Participating in food experiences is one of the best ways to learn about the culture, community and history of a destination.
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And in Europe, myriad hyperlocal specialities can also lead you off the (b)eaten track and away from the crowds.
From a newly developed blackcurrant trail in France to a historic route used by fishermen in Spain, here are five food roads to follow for a mouthwatering trip in Europe.
Discover Burgundy’s ‘black gold’
The Burgundy region of France is renowned for its grapes, but another fruit also has deep roots in the area.
Blackcurrants have grown here since the 17th century, introduced by monks who cultivated them for their medicinal properties. They are now used to make iconic products like the alcoholic liqueur Crème de Cassis de Bourgogne.
The berries are also now the protagonists of a new gastronomic tourist itinerary through the region.
The Route du Cassis, or Blackcurrant Route, stretches more than 55 kilometres, beginning at Le Cassissium in Nuits-Saint-Georges. The museum tells the history of Burgundy’s ‘black gold’ and its derivative products, and offers tastings of foods and drinks made using the fruit.
As the road winds towards Dijon, you can pause at family-run farms to sample fruit jams and butters, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and condiments like blackcurrant ketchup.
Visitors can follow the route on foot or by bike, guided by the Balades en Bourgogne app, which features geo-located maps and audio anecdotes.
Follow Spain’s olive oil trails
In 2025, a vast network of trails was mapped across Spain dedicated to one of the country’s most valuable products: olive oil.
Oleotourism Spain brings together more than 100 gastronomic experiences across eight provinces, with the aim of drawing tourists away from crowded hotspots in favour of rural communities and landscapes.
Near Córdoba, you can follow the Olive Oil Greenway (Vía Verde del Aceite), a path reusing the railway route of an old Oil Train. It passes through olive groves and over historic metal viaducts.
In villages along the way, you can stop to tour traditional presses and olive oil museums.
The Serra Calderona Natural Park in Valencia is perfect for exploring on foot or by bike. Visitors can stop at nearby villages like Olocau, Gàtova, and Segorbe for tastings of rare oils from trees that are hundreds of years old.
In the Huelva province, the oil trail in Beas meanders through olive-growing estates, where you can join gastronomic workshops and guided tastings.
Sniff out Italy’s Dolomites cheese route
In northern Italy, the Dolomites Cheese Route runs through the picturesque Valle di Primiero, Val di Fiemme and Val di Fassa, where alpine gastronomic traditions have been practised for centuries.
En route, you can stop in dairies, mountain huts and restaurants for cheeses like the pungent puzzone di Moena, goat ricotta, and slices of the fresh cheese tosèla browned in butter in a pan.
In between, you can walk off the calories along paths winding through wildflower meadows and dense forests in the shadow of majestic peaks.
Trace fishermen’s footsteps through Spain’s Basque Country
The 166-kilometre Wine and Fish route meanders through Spain’s Basque Country, following a historic trade route used by fishermen and farmers.
The trail begins in the historic town of Oyón before, as the name suggests, tracking through vine-draped landscapes and scaling the Cantabrian Mountains.
Opportunities to stop off and taste the region’s fish specialities abound. In the small town of Getaria, you can tour an anchovy factory, while in Pasaia, you can feast in fishing taverns and family-run seafood restaurants.
Hike Bavaria’s beer hop trail
In Germany, beer lovers can hike or cycle along a 170-kilometre route right through the heart of the world’s largest hop-growing area.
The Hallertau Hop Trail starts just outside Munich. Along the route, there are information signs that tell visitors about the region’s ‘green gold’, which grows on seven-metre-high frames all the way along the paths.
Every now and again, you can spot tower-like kilns where the hops are dried. If you undertake the journey in September, you can also watch the harvest get underway.
There are plenty of breweries for refreshments en route. At Gasthaus Spitzer in the town of Osterwaal, you can also try slow food dishes seasoned with hops.
Pause in Wolnzach to admire the maypoles in the town square and visit the German Hops Museum.