Travel hotlist 2020
Planning your holidays? From city breaks to indulgent beach retreats and active outdoor getaways, we reveal the foodie destinations to visit this year
Galway, Ireland
Billed as Ireland’s largest-ever cultural programme, Galway is hosting over 1,900 arts and culture events during its reign as the 2020 European Capital of Culture. In 2018, Co Galway was recognised as Ireland’s first European Region of Gastronomy due to its blossoming culinary credentials, so it’s no surprise that food will play a major part in the programme. The city is at the heart of Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way, so while you’re enjoying this year’s stellar arts line-up, look out for treats harvested from the landscape surrounding Galway, from heather-grazed lamb and shellfish freshly plucked from the coast and myriad adjacent islands, to the refined dishes of Michelin-starred Aniar (aniarrestaurant.ie) and hearty Irish breakfasts at The Quay House (thequayhouse.com), the Good Hotel Guide’s Irish B&B for 2020, set in a 19th-century harbourmaster’s home.
Lyon, France
If you need an excuse to visit France’s de facto culinary capital, the launch of the country’s first International City of Gastronomy is it. UNESCO granted French gastronomy Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity status in 2010, encouraging the establishment of four cities of gastronomy: Dijon, Tours, Paris-rungis and now, Lyon. Launched in October, Lyon’s debut is permanently set in the 12th-century Grand Hôtel-dieu, a historic building that’s more of a culinary centre than a museum (citegastronomielyon.fr). It houses exhibits on nutrition, interactive features for kids and wannabe cooks, show kitchens that host demos and tastings led by guest chefs, and showings of foodie French movies. While there, make a pilgrimage to the late Paul Bocuse’s crucible of nouvelle cuisine, l’auberge du pont de Collongnes (bocuse.fr) or the food
stalls of Les Halles de Lyon (halles-de-lyon-paulbocuse.com).
Scotland
This is the Year of Coast & Waters in Scotland, a celebration of the country’s white sand beaches, soaring cliffs and sea stacks. The coasts, canals, islands and lochs have helped shape Scotland’s cultural landscape, including everything culinary. The growing crop of food tours and experiences are a huge incentive for travellers, who can forage for shellfish, taste peaty whisky and Scotland’s expanding range of gin, or try a hands-on cookery class, such as one at Nick Nairn Cook School (nicknairncookschool.com). Plus, with a wealth of diving, kayaking, coastal rowing, windsurfing, wild swimming and sailing options available, you’re sure to work up an appetite. visitscotland.com
Netherlands
With plenty of carbon-friendly transport links from the UK, nipping to the Netherlands is a temptation not to resist. The country is celebrating 75 years of freedom since the end of the Second World War. All of its 12 provinces will host events that put Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht, Maastricht, Delft and Amsterdam, in the spotlight. The latter (under four hours, direct from London on Eurostar) has a burgeoning sustainable food scene. From Bolenius (bolenius-restaurant.nl ), with a menu of 80 per cent native vegetables, to De Kas (restaurant dekas.com), set in a greenhouse and serving home-grown produce, new Dutch cuisine abounds. Rotterdam (three hours, direct from London on Eurostar) is home to hipster Fenix Food Factory
( fenixfoodfactory.nl ) and FG Food Labs, one of the city’s eight Michelin-starred venues ( fgfoodlabs.nl ). holland.com
Cádiz, Spain
Tucked away in the southwest corner of Spain, this Andalucian province on the Atlantic is almost unknown compared to resorts on the nearby Costa del Sol – and this makes its golden sand beaches, known as the Costa de la Luz (Coast of Light) even more appealing. Don’t miss the urban thrills of Jerez and its sherry bodegas, and Cádiz, where the
Saturday market is a must (pick up some preserved almadraba tuna). Meanwhile, the unassuming hilltop town of Vejer de la Frontera has whitewashed streets lined with affordable restaurants, tapas bars and, as of 2019, the Califa Hammam, the first traditional Moorish bathhouse to open in town for centuries. The bathhouse is the brainchild of the local Califa Group, responsible for a number of notable restaurants and the newly opened Hotel Plaza 18, a six-room boutique hotel in a converted 19th-century merchant’s house (califavejer.com). Get the most out of the area with foodie tours, producer visits and cooking classes organised by expat Scot and long-standing Vejer resident, Annie B (anniebspain.com).