Foodie trips for 2026

Travel a few hours by train across Europe and the languages, landscapes, and ingredients change entirely. Butter gives way to olive oil. Beer becomes wine, then vodka and rakija. Recipes evolve with geography, religion, and trade routes, and the best way to understand the heritage and richness of a place is through food.

Slow travel is the perfect pairing to a food-focused adventure, letting the journey shape where and how you eat. Breakfast in a capital city, lunch on the beach, dinner high in the mountains, with the varied terroir providing what ends up on the plate. 

In 2026, several European cities are stepping confidently into the spotlight thanks to new food movements, major gastronomic events, and a renewed focus on local produce. These are places where the dining scene feels alive right now, and where arriving by train adds to the pleasure.

Niels Bosman

Northern French gastronomy: Rouen

Although Lyon remains better known as France’s culinary capital, Rouen has taken on a different label. Awarded the UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy label in 2021, it’s the only city in France to hold the designation. The focus is on short supply chains, local producers, and chefs, backed by a long-term program running through 2026. This includes chef-led foraging and food-picking experiences, as well as large-scale events such as Rouen à Table! that bring chefs, bakers, cheesemakers, and growers into the streets. 2026 will be the culminating year of this award, showcasing the full gastronomical glory of Rouen. 

Fertile Seine Valley soils, rich dairy farming, and nearby coastline shape local menus built around cream, butter, apples, and seafood. Expect classics like sole à la normande, gently cooked with cider and cream, or Duclair duck with apples and Calvados. Restaurants such as La Couronne, which claims to be France’s oldest inn (established in 1345), and the more contemporary, L'ODAS, a one Michelin star restaurant, show how tradition and modern technique sit comfortably side by side. Morning markets around Place du Vieux-Marché and along the Seine are at their best early, when bakers, cheesemongers, and fish sellers are setting up.

Take a slow travel trip by train to Rouen. 

Michael Fousert

Heritage and New Nordic cuisine in Bergen

Another UNESCO City of Gastronomy, Bergen is one of Europe’s most compelling food cities to visit in 2026. The designation was awarded for Bergen’s long-standing relationship with the sea, its preservation of traditions, and its close collaboration between chefs, fishermen, and producers. By 2026, those values will be fully embedded across the city, from market stalls to Michelin-starred dining rooms.

The fish market remains central, where shrimp, halibut, and king crab are eaten overlooking the harbor, reinforcing a local food culture built on proximity and seasonality. That same philosophy carries through to Bergen’s Michelin-starred restaurants, including Lysverket, where coastal recipes with a New Nordic twist reflect the city’s modern edge. Alongside this new wave of cuisine, traditional cooking with local ingredients still shines. Pingvinen, a relaxed, homey spot, is the best place to taste the classics. Think plukkfisk, a creamy cod and potato dish, and kjøttkaker, Norway’s traditional meatballs.

Bergen’s gastronomic identity isn't limited to food. The city has become a craft beer hub, drawing on the city's past as a trading port and Norway’s growing brewing scene. This year, that culture is celebrated in August at Bergen Ølfestival 2026, which brings brewers, producers, and drinkers together alongside the city’s broader food calendar. Together, Bergen’s Michelin kitchens, everyday cooking, and beer culture show how history and New Nordic principles shape the city’s food scene at every level.

Travel through Northern Europe by train on a slow travel trip to Bergen. 

Nguyen Dang Hoang Nhu

Sun, saffron, and chefs, à la Marseille

Marseille has always cooked with confidence, but 2026 marks a turning point. In March, chefs from 24 countries will descend on the city for the biennial world chef championship, the Bocuse d’Or Europe. It’s the first time the event will be held in the city, and the competition will involve ambitious chefs creating one meat and one fish course in front of a live audience.

Bouillabaisse is the city’s most famous dish, and one it takes seriously. The rich broth is built from Mediterranean rockfish, saffron, fennel, and orange peel, served separately from the fish with rouille and crisp bread. Bouillabaisse here is a ritual, governed by rules and fiercely defended, and this year, the city will stage the finals of the first Bouillabaisse World Championship. Eat it at places like Chez Fonfon, overlooking the Port du Vallon des Auffes.

Beyond seafood, Marseille’s food scene reflects its North African, Italian, and Provençal heritage. Spiced lamb, panisse made from chickpea flour, wood-fired pizzas, and vibrant vegetable dishes all feature. In the Noailles district, casual spots like La Boîte à Panisse and Farfalou specialize in the city’s chickpea-based classics. Afterward, head to Cours Julien, the heart of Marseille’s bohemian quarter, for the city’s classic licorice-based drink, pastis, or cocktails that are also pushing the envelope at bars like Le Champ de Mars and Paloma.

Travel south on a short getaway by train to Marseille.

ADEV

Sarajevo's traditional flavors

The capital of Bosnia, Sarajevo, is one of Europe’s most distinctive food cities, shaped by centuries of Balkan flavors and Ottoman influence, layered with Austro-Hungarian touches. While many European cities chase reinvention, Sarajevo’s food culture continues to operate on continuity, affordability, and local tastes, increasingly valued by travelers looking for food that reflects real life rather than trend cycles. As growing popularity begins to reshape the city, 2026 feels like the moment to eat here while those traditions are still at the heart of the city's cuisine.

The heart of the food scene is Baščaršija, the old bazaar district, where grills smoke from early morning and cafes pour strong Bosnian coffee in traditional copper pots. At places like Ćevabdžinica Željo or Petica Ferhatović, plates of ćevapi arrive hot and simple, served with fluffy somun bread and chopped onion, satisfying and inexpensive. Nearby bakeries, such as Buregdžinica Sač, specializes in burek, layered pastry filled with meat or cheese, traditionally eaten with a glass of jogurt, a thin, savory drinking yogurt that cuts through the richness of the pastry perfectly.

Coffee here should never be rushed. Cafés like Caffe Divan  serve Bosnian coffee the old way, poured from a copper džezva and accompanied by a cube of sugar, in Ottoman-style interiors with low stools, wooden tables and patterned textiles. In warmer months, terraces take over the streets, making it easy to sit, talk and watch the world go by.

Traverse Europe on a slow travel adventure to Bosnia, including Sarajevo.

Veronika Hradilova

A new taste of Andalusia

In 2026, Seville’s food scene feels confident. One of Spain’s most beautiful cities, a generation of young chefs in the city is reshaping how Andalusian cooking is expressed, focusing on refining classic flavors. Clarity of flavor, technical confidence, and a renewed respect for Andalusian produce are the key to this revived dining culture.

At Casa Orzáez, the focus is on market cuisine and organic food, with cheese being the star of the show.  Sr. Cangrejo brings a looser, more playful energy, pairing raw and lightly cured seafood with sharp sauces and an informal counter-dining format. Meanwhile, Leartá and Barra Baja take classic Andalusian ingredients up a notch, favoring depth of flavor over visual theatrics. Together, they signal a city comfortable looking forward without abandoning its roots.

Seville’s after-dark energy mirrors this rejuvenation. Cocktail bars like Naked and Famous reinterpret historic Sevillian flavors using modern techniques, while Tremenda Muela focuses on Cuban-inspired cocktails served in a cozy, dimly lit setting. The result is a Seville that feels lively, refreshed, and exciting in its newfound confidence.

Explore Seville and the ancient cities of Spain on a slow travel trip by train.

Liam Mckay

Budapest’s booming food scene

Hungary’s capital, Budapest's dining scene is expanding. Alongside its traditional cooking, which still anchors the food scene at institutions such as Rosenstein Vendéglő, new chefs, markets, and specialty restaurants are broadening how and where the city eats. 

Michelin stars are appearing steadily throughout the city, and places like Borkonyha show how top-quality Hungarian ingredients translate into more contemporary cooking, particularly when paired with the country’s increasingly confident wine scene. The recent opening of Time Out Market Budapest, the first of its kind in Central Europe, has added fresh energy to the food hall scene, bringing together some of the city’s best-known kitchens under one roof. 

Budapest’s plant-based scene is also growing quickly. Napfényes Étterem offers a vegan menu of Hungarian classics, while Tökmag Vegan Street Food offers casual, health-focused plant-based food. 

Despite the momentum, Budapest remains an excellent value for dining. Two-course lunch menus at local bistros are often outstanding, and wine and beer prices stay refreshingly low. And between meals, Budapest’s ruin bars always provide a relaxed backdrop for long evenings.

Visit Central Europe on a rail adventure including Budapest.

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