- The International Kitchen
- Hidden Gems
Our Hidden Gems Food Tours
Amalfi Coast Culinary Vacations: Mediterranean Cooking Experience
Testimonials From Happy Travellers
What is a Hidden Gem Culinary Vacation?
How do we definite a hidden gem? To us at The International Kitchen, a hidden gem cooking vacation is unexpected in some way. It is not necessarily “hidden” in the sense that it is in a remote area, those are what we call off-the-beaten-path culinary tours. But it can be hidden in plain sight, something different and unexpected, and we think precious, even in the heart of our most popular cooking vacation destinations. For instance, a food tour in Florence that is utterly a unique travel destination, or a wine tour in Burgundy that goes beyond the normal wine tastings in some way.
Our hidden gem cooking vacations are also, as we mentioned, precious in some way. They might quite simply be stunningly deluxe, or they might offer the value of authenticity, but in some way they rise above other culinary tours to offer something, we at The International Kitchen hold dear.
Of course, our hidden gem cooking vacations also offer everything you would expect of a culinary tour with The International Kitchen. There are wonderful boutique accommodations, hands-on cooking classes featuring local and regional dishes, both traditional and innovative gastronomy, fabulous food and wines, and excursions to local sites. These excursions could be to a museum or monument, or to foodie sites to see cheese producers, olive oil mills, butchers, bakers, and more.
At heart, we consider all of our cooking vacations and foodie tours hidden gems, or we wouldn’t be offering them to our culinary travelers. But we have pinpointed a handful that to us stand out in some way, including the following culinary tours.
FAQ about Hidden Gems in Food Travel
-
How to find hidden gems while traveling?
The best hidden gems often lie just beyond popular destinations. In Italy, while tourists crowd Florence and Rome, we’ve discovered treasures like Spoleto’s ancient culinary traditions, the pristine Italian Riviera around Sanremo and Portofino, and authentic Amalfi Coast towns like Minori. Look for places where local life still dominates — where markets cater to residents rather than tourists, where traditional recipes are still passed down through generations, and where the pace of life remains authentically local.
-
What countries have the most hidden gems?
While many travelers focus on famous destinations, we’ve discovered extraordinary experiences in unexpected places:
- Italy’s lesser-known regions like Liguria, where coastal towns offer authentic cooking traditions,
- The French countryside, particularly in regions like Gascony where traditional farming and cooking methods prevail,
- Greece’s smaller islands and mainland destinations where authentic tavernas preserve age-old recipes,
- Portugal’s Evora region, where ancient traditions meet modern gastronomy,
- Mexico’s inland cities like Puebla and Oaxaca, where complex culinary heritage remains intact.
