Travelling around Europe is a culinary treat. There is so much excellent food, from local delicacies to universally adored dishes, from gyros to Belgian waffles. The continent’s different food festivals are among the best ways to experience European food. You can find a celebration to suit all tastebuds all around the year.
Foodies Festival, Brighton, UK - 29 April-1 May
The beautiful seaside of Brighton is home to one of the UK’s biggest food festivals. Foodies Festival has everything from tasty street food to gourmet treats and artisan dishes. The festival hosts live cooking sessions with the world’s best cooks, talks all things food and lets you sample plenty of treats and drinks. You’ll also have live music throughout the day.
Foodies Festival UK isn’t just a single festival event, either! If you can’t make it to Brighton on the dates, you could go to Cardiff (6 May - 8 May), St Albans (2 June - 4 June) or Glasgow (11 August - 13 August). These are just a few dates, so please check the official website for more!
Proeft Food Festival, Antwerpen, Belgium - 18-21 May
Antwerpen Proeft or Antwerpen Tastes offers some of the best food experiences in Europe. The festival will celebrate its fifteenth year in 2023, so you can expect a jubilant atmosphere. The multi-day event treats visitors with European and international flavours - you can even enjoy the famous afternoon tea by Fortnum & Mason. Many dishes are low priced, so the festival isn’t going to break the bank. The festival takes place at the Waagnatie, in the Eilandje district, with indoor and outdoor food stands to guarantee you can enjoy the food no matter the weather!
Smaka, Stockholm, Sweden - 1-6 June
For 30 years, over 350 000 visitors have enjoyed great culinary experiences at one of the world’s largest food festivals in Sweden. Smaka - Good Food Festival takes place in Stockholm in a beautiful setting. The city’s top restaurants also have special offers during the festival and many other events across theatres and bars. The festival focuses on sustainability and the environment, so it’s the perfect way to learn how to enjoy great food sustainably. Don’t forget to try local delicacies like Swedish meatballs and the delicious Princesstårta!
Santo Antonio Festival, Lisbon, Portugal - 12-14 June
Portugal is known for its sunny beaches, tasty pastel de natas and delicious grilled food. There is no better way to experience the country’s culinary treats than during the Santo Antonio Festival in Lisbon.
The annual fiesta is dedicated to Saint Anthony, the patron Saint of Lisbon and the flavoursome little sea creature of sardines. That’s right! The smoky aroma of grilled sardines will fill the city streets with Portuguese cabbage soup and sangria. The city will party long into the night, as the festival has a bit of a Rio-like carnival atmosphere throughout the weekend. So even if the sardines don’t immediately attract you, consider this tasty European food festival for a fun and flavoursome experience.
Stragusto Food Festival, Trapani, Italy - 26-30 July
It’s impossible to talk about European food without Italy. The home of pizza and pasta has such a rich culinary history that you need to experience its flavourful offerings at least once. The Stragusto Food Festival in Sicily is the perfect opportunity to do that! The street food festival provides all the best Mediterranean food, from regional delicacies to Italy’s favourite dishes.
The city of Trapani hosts this annual festival, and the setting couldn’t be any more iconic. The historical fish market offers panoramic views of the sea, and the beautiful live music will make the food taste just that much better.
Copenhagen Cooking, Copenhagen, Denmark - 18-27 August
The Nordic nations are big foodies. If you have to skip the Stockholm food festival, then you could find yourself in neighbouring Denmark.
Copenhagen Cooking is a wonderful annual food festival celebrating local delicacies. The multi-day event has plenty of unique opportunities to participate in street food parties to cooking showdowns. The ten-day event takes place across the city - you can eat in the city’s award-winning restaurants or participate in one of the events at local parks.
Gourmet Festival, Düsseldorf, Germany - 25-27 August
The end of August is the perfect time to book a trip to Düsseldorf and explore the city’s stunning Gourmet Festival. The festival offers the best quality food, from organic delicacies to craft cocktails. The famous Königsallee is excellent for food inspiration and professional cooking tips. The festival typically has hundreds of exhibitors showcasing their best treats for foodie lovers.
If you can’t make it to Düsseldorf, check out the same festival in Mönchengladbach (14-16 July) and Cologne (28-30 July).
Fiesta del Marisco, O Grove, Spain - 5-15 October
All lovers of seafood should rush to Spain at the start of October. The Spanish city of O Grove in Galicia has celebrated the best seafood since 1963, making it one of the region’s oldest festivals. The seafood festival’s notable hits are always mussels and turbot. But you can also enjoy plenty of shrimp, crayfish and oyster dishes. There are lots of opportunities to taste some traditional seafood paella, too!
Aside from the incredible food, you can enjoy the beautiful seaside city and its long beaches. There are plenty of dance and music events, as well as educational activities that tell you all about the surrounding sea and its wonderful offerings.
Vegfest, London, UK - 18-19 November
Vegetarians, vegans and lovers of vegetarian food should explore London’s Olympia National venue in November. The iconic venue hosts a huge festival celebrating vegan food in all its glory. You can sample the best vegan dishes to learning more about the lifestyle and delicacies.
The 2023 show will focus on fitness and health, so expect to learn more about holistic health and optimum nutrition. Whether you are an older vegan, a new convert or just interested in what the food offers, the Vegfest is an excellent festival to experience.
Onion Market, Bern, Switzerland - 27 November
European food festivals always offer something for adventurous minds. The Onion Market in Bern is an exemplary example of such a festival. The traditional Zibelemärit fills the Old Town with a stunning array of onions and Glühwein.
The market opens at 6 am when locals and tourists fill the quaint streets to admire braids of onions and garlands. The festival is all about the onion, so you can fill your tummy with onion pizzas, sausages and tarts. If the onions are too much, treat your tastebuds with the local Magenbrot cookies!
Explore European food festivals in 2023
2023 promises to be yet another fantastic year for foodies. The above festivals are bound to treat your tastebuds to extraordinary and unique flavours. But European food scenes offer plenty more for taste travellers. You could head to Napoli’s famous pizza festival, celebrate all things beer during Oktoberfest or explore the region’s Christmas markets for seasonal treats. So whip out your calendar and go on to make delicious food discoveries throughout Europe.
