Our Top Destinations for the Food Fanatic

We know that sometimes, the way to a person’s heart is through their stomach. And, although the majority of us travel with our hearts and our heads, with so much tasty food on offer all around the world… maybe we should travel with our stomachs too?

Different cultures bring a whole host of new flavours, whether its local produce or superb sea food, part of an adventure is learning how the locals live, and eat.
So, whether you see yourself as a super foodie, or you just appreciate the finer tasting things in life, then why not check out our top destinations for the best culinary experience.

Croatia

croatia
‘Jedi!’… Put down that lightsaber, we’re not talking Star Wars. One of the mouth-watering aspects of the Croatian culture is to eat, eat, eat! And, that’s exactly what ‘jedi’ means.
And, despite this seeming somewhat the wildcard entry, the people of Croatia are actually renowned for serving up some outstandingly good grub.
Their food has many influences, from the Italians, to the Turks and even the Hungarians, the Croatians have taken the best from the best to create one of the most delicious blends of cuisines in Europe!
‘Split’ in two (excuse the pun), if you’re enjoying time on the coast, you’ll be relishing coastal cuisine! Making the most of a fantastic array of seafood with dishes such as pašticada and black risotto – a must for seafood lovers.
It undoubtedly has a more Mediterranean taste, too, with olives, fresh bread and meats. In fact, the Croatians have been growing olives for centuries! It really is worth picking up a bottle of olive oil whilst you’re there.
If you’re inland, you’ll get a taste of their continental cuisines. Croatian pasta, stuffed peppers and hearty meat stews. It makes our mouths water just telling you about it.
Chicken and veal are two of the most popular protein offerings, and you can be sure to find lots of cheese, hearty sauces and pastry thrown in for good measure. A great offering after a long day touring.

France

france
Frogs legs and snails may not be at the top of your list of tasty treats to try, but they certainly top a lot of travellers ‘to-do’ lists when visiting France. But, beyond the daring feat of trying these unusual appetisers, the French really know their food.
The leaders in haute cuisine, their chefs are national celebrities. And, the culture of French food is certainly distinctive, with dishes popular all around the world such as Coq au Vin, crêpes and crème brûlée.
And, of course, if you’re on the search of flavoursome food, be sure that you get a taste of truffle. A pungent fungus that grows under trees, you can rely on the French to make it simply divine!
If you know what you like and you love your cheese, France actually has a different cheese for almost every day of the year. And, with ten billion baguettes baked in France every year, that’s a recipe for an incredible cheese sandwich!

Italy

italy
Italian cuisine has made its way into almost every country in the world, and we love it. From pizza to pasta and wine and even cheese, it’s part of our everyday life.
Italians don’t see food as just a means of survival, it’s about family, happiness and heritage. And, when you think us Brits are rather at home with a Sunday roast, Our continental cousins do one better.
It is said that a whopping 95% of Italians stay at home on Sunday afternoon, eating as much as humanly possible with their relatives. And, boy, do they mean it. The estimated annual pasta consumption is around 70 lbs per person!
With pizza originating it Naples, and tomato sauce first recorded in Italy in the late 18th century, you’ll be forgiven for thinking that Italian food all comes down to one tasty list of carb-laden menu.
But, you’d be wrong. There’s no such thing as ‘Italian food’. We Brits have cherry-picked dishes from around the country and created our own version of Italian cuisine. There are actually 20 regions in Italy, each with their own special cuisine. For example, your carbonara you might have enjoyed in Rome, may not be as easy to track down in Florence, down to it being a roman dish.
But, if that’s not just the best excuse to see more of Italy, then what is?

Spain

tapas
A tradition starting long ago in the city of Seville, of course you couldn’t sample the delights of Spain without trying a bit of tapas.
The word tapas actually derives from the Spanish word ‘tapar’ or in English, ‘to cover’. Where does ‘cover’ come in to tasty little snacks we hear you ask?
Well, originally tapas began life as slices of bread or meat, and Andalusians used them to cover their glasses of sherry to stop flies from getting in.
As Tapas has developed, it’s settled into the quintessentially Spanish lifestyle. Evening meals tend to be eaten between 9pm and 11pm which means that there’s a long period between lunch and dinner.
And, they sure do use this time constructively. Hopping from bar to bar, where small pieces of Tapas are served with drink orders. It’s just a nice way to keep guests comfortable whilst drinking in a bar. Or keep them there longer, whichever way you would like to look at it.
You might need something a little more filling, though. And, how could you turn down some authentic paella? With so many options, there really is a paella for everyone. Seafood, vegetable and, of course Valencian.
Valencia is the home of paella, so it would be just right to have a dished names after its birth place and using chicken, rabbit and garrofón beans, you’re in for a treat.
But, those are just our top foodie destination in Europe, what’s the tastiest country you’ve stayed in?

Grand Explorer: Delights of the Costa Blanca, Valencia, Burgos & Cuenca

Our 2015 brochure has introduced some fantastic new tours for 2015, including Our Grand Explorer tour, Delights of the Costa Blanca, Valencia, Burgos and Cuenca. The tour combines a leisurely stay on Spain’s sun-drenched coast with an exploration of Spain’s slightly lesser known, historic towns. Here’s a rundown of some of our highlights from this spectacular tour.

The Costa Blanca, or the ‘White Coast’ in English, is a traveller’s hot spot. With over 2800 hours of sunshine every year and with 200km of coast line, it’s easy to see why it attracts 2 million tourists from the UK alone each year.
Although sounding quintessentially Spanish, the name ‘Costa Blanca’ was actually first introduced as a marketing gimmick by British European Airlines to promote their new flight route from London to Valencia in 1957.
Staying in the resort of Los Alcazares, you’ll take in the historic old town of Burgos with its stunning cathedral, a true masterpiece of Spanish Gothic architecture. Buried beneath the cathedral is Spain’s national hero, Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar. Better known as El Cid, the lovable rogue was made a legend by his remarkable military ability whilst conquering Valencia. El Cid is still idolised to this day and has been immortalised in plays, film, folk tales and even video games.
City of Burgos and the CathedralBurgos is also home to the Baby Jumping festival and, yes, you would be forgiven for being intrigued about the title. Known as the El Colacho, it has taken place every year since the 1620’s. The festival is free to join for any new born baby. Swaddled in blankets, they are laid on the ground where grown men, dressed as the devil, jump over the babies to cleanse them of evil spirits. The slightly bizarre festival is part of celebrations held nationally for the Catholic festival of Corpus Christi.
Cliff Houses of Cuenca, SpainA visit to the extraordinary settings of Cuenca where buildings seemingly cling to the rock walls is next on the itinerary. As you will notice, the most popular attraction of this fortified city is the Hanging Houses. The houses were originally built as summer houses for the Royal Family but have also been used as individual and even council houses. Built into the walls of the gorge, the houses are now largely occupied, however, one has been converted into and abstract art gallery giving you the chance to head inside one of these spectacular buildings.
How about a day spent enjoying the many cafes and tree lined boulevards of Albir, the little gem of the Costa Blanca, before heading to the Cultural Capital of the Valencian region, Altea? From there you will have time to explore beautiful Guadelest, a little village overlooking the Guadelest reservoir.
Declared a Monument of Historical and Artistic Value, Guadelest is a major tourist attraction. Take a look up to the highest point on the cliff towering over the walled town, you will find the Castle of Saint Jose. The Castle has endured two earthquakes and a bomb attack in the Succession War which have all contributed to its destruction, however, its imposing presence is still a spectacular sight.Belltower in Guadalest, Spain
We head on to Alicante, a city with a true Spanish flavour, you will have the perfect opportunity to enjoy the clean Costa Blanca air. It is said that this is one of the healthiest areas in Europe. The warm temperature and low rainfall is said to be a perfect remedy for sufferers of asthma and arthritis, a much more enjoyable treatment, we’re sure you will agree.
iStock_000017785253_LargeWhilst in Alicante, you will be drawn to the Santa Barbara Castle.  One of Europe’s largest Fortresses. Perched on the top of Mount Benacantil, it has everything you’d imagine from a medieval castle from cannons, dungeons and even a moat. Best of all it offers fabulous views across the city. Or, of course, you could savour the moment and take advantage of the beautiful sandy beaches.
Possibly saving the best ‘til last, wrapping up our tour of the Costa Blanca region is the cosmopolitan city of Valencia, regarded as one of the most beautiful cities of Mediterranean Spain and we certainly won’t disagree. Birthplace of the famous Spanish dish, paella, Valencia also stakes the somewhat controversial claim of holding the Holy Grail. You can view the chalice in all its glory as it is on show in Valencia’s opulent cathedral.
iStock_000006049446_LargeThere is plenty to do in Valencia, you will be glad to know there is plenty of time to fit it all in as the tour accommodates a one night stay in beautiful Valencia.
To see our great value Grand Explorer Holidays, please head over to our website.

A Simple Chicken, Prawn and Chorizo Paella Recipe

Bring a taste of Spain to your home with this simple paella recipe that combines chicken, prawns and chorizo into a mouthwatering dish that is perfect for parties!
This dish takes about an hour to create and should serve about eight.

What you’ll need

Chicken, prawn and chorizo paella
A simple chicken, prawn and chorizo paella recipe – the perfect party dish!

1 thinly sliced chorizo sausage
3 chicken breast fillets, chopped into bite size chunks
1 pack of large, pre-cooked, tiger prawns
2 large, diced onions
400g arborio paella rice
Paprika
White wine
Olive Oil
1.25 litres of chicken or vegetable stock

How to cook it

  • Add a glug of olive oil to a large, heavy bottomed frying pan and heat on a medium to high setting. Add your thinly sliced chorizo to the pan and allow to cook on both sides until golden and starting to go black. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chorizo whilst leaving the oil and chorizo juice in the pan.
  • Add the diced chicken to the pan and cook until lightly golden, the meat doesn’t have to be cooked thoroughly at this stage. Remove the chicken and keep until later.
  • Add your diced onions to the pan and cook until brown and soft.
  • Now add your rice, two teaspoons of paprika and about 200ml of white wine.
  • Bring to the boil and allow the mixture to cook for around 2 minutes.
  • Now add your chicken and chorizo to the mixture and stir in your stock.
  • Reduce to a low heat and allow the paella to cook for 20 minutes without stirring.
  • Finally, add your prawns to the dish and continue to cook for a further 5 minutes or until the remaining mixture has been fully absorbed.

Freshen things up a bit

If you would like to freshen this dish up a little, let your paella cool, add some freshly chopped tomatoes, peppers and cucumber and serve on a bed of lettuce.
Image courtesy of flickr user S. Navarro