Special interest guide
Why abandon your hobbies on holiday? We've got rewarding trips for dancers, singers, painters, linguists and more.
Top 10 cooking & food holidays
Cooking and food holidays peel away the layers of a country’s culture, so that you can release its true flavours. Learn how to make focaccia in Umbria using recipes handed down through generations. Use spices in Sri Lanka that have been freshly picked from a plantation dating back centuries. And soak up the sun while learning about ceviche and cerveza in Mexico. Here are our top ten treats on the menu.
1. Spain
The Basque country, Spanish Pyrenees and Andalucia are astounding foodie destinations, with not only fine local ingredients and Michelin star restaurants, but also a wonderful sense of community and regional tradition around gastronomy. The Spanish pair their food with fun, too, and holidays here combine food with yoga, walking or cultural visits.Our top selling trip: Cooking and walking holiday in the Spanish Pyrenees
See all our trips: Cooking and food holidays in Spain
2. India
There is a north south divide when it comes to cooking and food holidays in India. In the North you have Mughal traditions still found around Delhi and tantalising Rajput ones in Rajasthan. Head south to Goa and Kerala for more tropical and colonial influences. It’s all about spicing up your life.Our top selling trip: India small group holiday, a food adventure.
See all our trips: Cooking and food holidays in India
3. Umbria, Italy
Don’t let Umbria be overshadowed by Tuscany, because these Etruscan landscapes and small hilltop towns are a feast of fine ingredients. From olive oil to organic honey, cured meat to a bevy of beans. And fine wines of course, Orvieto being one of the top towns to visit on a gastronomic holiday.Our top selling trip: Umbria cooking holiday, Italy
See all our trips: Umbria cooking and food holidays
4. Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is all about ancient traditions, and food is no exception. From the fish markets of Negombo to the chena cultivation techniques around Dambulla, the spice-growing region of Matale to the tea plantations of the Highlands, indigenous ingredients and culinary culture make for the perfect foodie experience here.Our top selling trip: Sri Lanka small group tour, a food adventure
See all our trips: Cooking and food holidays in Sri Lanka
5. Thailand
Although Thai curries are almost as common as fish and chips in the UK now, nothing beats learning about their spices, traditions, local produce and inimitable recipes than at the lemongrass roots. There is so much to choose from here, you can easily spend two weeks on a foodie adventure in Thailand.Our top selling trip: Cooking holiday in Thailand
See all our trips: Cooking and food holidays in Thailand
6. Mexico
This is a country that has received UNESCO World Heritage status for its food alone, which means it’s hard to know where to start. A food holiday sorts out your ceviche and cerveza, mole and mescal, with a lot of tacos and tamales in between.Our top selling trip: Mexico small group holiday, a food adventure
See all our trips: Cooking and food holidays in Mexico
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7. Vietnam
Imagine travelling from Hanoi to Hoi Chi Minh City with food as your main point of interest. Historians move over; here come the hedonists. With regional cuisine variations, experience the likes of bun rieu broth in the north, hot chillies in the centre and the tropical flavours of the south.Our top selling trip: Vietnam small group holiday, a food adventure
See all our trips: Cooking and food holidays in Vietnam
8. Peloponnese, Greece
There is no better way to slow down in Greece than by going on a cooking holiday, learning the simple joys of making moussaka and hummus, picking olives, or wining and dining in a local farmer’s taverna. One of the highlights is the €5 challenge, where you’ll browse the market in Kalamata for ingredients for the afternoon’s cooking lesson.Our top selling trip: Vegan holiday in Greece
See all our trips: Cooking holidays
9. Cambodia
Run amok, carouse with Khmer cuisine and feast on fruits of every flavour on a food or cooking holiday in Cambodia. There is no better way to immerse yourself in the country’s culture, traditions, etiquette and colonial influences. Cambodia is a country where you will always feel replete.Our top selling trip: Cambodia small group tour, a food adventure
See all our trips: Cooking and food holidays in Cambodia
10. Japan
Japanese cuisine needs no introduction, but indulge us. Explore cavernous seafood markets lined with fresh sushi stalls; enjoy savoury pancakes with shredded octopus served straight from the griddle, or vegan simplicity on the menu in Buddhist monasteries, and earn the art and traditions of the ancient tea ceremony with a private session. It’s all on the menu in Japan.Our top selling trip: Japan group holiday, a food adventure
See all our trips: Cooking and food holidays
More Cooking & food articles
Our cooking and food holidays guide is guaranteed to get your tastebuds tingling.
From India to Italy to Spain to Sri Lanka, check out our favourite food destinations.
From pasta making in the Tuscan hills to bread making in the shadow of the Caucasus.
Fish, curry, pork and some of the most divine spicy pastes you could hope for.
An introduction to one of Italy’s most distinctive and delicious cuisines.
Explore a foodie paradise of fresh ingredients, sizzling spices and fusion recipes.
Go on a cultural journey through Vietnam’s kitchens, markets and street stalls.
Get as close to the ingredients as possible, stay on an agriturismo and source your ingredients from your neighbours.
Our guide to foraging holidays explores the joys of ‘picking your own’ among the islands and forests of Sweden.
Take to the streets, experience home cooking or just let a local show you the ropes.
Take a look at our responsible tourism tips before you peruse the menu.
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