Food Walking Holidays: a Match Made in Heaven?

Food walking holidays: a match made in heaven?

"I think food, culture, people and landscape are all absolutely inseparable."

So said the late, great Anthony Bourdain – whose life and work epitomise why so many who travel love to explore the tantalising pull of new flavours, and vice versa. If the way to someone’s heart is through their stomach, the way to truly understand a culture is through their landscapes and the ingredients and regional specialities they produce.

What better way to combine food, landscape, and culture than on a food walking holiday?

Designed to give you a real glimpse into the culture of your destination, Inntravel’s walking holidays take you down paths less travelled. You’ll discover some of the UK and Europe’s most beautiful yet overlooked landscapes, whilst enjoying food that offers a window into your destination’s culture.   

 

Why choose an Inntravel holiday for great food experiences?

With destinations all over the UK and Europe, food lovers are spoilt for choice when it comes to Inntravel itineraries.

Delve into our walking holidays in Italy and France to discover off-the-beaten-track landscapes and sample some of the world’s best regarded cuisine. With Inntravel, strolls across the herb-clad hills of Roman Provence are accompanied by visits to local markets with their irresistible warm bread, local cheeses and olives, followed later by exquisite dinners at our chosen hotels. An Inntravel walking holiday over the border in Liguria, meanwhile, will deliver delicious fish and seafood, pesto and unusual white wines such as Sciacchetrà.

Or, why not opt for a completely new destination with lesser-known regional specialities, perhaps discovering your new favourite dish in the process? Walking holidays to Portugal and Northern Spain offer an opportunity to sample some of Europe’s most overlooked but tastiest seafood dishes, with excellent and reasonably priced wine and unforgettable coastal views.

Our routes are designed specifically to take you away from the tourist crowds. From a walking perspective, this allows you to take in the beauty of the landscapes undisturbed, from quiet mountain paths to uncrowded beaches and hidden swimming coves you’ll have all to yourself. And, from a food perspective, you get to taste the local delicacies as they should be tasted – at their most authentic, made with high-quality, locally sourced ingredients.

Our top walking holidays for food lovers

Tranquil Cinque Terre, Italian Riviera

Hidden behind the popularity of the Italian Riviera’s glamorous coastal resorts, the seaside town of Moneglia provides an idyllic base from which to beat the crowds and explore the beauty of this iconic destination’s most enchanting, often-overlooked corners.

Your hotel, the elegant avant-garde Villa Edera e La Torretta is just a five-minute stroll from the beach, and offers a Michelin-starred restaurant with a separate bistro. We include a dinner in the bistro in your stay, as well as a wine-tasting session accompanied by local Ligurian tapas.

> Walk this way

Fife Coastal Path & St Andrews

The beauty of the Fife Coastal Path is well known – a fact that stands in contrast to how isolated some of the landscapes feel as you pass through them. This holiday focuses on Fife’s eastern corner, by far the prettiest part of the peninsula.

As you pass through picturesque fishing villages, you’ll no doubt be tempted by the bounty of fresh fish and seafood on offer – rest assured you’ll have plenty of opportunity to sample en route!

> Walk this way

Andalucía's Aracena Sierra

The timeless landscapes of south-west Spain’s Aracena Sierra offer a rich gastronomic heritage. Idyllic villages pepper the soft, rolling hills, interspersed with sun-dappled cork oak and chestnut forests. With car hire included, you’re free to explore this enticing region at your leisure.

As you explore, you’ll quickly get a sense of the bounty Aracena’s landscapes offer – fresh vegetables, shiny chestnuts, and the prized Jamón ibérico. Included in your stay is a visit and tasting at a local secadero (ham-curing house) to taste the region’s best loved speciality for yourself.

> Walk this way

What to expect on Inntravel's walking holidays

Accommodation

We offer a range of accommodation along our routes, from traditional inns and guesthouses to luxurious boutique hotels. All of our options combine high-quality rooms and amenities with a genuine welcome (and of course, pool and spa facilities never go amiss).

Our long term relationships with a number of family-owned hotels and guesthouses offer opportunities to see places in a new light, whether by chatting to your friendly local hosts, sampling locally-sourced meals or simply enjoying fabulous views over your surroundings, watching the sun go down after a successful day’s exploring.

Food and drink

We consider food and drink to be a key ingredient of a great holiday and look for every opportunity possible to showcase regional cuisine at its finest. You’ll get to experience world-famous dishes at their most authentic, whilst discovering brand new favourites to take back home with you.

One of our favourite foodie destinations is Tenerife – it offers a fascinating fusion of Spanish and South American cuisine and has an impressive six Michelin-starred restaurants. Wherever you go, though, you can be sure flavour will follow – whether that’s the truffles, wild plums, and mushrooms of the Dordogne Valley or Alsace’s tarte flambée, akin to a thin pizza topped with a host of traditional toppings such as cream, onion and bacon – and even better when washed down by the region’s crisp white wine.

Where meals are included with your holiday, we book you into restaurants (either at your hotel or elsewhere) based on their use of local ingredients and regional menus. For meals that aren’t included, we’re always happy to offer a tip or two about where to find the best food.

Support

We take care of everything you need so you can relax and enjoy your holiday. We’ll reserve your transport, book you into friendly and comfortable accommodation and help you personalise your itinerary around your needs and interests.

Whilst you’re on holiday, we’ll move luggage between hotels, provide detailed walking notes and cultural insights, and support you whenever you need with our 24/7 customer service line.



 

Preparing for your Inntravel walking holiday

What should I pack?

Whilst not completely comprehensive, the items below are a great place to start! We’ve assumed you’ll need around a week’s worth of walking gear and a couple of evening outfits – but of course, if you’re going for longer you should definitely adjust this to your own needs.

Shoes: 1 pair walking boots and 1 pair evening shoes
Tops: 3 base layers, 2 mid layers, 1 sweater (that also works for evening), 2 evening shirts/tops
Trousers: 2 walking pairs and 1 or 2 evening pairs
Outer layers: 1 jacket and 1 set of waterproofs
Accessories: hat, gloves, scarf or neck gaiter, sunglasses, rucksack, walking poles, GPS device or compass

Need more detail on the type of clothes to pack? Here's our comprehensive guide to packing for a walking holiday.

How fit do I need to be?

Inntravel offers a range of walking holidays that will appeal to foodies. Some of these are more strenuous than others – we offer gentle, single-centre breaks where laidback walks can be broken up by day trips and other activities, challenging hotel-to-hotel hikes along long, steep routes and everything in between.

The best thing to do to get an idea of the fitness level you’ll need is to check the walking grade of the holiday. Our grading scale allows you to get an accurate idea of what each of our walking holidays would demand of you, fitness and experience wise.

Getting some movement in before a walking holiday is always a good idea – if you pick a holiday that aligns with your current fitness level, you won’t need to follow a strict training routine – just keep doing what you’re doing.

If you’re keen to challenge yourself with a more difficult walking holiday, it’s a good idea to leave enough time to get up to speed before you travel. This could mean following a training regime, trying some harder hikes close to home to get used to compass and GPS devices and making sure you have the right equipment.

 

Food Walking Holidays - Frequently Asked Questions

What is a foodie walking holiday?
A food and walking holiday combines the breathtaking landscapes of a walking holiday with the joys of discovering the culinary delights of a new destination. You’ll have plenty of time to enjoy scenic walks at your own pace whilst refuelling with locally sourced authentic meals at the end of each day. Some of our itineraries also offer food-based experiences such as the chance to visit a local cheesemaker in Slovenia or to enjoy wine tasting at a working Portuguese quinta.

Do I need to be an experienced walker to enjoy these holidays?
We offer a range of itineraries, ranging from gentle strolls to challenging mountain hikes. Foodies will find plenty to enjoy in either – so there’s no need to be an experienced walker to go on a food walking holiday with Inntravel.

What destinations are available for a food and walking holiday?
You’ll find plenty of fantastic food sampling opportunities on our holidays all over Europe. If you’re looking for a holiday where we offer specific food experiences, we recommend our holidays to the Italian Riviera, Portugal’s Porto to Douro Valley, the Arecena Sierra in southern Spain and the Fife Coastal Path in Scotland.

Are meals included in the walking holidays?
It depends on the itinerary. Many of our holidays include meals; where this is the case, we focus on hotels and restaurants that offer authentic, locally sourced dishes that reflect the culinary traditions of each region.

How do I prepare for a food walking holiday?
Get some movement in, make sure you have the right equipment and pack your passion for food and exploration! Equipment-wise, you’ll need comfortable walking shoes or boots, weather-appropriate clothing and a few layers – and a day rucksack to keep things in.