Ranging from just £995pp to £1,375pp, these local expert-led tours will take the culinarily curious to Greece, Spain, France and Italy in search of regional delicacies, traditional dishes and the stories behind them all.

One of the most exciting elements of a holiday, for many travellers, is the chance to indulge in an unfamiliar cuisine or, perhaps, to enjoy one they already love in its country of origin. Food is undoubtedly one of the reasons why we travel and, with this in mind, Authentic Adventures has launched a collection of short foodie breaks that will take guests to cities in Italy, Greece, France and Spain. 

Priced between just £995pp and £1,375pp and including return flights from London, this range of food holidays was created in partnership with UK MasterChef host, Gregg Wallace. Each tour will be led by a local expert to ensure that guests are treated to much more than just a mere taste of what's on offer in the destinations visited. Hands-on experiences, cookery classes, behind-the-scenes tours, and personal encounters with producers make up the immersive part of each programme, and other highlights range from regional dishes that tourists might not get to enjoy outside of a group food tour setting, as well as the chance to put food in its cultural context at every step of the way. The hotels for each trip are centrally located, making them ideal for independent exploration where free time is offered, and not all meals are included, which means that guests have the freedom to seek out their own dining spots for at least part of their holiday. 

There are also a number of special experiences included on each departure, which put guests right at the heart of it all. In Parma, head high into the Apennine mountains with a local expert during a woodland hunt for delicious porcini mushrooms. In Seville, be greeted by Manzanilla sherry producers at their cellars for a delicious tasting of this fortified wine. In Provence, there's a visit to a farm to see how fresh goat's cheese is made. Elsewhere, guests can accompany a shepherdess as she herds her flock in Tuscany, there will be a visit to a saffron farm just outside of Thessaloniki, and monks in Sicily will teach the group how to make traditional marzipan fruits. These are real, authentic experiences that are difficult to come by independently and this new collection of food holidays will open them up to eager guests. 

ABTA's 2019 Holiday Habits survey revealed that the most popular type of holiday taken within the past 12 months was a city break (46%), and that the countries on people's radars for the year ahead are Spain (28%), France (16%), Italy (15%) and Greece (13%). Authentic Adventures' European food holidays are city breaks with a gourmet twist and each of the aforementioned destinations is featured, making them well-placed and desirable in the current market.

Parma | Parma ham, Parmesan cheese and porcini mushrooms

A short break in Parma is always indulgent, and this trip is no exception. Guests on this holiday will take part in a cookery class at an agriturismo, there will be a visit to a producer of Parmigiano-Reggiano where different vintages of the cheese can be tasted, they will enjoy a private tour at family-run Parma ham producer, the wines of the area will be sampled during a wine-tasting, there is a scheduled visit to a family-run producer of balsamic vinegar complete with a tasting, and there's the rare chance to head into the Apennine mountains in search of porcini mushrooms. 4 days from 15th – 18th September | From £1,145pp, single supp is £160

Palermo | Mozzarella, marzipan fruit and the markets of Western Sicily

The food in Sicily has a unique characteristic, with street food being perhaps its most well-known offering. This tour includes a walk around Palermo's vibrant markets, a lesson in making traditional marzipan fruits led by the monks of San Francesco, a typical Sicilan cookery class from local chefs, a walk among lemon orchards followed by the chance to sample freshly made limoncello, a tour of Sicilan olive groves and tasting of the olive oil produced there, and a visit to the Biddeci dairy to see fresh mozzarella being made. 5 days from 20th – 24th September | From £1,225pp, single supp is £190

Catania | Pistachios, Etna wines and Aztec chocolate in Eastern Sicily

Explore the Baroque city of Catania and the amazing local food on this holiday. From a walking tour of both the produce and fish markets, to a vineyard visit on the slopes of Etna – this trip is a food-lover's dream. There is an arancini and cannoli cookery class, guests can taste the 'green gold' of Sicily – the celebrated pistachios of Bronte, there is a visit to a Modica chocolatier that still employs the ancient Aztec methods of production, and there's a chance to sample the stretched, DOP-accredited cheese known as Ragusano. 5 days from 27th September – 1st October | From £1,275pp, single supp is £190

Bologna | Pasta, cheese and truffles in Italy's gastronomic capital

If you're looking for Italian classics, this is an ideal foodie break. Take in the vibrant city of Bologna while discovering its culinary heritage through a pasta cookery class at an acclaimed agriturismo, a very special truffle hunt with an experienced tartufaio and his dog in the woods, and a chance to learn how the celebrated Parmigiano-Reggiano is made at a local factory. Guests will also see the incredible balsamic vinegar cellars at Giusti, they will take part in an ice cream workshop at the Gelato University and they will get to sample superb Villa Zarri brandy in Castelmaggiore. Elsewhere, at the Chiarli winery, there will be an introduction to the area's traditional red Lambrusco, complete with a delicious tasting. 4 days from 6th – 9th October | From £1,295pp, single supp is £140

Tuscany | Zeri lamb, traditional breads and Carrara marble-cured pork fat

Discover a different side to the well-known destination of Tuscany on this food tour, which visits parts that may not be familiar to guests. They will learn the art of making a regional herb pie as well as a Lunigiana specialty pasta called testaroli at a traditional cookery class, there's a visit to the Olio Moro olive grove where a pressing will be demonstrated and a tasting can be enjoyed, and guests can join a shepherdess as she herds her flock of prized Zerasca sheep – known for producing the lauded Zeri lamb. Additionally, this tour offers a chance to watch chestnut and panigaccio bread being made, there is a visit to the Clementi China factory where a sample of this bitter liquor awaits, and guests will savour Lardo di Colonnata – pork fat cured in the prized Carrara marble. 5 days from 11th – 15th October | From £1,195pp, single supp is £100

Seville | Iberico ham, Manzanilla sherry and traditional tapas

Andalucian cuisine is simply incredible and this holiday puts it in the spotlight. Enjoy a walking tour around one of Seville's great food markets, take part in a paella cookery class at an olive farm and tour a dairy where the freshest goat's cheese awaits. There will also be a traditional tapas dinner, a chance to sample the world-famous Iberico ham at one of the drying houses and a visit to the Manzanilla sherry cellars of Sanlucar de Barrameda. 5 days from 4th – 8th October | From £1,295pp, single supp is £140

Provence | Lavender, goat's cheese and Chateauneuf-du-Pape

One of the great regions of Europe for the foodie traveller, Provence has so much to offer. Visit a producer of the traditional Provencal sweet calisson, indulge in a cookery class at the outstanding Provence Gourmet in Aix-en-Provence and experience a wine-tasting session at a Chateauneuf-du-Pape vineyard. There is also a chance to learn more about the lavender that puts this area on the map, guests can watch goat's cheese being freshly made, and there is a visit to Confiserie St. Denis that offers an opportunity to taste its candied fruits and chocolate delights. 5 days from 19th – 23rd October | From £1,375pp, single supp is £130

Thessaloniki | Saffron secrets and sublime seafood in Greece's second city

This city's Greek gastronomic credentials are serious and five days there is just enough to cover the main highlights. Partake in a traditional culinary masterclass at LaChef Levi, learn the secrets of the world's most expensive ingredient at a saffron farm and enjoy a special wine-tasting encounter at the renowned Gerovassiliou estate. There is also a visit to Yanni's – a husband-and-wife team that specialises in early-harvest extra virgin olive oil – and a wander around the historic open air Modiano food market. Finally, guests will also be treated to both a fabulous seafood dinner and visit to a pepper farm, where they will see this spicy fruit being transformed into pickles, pepper sauces and more. 5 days from 2nd – 6th November | From £995pp, single supp is £110

To view the tours, click here: https://www.authenticadventures.com/tours/food-holidays/

For the digital version of the dedicated food holidays brochure, click here: https://issuu.com/specialistjourneys/docs/authentic_adventures_food_tours_brochure_2020

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For more information, call Authentic Adventures on 01453 802530 or visit  https://www.authenticadventures.com/tours/food-holidays

For further media information, contact: Martha Whatley, Content Marketing and PR Executive, martha@specialistjourneys.com 

Notes to editors

Part of the Specialist Journeys group, Authentic Adventures is a tour operator that offers special interest holidays ranging from bridge to food. It runs innovative and immersive escapes, created to cater for those with niche interests.