The Best Food Tours in Europe: 20 Cities Worth Eating Through
The best food tours in Europe, city by city: Bologna, San Sebastián, Rome, Naples, Seville, Porto, Paris, Palermo and more, with what you taste and how to book.
The short version: the best food tour cities in Europe are Bologna (pasta, mortadella and Parmigiano), San Sebastián (pintxos), Rome (Trastevere and Testaccio), Naples (pizza and street food), Lisbon and Porto, Paris, Palermo (street food) and Istanbul. A good food tour lasts three to four hours, keeps groups small, and includes enough tastings to replace a meal. Below are the cities ranked by how much a food tour adds, with a guide and the bookable tours for each.
The best food tour cities at a glance
| City | Signature tastings | Read the guide |
|---|---|---|
| Bologna | Mortadella, tortellini, Parmigiano, tagliatelle al ragù | Bologna food tours |
| San Sebastián | Pintxos, Txakoli, Basque cheesecake | San Sebastián pintxos tours |
| Rome | Supplì, carbonara, pizza al taglio, gelato | Trastevere or Testaccio? |
| Seville | Jamón, salmorejo, sherry, espinacas con garbanzos | Seville tapas tours |
| Porto | Francesinha, bifana, pastéis de nata, port | Porto food tours |
| Paris | Cheese, charcuterie, croissants, wine | Which Paris neighbourhood? |
| Palermo | Arancine, panelle, sfincione, cannoli | Palermo street food glossary |
| Turin | Bicerin, gianduja chocolate, vermouth | Turin food tours |
Italy
Italy has the deepest food tour scene in Europe. Bologna is the one to pick if you only do one: markets, delis and pasta makers within a few streets (Bologna food tours). Rome works best by neighbourhood (Rome food tours), Naples for pizza and fried street food (Naples food tours), Florence for the Mercato Centrale and lampredotto (Florence food tours) and Venice for cicchetti in the bacari (Venice food tours). Smaller cities are often even better value: Milan, Turin, Verona, Lecce and South Tyrol.
Spain
In Spain, the food tour is a tapas or pintxos crawl, and the bar-hopping is the point. Start with San Sebastián, Seville and Madrid; Granada still serves a free tapa with every drink, and Málaga, Córdoba and Santiago de Compostela are less crowded. See all of them in our best tapas and pintxos tours in Spain.
France, Portugal and beyond
In France, pick Paris food tours by neighbourhood, Lyon for bouchons, or the south: Nice, Marseille and Provence’s markets. In Portugal, Porto and Lisbon pair food with port and ginjinha. Further east, try Ljubljana, Split, Vienna and Istanbul’s street food.
How to choose a food tour
Look for small groups (12 or fewer), at least six tastings, a mix of sit-down and standing stops, and drinks included. Morning tours catch markets at their best; evening tours are better for tapas, pintxos and wine. Tell the operator about dietary needs when you book, and arrive hungry.
Our pick: if you only take one food tour in Europe, make it the Bologna Secret Food Walking Tour, which works through mortadella, Parmigiano, fresh pasta and local wine in the old market streets.
Compare every city: the best food tours in Italy.
Frequently asked questions
Which European city has the best food tours?
Bologna is the strongest all-rounder, with San Sebastián best for pintxos and Rome, Naples and Palermo close behind for street food.
How long does a food tour last?
Usually three to four hours, with six to ten tastings, which is enough to replace lunch or dinner.
Are food tours worth it?
Yes, especially on your first day in a city: a local guide shows you what to order, where locals eat and which places to come back to.
Book a food tour
Compare food tours in the best European food cities, or browse street food tours.
