Food and drink tours

Food and drink is an important part of most of our small group trips, from cycling in Andalucia to exploring the kingdom of Bhutan. However, for travellers who wish to take a deeper dive into a region’s cuisine, we also arrange a number of dedicated food and drink tours.These culinary group tours also include combined Walking and Wine Tasting, and Cycling and Wine Tasting alongside more traditional cultural discovery tours.

On Explore’s dedicated food and drink tours, we explore all aspects of gastronomy. Our expert local tour leaders and specialist guides will explain the traditions, origins and influences of a destination’s cuisine and show you how the food is grown, harvested and brought to market. They’ll also take you to off the beaten track to places that only the locals know about, where you can enjoy sampling classic and less well-known specialities. On some of our culinary tours, we also give travellers the opportunity to roll up their sleeves and try their hand at cooking up a local treat under the guidance of experts.

See how spices are grown in India, join the locals at food markets in Vietnam, sample the freshest, most aromatic street food in Thailand, search out the most authentic home cooking in Turkey, try the exquisite tapas of northern Spain or cook up a fiery feast in Mexico. 

Peru

Whether you’re indulging in freshly caught fish prepared in a zesty ceviche dish, or trying one of the 4,000 varieties of potato, Peru is a goldmine of hearty and nourishing cuisine. In the capital city of Lima you’ll ofdiscover a bounty of delicious seafood dishes owing to the fresh catches hauled in at the fish market. With raw fish being the number one ingredient in ceviche, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to give it a try on a Peruvian food adventure. Meanwhile, in the Andean Sacred Valley region, observe the traditional Pachamanca method of cooking. Using a makeshift underground oven, meat and potatoes are covered in stones, hay and earth, and cooked to perfection.

Japan

As one of the most iconic foodie nations on earth, a food tour in Japan is an extraordinary way to take in the country's unique culinary culture. In the ultra-modern city of Tokyo you’ll discover a wide range of bustling food markets, serving everything from fresh seafood to grilled yakitori skewers and delicious sweet mochi balls. Osaka is also famous for its unique dishes, with snacks such as takoyaki (diced octopus fried in dough) and okonomiyaki savoury pancakes. Further north, in the mountainous city of Takayama you’ll find hida-gyu beef from black-haired Japanese cattle raised in the Gifu Prefecture. For everything green tea and matcha, visit Uji, Kyoto.

Morocco

From the lively souks of Marrakech, teeming with aromatic and vibrant spices, to the foothills of Erg Chebbi where you’ll find traditional Madfouna flatbreads - a traditional Berber dish commonly referred to as “desert pizza”, Morocco is full of flavour. Embark on a Morocco food adventure and you’ll have the opportunity to try your hand at making traditional tagine (slow-cooked casserole made in an earthenware pot) as well as traditional couscous topped with lamb.

Italy

Abundant with rustic vineyards and moreish markets, Italy is renowned for its delectable cuisine of pasta, pizza, gelato and much more. Join a food and wine tasting guided tour in Tuscany, stopping in the stunning port city of Livorno, famous for its seafood and scenic canals. Here you’ll visit the 19th-century Mercato delle Vettovaglie, a Neoclassical central market offering fish, cheese, meat and bread. Alternatively, combine food with walking as you explore Puglia on foot. Try your hand at making local orecchiette (‘little ear’) pasta and enjoy a tasting of rich olive oils at a traditional mill.

India

Known for an iconic cuisine that expertly balances spice and flavour, India is a particularly popular destination for vegetarian dining. From street snacks such as masala dosa (a thin lentil-based pancake stuffed with potato curry) to spicy coconut curry home cooked by a local family, the dishes you’ll find here are as nourishing as they are flavourful. On a food tour to India's Kerala region, you’ll also explore the tea plantations of Munnar, learning how the leaves are picked by hand and turned into your favourite morning brew.