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Food and wine expert recommendations
+44 (0)1653 617001
Food and wine expert recommendations
+44 (0)1653 617001

The best foodie walking holidays:

expert advice for delicious trails & tastes

Designed to give you a real glimpse into the culture of your destination, Inntravel’s walking holidays take you down paths less travelled. Discover some of the UK and Europe’s most beautiful yet overlooked landscapes while sampling a region’s food and wine, which offers a window into its culture. From the vineyards of the Loire and the olive groves that carpet Crete to the alpine valleys rich in traditionally made produce, we point you in the direction of the most authentic gastronomic experiences.

Watch Travel Expert James as he shares his passion for food and explains just how much local cuisine forms part of an Inntravel holiday.


 

Foodie walking holidays
Walking holidays for wine lovers
Rail holidays for foodies
 
 


 

Our expert's view

"I think one of the wonderful things about travelling in the way that we do is the opportunity to try local food, and staying in small family-run hotels allows you to try the local cuisine."

- James Keane, Destination Expert

Discover local flavours

A taste of tradition | Recipes lovingly preserved through generations, from slow-cooked stews to freshly baked breads and seasonal preserves all reflecting the deep culinary heritage of each region.

Hidden gems | Thanks to our long-standing relationships with local hoteliers and restaurateurs, we take you beyond the usual tourist tables to welcoming, family-run eateries and trattorias full of character – places rarely found in guidebooks but cherished by locals.

Trusted local partnerships | Our connections with passionate producers, chefs, and artisans open doors to authentic experiences. Enjoy visits to vineyards, bustling markets, and artisan workshops, learning directly from those who live and breathe their craft.

Culinary variety | From hearty mountain dishes to delicate seafood and vibrant vegetarian options, discover menus often shaped by seasonal, locally sourced ingredients.

Evenings to remember | Relax and dine in charming inns and boutique hotels that reflect the region. Here, the warm atmosphere and genuine welcome make each meal as memorable as the flavours on your plate.

Foodie heaven

  • Norway might not be the first country that springs to mind when you think of foodie destinations, but it is now following the lead of Denmark and Sweden, whose innovative culinary exploits have garnered plenty of well-deserved attention in recent years. Not satisfied with having earned the title ‘adventure capital of the fjords’ (it's a great base for walking and trips along the fjords), the Art Nouveau town of Ålesund, in particular, is making its mark on the foodie map. It goes without saying that you can expect to find lots of fish on menus, alongside game and lamb, flavoured with sauces made from berries.
  • The Black Forest’s excellent cuisine owes a lot to its proximity to France. Keen to lure tourists out of hotels just across the border in Alsace and into their own hotels, chefs in the Black Forest have upped their game in recent decades, eschewing heavy potato-based recipes in favour of lighter, more refined options. All this means that you’re in for a real treat food-wise after a day's walking, with innovative dishes featuring wild garlic, game, river fish, nuts, wild mushrooms, berries and herbs from the forest.
  • There are a couple of good reasons why Sevillanos like to weekend in the nearby Aracena Sierra. First, the tranquillity. The wooded hills feel far removed – metaphorically, if not literally – from the bustle of city life. Second, the food. One sign of this is the way the pigs are treated: they roam freely in the woods, feasting on acorns. The resulting cured ham, one of the main specialities here, is delicious. Seemingly every village has a small restaurant serving authentic dishes packed full of flavours. These villages also hide some surprising architectural treasures, making for an interesting and varied walking holiday.
  • Galicia, the northwestern region of mainland Spain, flourishes in every sense of the word. You may know it for the city of Santiago de Compostela – the destination for all those who embark on the famous Camino pilgrimage – but it’s also distinguishable for its cuisine. From pulpo a la gallega (Galician-style octopus) and Zamburiñas (small scallops) to Padrón peppers and traditional pilgrim cake, the local food produced from the region’s rich fields and Atlantic waters is nothing short of exceptional.
  • Enjoyable as the walks across the herb-clad hills are, To the Pont du Gard is essentially a celebration of French cuisine, and as such is one of our most gastronomic walking holidays. As you stroll through carpets of thyme, pausing to admire the views of distant blue mountains or to cool your feet in the River Gardon, the thought dominating your mind is likely to be what culinary delights await you next. All three hotels boast first-rate restaurants, but the jewel in the crown is the Hostellerie le Castellas, with its exquisite interpretations of Provençale dishes.
  • Competing for renown with the region’s picturesque coastline is Catalonia’s highly innovative gastronomy, of which the cornerstones are the locally grown rice; sauces made from tomato, garlic and pine nuts; and the fusion of ingredients from the sea (mar) and land (muntanya), such as chicken with lobster. Combining this mouthwatering cuisine with high-quality hotels of character, idyllic medieval villages, and a fantastic finale by the sea with dinner at the locally popular restaurant of the Hotel Terramar, Along the Catalan Coast offers all the ingredients, quite literally, for a highly enjoyable holiday.
  • ‘Elegant’ is an apt word to describe our Lake Iseo, the Jewel of Lombardy walking holiday, applying equally to the 4-star hotels, the presentation of the refined cuisine – which draws on the abundance of lake fish, with dishes such as grilled sardines, steamed crayfish, and stuffed tench served with polenta – and even the scenery of neat vineyards, angular mountains and colourful lakeside villages. ‘Indulgent’ conveys the essence of the holiday even better, though, and it’s no wonder that this is one of our most popular walks.
  • With distinctive dishes such as goose à la Périgordine (in a truffle and foie gras sauce), cassoulet, ballotines (stuffed duck or goose) and maigrets de canard (grilled duck, usually in a creamy mushroom sauce), just browsing a menu in the Dordogne will set your mouth watering. If you have spent the day exploring the enchanting landscapes on foot, passing medieval villages, walnut orchards, and châteaux standing sentinel above the meandering river, you have the perfect excuse to indulge and savour classic Dordogne specialities such as duck confit, rich Rocamadour cheese, walnuts, and fine local wines. Relax in carefully selected hotels with pools, and take in the dramatic hillside village of Rocamadour with its stunning views.
  • The name of our journey by rail along the Bay of Biscay, Flavours of Bilbao, San Sebastián & Bordeaux, speaks for itself. Bilbao has morphed from industrial centre to gastronomic hub, while San Sebastián, close to the border with France, boasts a staggering number of Michelin stars – and pintxo (tapas) bars – for its size. Last but by no means least, Bordeaux is, of course, synonymous with world-famous wines. But it’s not all about food. Bilbao is home to the Guggenheim Museum, whose exterior is as arresting as the artworks inside, and the world’s oldest transporter bridge. San Sebastián’s other draws include its Belle Epoque architecture and sandy beach, while Bordeaux is a place for museum visits and leisurely strolls along its elegant 18th-century boulevards.

Raise your glass

  • Wildlife-rich islands, and sundowns which are ‘the most beautiful in the world’, according to Alfred Hitchcock, are not the only delights that await you as you tour Croatia’s Adriatic coastline – there’s the crystal-clear, cobalt sea; the town of Zadar with its tree-lined waterfront and marble streets; Roman remains; and the medieval villages which are dotted across the northern region of Istria. It’s this heart-shaped peninsula that is at the forefront of Croatia’s wine scene. The best-known is Istrian Malvasia, whose fresh taste makes it a great accompaniment to seafood, while the lesser-known Teran and Refosk reds have a deep ruby colour and fruity aroma.
  • The Serra Arrábida boasts castles, a stunning coastline and Portugal’s best-known cheese, not to mention some great walking, yet it remains virtually undiscovered, despite its being just a stone’s throw away from Lisbon. As you journey eastwards over the course of the holiday, you walk through valleys cloaked with vineyards, with chances to taste the excellent wines – including the famous Moscatel dessert wine – produced from the grapes.
  • The rolling Chianti Hills are carpeted with a patchwork of olive groves, vineyards, ancient stone farmhouses, and occasional cypress trees reaching up towards the warming sun. The delicious, rustic Tuscan cuisine and the region’s velvety red wines would be enough to complete the picture. The fact that this walking holiday ends in Siena, one of the world’s greatest art cities, is an added bonus, giving an even fuller picture of Tuscany’s charms.
  • Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Prosecco Hills are an enchanting world of forest-green slopes striped with vines and dotted with sunny medieval towns, and the home of the prestigious Prosecco Superiore DOCG. Our holiday here offers countless opportunities to sample the celebrated wines – including the rare and prized Cartizze variety – as you wander the fabulous landscape.
  • Stroll through the villages on Alsace’s route des vins and you may well feel as though you are exploring illustrations in a fairy tale. The steep-roofed, half-timbered houses are painted in delicate shades of pink, green, blue and yellow, while red and pink flowers spill from window boxes. The nesting storks that sit atop chimney stacks in spring just add to the illusion. All in all, towns and villages such as Kaysersberg, Colmar, Ribeauville and Riquewihr are just as great an attraction as the fruity Rieslings and Sylvaners, the fuller-bodied Gewürztraminer, and the rich Tokay Pinot Gris.
  • Iseo is the smallest and least-known of Lombardy’s four major lakes, but is a true jewel, with imposing, angular mountains and deep gorges to the north, and the delightful Franciacorta vineyards in the hills to the south. Grapes were first planted here in Roman times but the wines – the acclaimed sparkling whites, and the Pinot Nero blends – remain as great a secret as the lake itself, serving as the perfect accompaniment to the refined cuisine of lake fish, delicious meats and distinctive local cheeses to which you are treated at the top-quality 4-star hotels.
  • Our holidays in the Loire are some of the gentlest in our selection. The walking is enjoyable, but the emphasis is squarely on the region’s wine and châteaux, an alluring combination. There is plenty of time to visit the elegant castles en route – turreted Azay-le-Rideau, sumptuous Ussé, and imposing Chinon – and to stop at vineyards for tastings of both the deliciously refreshing dry whites and the fruity and flavoursome Saumur reds. Combine this with lazy picnics on the river bank, and you have all the ingredients for a very relaxing holiday.
  • To set the scene, our Valley of Gold (Douro means ‘river of gold’) walking holiday starts in Porto, with time to explore the friendly, UNESCO-protected capital of the port wine trade. You then catch the train eastwards – a wonderful experience in itself, given that the railway line hugs the riverbank – to the timeless landscapes where the wine originates. Besides the wine, perhaps the greatest feature of this walk is the richly coloured scenery – the views over neatly striped vineyards, silver-green olive groves, rugged hills and seemingly forgotten villages are breathtaking.
  • Our Pyrenees to the Sea walk is, as its name suggests, a varied and rewarding journey from the warm, wooded slopes of the Pyrenees to the coastal village of Cadaqués, described by Salvador Dalí (whose house you can visit) as the ‘most beautiful village in the world’. The ever-changing scenery includes woodland of cork oaks; landscapes dotted with granite boulders and prickly pear; expanses of wild herbs and brightly flowering shrubs; and rolling vineyards that are earning recognition for their excellent modern-style reds.

Seek out the best local gastronomy

From rustic village kitchens to acclaimed family-run restaurants, our foodie holidays take you off the usual tourist trails and into the heart of local dining. Expect regional specialities and opportunities to meet the producers, chefs, and growers who make it all possible.
  • - Food lovers who want to taste the genuine regional specialities rather than tourist menus.

    - Travellers who enjoy meeting the people behind the food – whether it’s a winemaker, baker, or artisan cheesemaker.

    - Those who appreciate comfort after a day’s walking or exploring, with carefully chosen accommodation near great eateries.

     
  • We believe great travel is about more than just places – it’s about tastes, aromas, and stories shared over a meal. That’s why we spend time seeking out the best local eateries, from tiny cafés where recipes have been handed down through generations to celebrated restaurants with a contemporary twist. We have tried and tested restaurants, trattorias, tavernas, and tapas bars so that you experience dishes and flavours that truly represent the region.
  • Embark on walking holidays where every step is paired with memorable local flavours and authentic culinary experiences. From tasting world-famous wines and truffles to sampling fragrant herbs and regional cheeses, these journeys invite you to savour the best each region has to offer, alongside varied walking through rich landscapes and charming villages.

    Piedmont’s Barolo Wine Region - Delight in Barolo’s renowned wines, paired with hearty local gastronomy including prized white truffles, toasted hazelnuts, and creamy regional cheeses. Wander through medieval villages nestled among rolling hills, enjoy panoramic Alpine views, and visit fascinating wine museums to deepen your appreciation of this celebrated terroir.

    Hill-Top Villages of the Luberon, Provence - Discover the scents and tastes of Provence in dishes seasoned with rosemary, thyme, and garlic. Explore honey-hued stone villages like Gordes, stroll along the ancient Via Domitia lined with cherry orchards and vineyards, and soak in sweeping views from elevated hamlets where olives and lavender flourish.

    The Thames Path, Oxford to Marlow - Experience gentle walks through vibrant towns and tranquil riverbanks that inspired classic English literature. Enjoy local country fare, visit historic Wallingford with its Anglo-Saxon ramparts, and keep an eye out for abundant wildlife along the way, making for restorative days rich in culture and nature.

    Wherever you choose, you can expect:
    • Carefully planned, self-guided routes with varied scenery and rewarding views.

    • Comfortable, characterful accommodation where the welcome is genuine.

    • Meals often prepared with local ingredients and regional recipes.

    • Luggage transfers so you can enjoy every step.

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  • With over 40 years of experience exploring Europe’s regions, our self-guided holidays reflect long-standing relationships with local chefs, hoteliers, winemakers, and artisan producers. This insider knowledge means you enjoy truly authentic culinary experiences – not just meals, but stories and connections that bring your holiday to life.
  • Talk to one of our friendly experts – walkers and travellers themselves – and we’ll help you choose the route that’s right for you. From the moment you book until the last step of your journey, everything is taken care of.

    We recommend the best times of year to enjoy each holiday, coinciding with harvest time in the Douro Valley for example or the best time of year to sample local delicacies.

    Walking grades are clearly explained, so you can choose a holiday that suits your pace.

    24-hour support means help is always just a phone call away.

    Comprehensive route notes highlighting landmarks, viewpoints, and places of interest along your walk.

    Flexible travel options – whether you prefer to fly, take the train, or travel by ferry, and start your holiday on the day that suits you.

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