also (arguably) its most delicious, thanks to its rich, flavorful blend of spices, ginger, garlic, and coconut – plus, the fish (usually shrimp, kingfish, or mackerel) is marinated in lime to give it an extra-tangy kick. There’s nothing like tucking into a bowlful at a local, family-run restaurant or a dhaba – a roadside food stall – for a true only-in-Goa experience.

Sample Singapore’s iconic eats

Singapore is a destination that punches well above its weight when it comes to mouth-watering street-food dishes. For starters, there’s tasty mud crab (chili or pepper? That part's up to you); Hainanese chicken rice (the country’s unofficial national dish); creamy, coconutty curry laksa; and the ever-controversial durian fruit, which is so pungent that eating it is forbidden in enclosed public spaces. Got room for more? Try peanutty satay, char kway teow noodles, and ice kachang (sweet iced beans) – and don’t forget to order a Singapore Sling at the iconic Raffles Hotel afterwards.

Eat healthy (and delicious) food in Bali

Bali and wellness holidays often go hand in hand. But this isn’t a destination where eating healthily is done solely for detox purposes – in fact, it’s an absolute pleasure. Wholesome, fresh, and very often grown using organic farming methods, the food at Bali’s hippest eateries is also hugely Instagrammable; think pretty smoothie bowls, colorful matcha green tea beverages, cleansing juices, and plenty of raw and vegan menu options.

Breakfast on ackee and saltfish in Jamaica

Start your day right in Jamaica with a hearty portion of ackee and saltfish – the country’s national dish. It’s a simple-but-satisfying recipe: ackee, a pear-shaped fruit brought to Jamaica from West Africa in the mid-1700s, is boiled up with saltfish, a type of dried, salted whitefish. Add vegetables and seasonings (scotch bonnet peppers, onions and tomatoes are the classics), and you’ve got a nutritious breakfast packed with Caribbean flavor.

Sample the street food of Cartagena

If you love trying new and exciting food while on your travels, Colombia’s Caribbean port town of Cartagena could be perfect for your next adventure. Street food here is cheap and plentiful, and it comes in all shapes and sizes. For breakfast on the go, try an arepa de huevo (a cornmeal cake packed with egg and ground beef); for lunch, indulge in a perrito caliente hot dog topped with cheese, crunchy potato sticks and plenty of sauces; and for dinner, go all-out with a patacón con todo – a plantain sandwich bursting with chicken, chorizo, butifarra sausage, and cheese.

Taste Middle Eastern favorites in Istanbul

There are so many reasons why Istanbul makes a wonderful holiday destination – amazing Bosphorus views, Byzantine-era palaces, a captivating blend of Eastern and Western cultures – but it’s the Turkish capital’s never-ending array of fabulous food that really excites us. Take a wander around the city and you’re sure to encounter the likes of deep-fried halka tatlisi dough rings; garlicky, tomato-y steamed burgers; sesame-studded simit (Turkish bagels); kofte meatballs; and fan favorite doner kebab, which you can find on every street corner in town.

Go wild for spicy food in Bhutan

If there’s one food mantra the Bhutanese live by, it’s that spice is king. Influenced by Tibetan, Chinese, Nepalese and Indian cooking, the food in Bhutan is richly flavorful, but it can also be very spicy due to a nationwide love of chili peppers. While you can try milder, tourist-friendly versions of regional favorites in lots of places, we recommend sampling an authentic (and super-hot) taste of what the locals eat at least once, whether it’s jasha maru chicken stew, or the nation's signature dish, ema datshi – a chili cheese that’s so beloved, it comes with almost every meal.

Experience the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival

Not content simply with having a fantastic, thriving food and drink scene every day of the year, in 1992 Melbourne decided to host an annual two-week foodie extravaganza to really hammer its culinary excellence home. After three decades, the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival is still going strong, with star-studded line-ups and culinary events happening all over the city every March and April. The festival’s signature event? The World’s Longest Lunch – an XXL three-course affair that serves around 2,000 people the finest local foods and wines. It’s so big that the nearby bars even host their own after parties.

Go wine tasting in Stellenbosch

Whether you’re a wine expert or an absolute novice, there’s no doubt that the South African region of Stellenbosch is a picturesque, sun-soaked spot to spend a holiday. But for the oenophiles among us, it’s got the added benefit of being the birthplace of some of South Africa’s most amazing wines – and there are vineyards galore to explore, thanks to the country’s hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. From the Meerlust Estate  to  Spier Wine Farm  and  Boschendal , there are plenty of famous places to indulge in a tasting or two.

Dine on fish in Reykjavík

If you like your fish served Scandi-style – complete with stunning sea views and a snow-capped mountain backdrop – we recommend adding Reykjavík to your foodie travel bucket list. Ease your way in with tourist-friendly plokkfiskur (traditional fish stew made with cod or haddock), then get more adventurous with hardfiskur (dried fish jerky) and a world-famous Icelandic staple: fermented shark. This local delicacy is stored in boxes for six to nine weeks before being hung up to dry for several months, resulting in a pungent, almost cheese-like aroma (and an admittedly acquired taste).

Learn to make pasta in Tuscany

We’ve covered pizza, so now it’s time to talk pasta (specifically the soul-nourishing, super-fresh Tuscan variety). This central Italian region is famous not only for its gorgeous countryside and Renaissance masterpieces, but also for its pappardelle al cinghiale (broad pasta ribbons with a wild boar ragu) and tordelli Lucchese (semi-circular pasta parcels filled with a meat sauce). Fancy a true taste of Tuscan tradition? Then roll up your sleeves for a pasta-making class with Nonna Ciana (Grandma Ciana)  while you're here. Your friends and family back home are sure to thank you later.

Discover Vietnam’s street food culture

Fresh, colorful and packed with flavor, Vietnam’s street food is a world famous must-try for traveling foodies. And it’s not just the pho that’ll have you coming back for more. There's the bun cha pork patties, banh mi baguettes, and the banh xeo: Vietnam’s crispy, beansprout-stuffed take on the savory crêpe. You can find cheap on-the-go snacks pretty much everywhere, whether you’re wandering Hanoi’s Old Quarter, sauntering along the lantern-strung streets of Hoi An, or visiting Ben Thanh Street Food Market in Ho Chi Minh City.

Try fresh Mediterranean foods in Santorini

Influenced by both Western and Eastern cultures, Greece’s cuisine is a melting pot of freshly caught fish, abundant seafood, and seasonal vegetables. Spend some time in this sun-soaked corner of the Mediterranean and you’ll soon fall for its gastronomy, whether you’re enjoying a post-beach gyro stuffed with pork, salad and fries, tucking into moussaka at a family-run restaurant, or tasting the fishermen’s local catch of sea bass, octopus and lobster.

Raise a stein at Oktoberfest

While Oktoberfest might be most famous for its wide selection of beer tents and a proliferation of dirndls and lederhosen, there’s a lot more to this quintessentially German festival than sitting around sipping on steins. In between the oompah bands and chicken-dancing revellers, you’ll find a whole host of fantastic Bavarian cuisine: hefty pork knuckle, stodgy potato pancakes and dumplings, and an array of sumptuous sausages.

The cheapest and most expensive foodie cities in Europe

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