From luxurious road trips in Italy, to the freshest food in Spain and exciting travel adventures in Scandinavia and The Baltics, find out the best places to travel to in Europe here, in my Europe travel blogs.
Happy exploring!
“Well the view’s not bad… I wonder what the food’s like?”
My words as we wandered into The Old Orchard pub after an hour and a half walking along the nearby canal towpath. It’s located in Harefield – an area of outstanding natural beauty, with locks, small cottages, decorated narrow boats and flowers everywhere. We visited on a bright, sunny April afternoon, and we had certainly worked up quite an appetite!
The history and culture of a place is best told through its cuisine.
Food is at the heart of every community and is heavily influenced by surroundings and situations. So, when I was invited to take a food tour of a Barcelona neighbourhood that I didn’t know… I couldn’t resist!
Devour Barcelona Food Tours, the sister company to the already successful Madrid Food Tour was set up in September. It took the organisers months to research the Gràcia area and find the best eateries to showcase what the neighbourhood is all about.
I met tour guide Renee on Passeig de Gràcia on a cold but sunny February morning. She was a young American girl with a huge passion for history, architecture, Catalan culture, and most of all –food! Over the next four hours she guided me through the streets to a variety of cafes and restaurants.
Dating back well over 100 years, Pasteleria Escribà is the most famous patisserie in Barcelona. With stores on Las Ramblas and Gran Via, it is a cake shop with a difference. Christian Escribà and his team are famed for creating awe-inspiring sugary masterpieces.
Over the years they’ve made exploding cakes, signature red lip truffles, sugar jewellery, chocolate walls, edible landscapes, and more. Nothing is impossible! When I spent the morning at their home on Gran Via, I felt like I was entering Willy Wonka’s famous factory, and I didn’t even have a golden ticket!