A Guide to What to Eat in Europe: 6 Cities for Food Lovers

One of the great pleasures of a rail journey across Europe is that you can meander from one city to the next, sampling local dishes and iconic cuisine in each region. Eating your way around Europe allows you to experience different cultures and traditions through your tastebuds. You’ll be amazed at the variety of dishes and street foods available…

Copenhagen, Denmark

Munich, Germany

German cuisine is generally rich in meat, particularly sausages which are available with various seasonings and flavours. They range from the 20cm-long Thüringer Rostbratwurst (delicious with a dollop of mustard) to the white veal Weisswürste (packed with parsley, cardamom and ginger) and Currywurst (a popular fast food spiced up with curry ketchup). For traditional Bavarian cuisine in Munich, head to Ratskeller München in Marienplatz. Order a basket of pretzels to go with your beer, then choose from numerous types of Bratwurst as well as other local dishes, such as potato soup and pork knuckle.

Naples, Italy

Palermo, Italy

Italian Mediterranean cuisine is steeped in history and strongly influenced by neighbouring countries. The Romans employed Greek bakers to produce bread, while pasta was introduced by Arabs when they invaded Sicily in the 8th century. Palermo, Sicily’s main town, offers a vibrant range of tastes, including some interesting street foods. Head to Ballaro or one of the city’s other ancient food markets to sample Arancina (stuffed balls of rice with a Bolognese or béchamel sauce), Panino con le panelle (fried chickpea fritters in a sesame-seed bun), Pane con le milza (a sandwich stuffed with veal spleen) and Sfincione (thick pizza bread with tomato sauce, onion, cheese, anchovies and olive oil). For a typical pasta dish, try Pasta con le sarde with sardines, fennel, pine kernels and sultanas.

San Sebastian, Spain

Vienna, Austria

Traditional Austrian dishes include simple but hearty vegetable soups, cabbage noodles (Krautfleckerl) and potato dumplings (Erdäpfelknödel), sometimes served with beef or wild game. But iconic Viennese favourites steal the limelight. The Viennese cutlet, or Wiener Schnitzel, is thin, breaded, pan-fried veal or pork, often accompanied by a wedge of lemon and parsley potatoes, while Apfelstrudel (apple strudel) is a rum and cinnamon flavoured pastry with raisins that’s particularly delicious drenched in custard. Dating from 1905 and located in the heart of Vienna, Figlmüller Wollzeile is known as ‘The Home of the Schnitzel’. Vegans needn’t shy away – a pea protein schnitzel is also on the menu.

Feeling inspired?

Or perhaps hungry? Visit the cities described above on one of our European rail journeys, departing from London. Options include the 15-night South to Sicily itinerary featuring both Naples and Palermo, and a choice of Scandinavian journeys travelling through Copenhagen.

If you have any questions about any of our rail itineraries, call us on 01737 214 250, or you can send an enquiry to our travel specialists to start discussing your options.