You haven’t truly lived until you’ve experienced new cuisine in a foreign country. There’s something so satisfying about breaking bread overseas and indulging in new scents, authentic flavors, and rich culinary experiences. Considering that most people usually eat three meals a day, food is a pretty important aspect to consider when making your travel plans. If you love food, why not devote your getaway to experiencing cultural meals in different parts of the world? If you’ve never traveled for the food before, read on for our favorite reasons why you should! Bon appétit!

1.) Discover new flavors

The number one reason why people should travel for the food is the discovery of new flavors. You don’t necessarily have to be a “foodie” to enjoy a local culture’s cuisine, though.  Everyone eats and you’d be denying yourself some amazing flavors if you don’t indulge in some local foods while you’re traveling the world. Some fruits, spices, and grains are only found regionally in small parts of the world so you’d never get to experience them outside of traveling to those areas.

With the plethora of amazing bucket-list cities that comprise Europe, it’s hard to consider traveling to that beautiful continent without visiting a top tourist destination like Rome, Paris, or Madrid. But those travelers that want an authentic European vacation know that they have to travel outside of the main thoroughfares to smaller cities. Although these small cities may be a bit off the beaten path, they’re just as beautiful and much less crowded (not to mention easier on the wallet) than their more popular counterparts. If you’re looking for a truly unique experience the next time you travel to Europe, consider one of these fabulous hidden gems!

1. Kotor, Montenegro 

Cruise lovers have known about this “secret” spot for a while, but I’ve found that the regular traveler doesn’t even know where Kotor is! This medieval city is at the tip of the bay wedged between mountain peaks which provide some of the most unique and moody atmospheric conditions. If the photo opportunities aren’t enough to make you want to visit, the area also offers vast sightseeing opportunities with medieval castles and churches, plenty of activities between the mountains and the coastline and let’s not forget the delicious, fresh food that is sure to please any gourmand. 

Themed travel isn’t a new concept, but it wasn’t always the most popular slice of the travel pie. 20 years ago, you had to be downright fanatical to take a trip centered around pop culture themes like movies, books, TV shows or bands. But this concept of traveling with a theme has been steadily gaining traction in recent years thanks to movies like ‘Wild’ and ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ as well as the advent of tour companies that offer curated experiences for travelers suffering from tourism boredom.

Theme Idea: Explore (and camp!) the west coast in a classic car.

Now, there’s no shortage of themed trips to be had. You can take a trip centered around a hobby, event or just something you enjoy. You can do everything from a nudist cruise to a ‘Jurassic Park‘ trek through the jungle. Some people take road trips based around famous hamburger joints and others vacation at resorts featuring their favorite comedians. No matter where your interests lie, there’s a trip that’s perfect for you. Let us help you find it with our guide to traveling with a theme!