Dreaming of Europe: Foodie Explorations, Hidden Treasures & Travel Stories

When I think of Europe, I think of the perfumed incense inside the Hagia Sophia mosque, walking down a cobbled street in Florence and suddenly seeing the great Duomo for the first time, the fresh air that surrounds you cruising the fjords in Norway, the dramatic sail into Kotor, the sounds of church bells ringing when you sail away from Venice, losing all track of time in the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam, the taste of chilled gazpacho on a summer afternoon in Cádiz. I could go on and on.

The Enchantment of Europe
I have traveled to Europe every year now for the past six or seven years, both on cruises and during other travel experiences, but really it is a place you can visit hundreds of times and not tire of it, you know? Because each time, even in the same city, you discover something new, find a new spot or restaurant, see or experience something different. I’ve been particularly drawn to Europe because I’ve been studying my family genealogy and learning about where our family comes from. I was born in Brazil and grew up there, but my family is from Spain – Murcia, Albacete and the Levant too, the Eastern Mediterranean – so it’s really interesting for me to spend more time in these places and see the influences of the cultures and learn more about the history. For me, I return to Europe again and again probably like so many of you, for the history, the arts, the customs…and of course, the food!

Divine Dining Adventures
Anywhere you go in Europe, you will eat wonderfully and I have fantastic food memories in so many cities. In Cinque Terre, I’ve had the best focaccia, the apple pie was amazing in Amsterdam, we discovered the best gelato shop in Palermo; I always love the palmiers in Bruges; we found delicious churros in Cádiz and the seafood is incredible in Málaga. But I would say that one of the best restaurants I’ve been to in Europe has to be the one we discovered last summer in Portugal during our cruise from Rome to London.

We were docked in Oporto and we traveled to Guimarães, which is only about 45 minutes away by car. This is a beautiful little city known for its medieval hilltop buildings. We had heard about this Michelin-starred restaurant, A Cozinha. From the outside, you can’t even tell it’s a restaurant – it looks like a house, there’s no sign and when you walk in, you feel like you’re in someone’s living room. The mid-century décor, the plates, the glasses, the way the food is plated – every detail of the experience is so beautiful. Every single dish we had was delicious…the fresh traditionally prepared cod, the tuna tartare, the steak, the local soup. At the same time, it’s a very unassuming place. Like Portugal. It’s not trying to be what it’s not.

While we’re on the topic of food in Europe, if you ever find yourself in Bordeaux, do yourself a favor and plan to have lunch at the market that’s right alongside where the ship docks. It’s the quintessential French lunch – fresh baguettes, local cheeses and cured meats, and of course, cannelés and a bottle of refreshing rosé. Really, what else do you need – you are in Bordeaux! It’s simple and is just one of those perfect afternoons in France. This is what it’s all about for me.

Medieval Breton Treasure
Another travel experience that really stands out in my mind is our day in Vannes, France. We had this excursion planned, Historic Vannes, from Lorient and to be honest, I didn’t know what to expect. It is such a fascinating place and one of those lesser-known towns that is really a treasure. The Old Quarter is walled and has these dramatic medieval gates and the entire town has this storybook feel to it…really well-preserved and completely from another time. You can just spend an entire day in the Old Quarter, wandering around and taking it all in. We explored a 12th-century market, stopped at this delicious little bakery for coffee and pastry, visited some of the shops, took in the architecture…beautiful half-timbered houses. It’s a really special place and was such a great discovery for me.

Up Next: Spin the Globe
There’s no doubt I’ll return to Europe again for more travel experiences and I can’t wait for that day. Lately though, I’ve also been dreaming about traveling to Thailand and Vietnam…Indonesia and Japan too – these exotic regions of the world. I think these are probably magical places. I love all their traditions and ceremonies and haven’t traveled to these countries yet. I’m thinking of planning a cruise experience to some of these regions and then discovering the places I want to go back to and spend more time. I have a feeling it will only be the beginning of my adventures in Asia…with many return trips!

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