Eating is always one of everybody’s favorite activities when traveling–sampling local dishes, discovering regional specialties, and seeking out tucked-away restaurants. Why not take it a step further and take a cooking class in one of the world’s many unique locales? Culinary experiences are not only a lot of fun and let you learn a new skill, they also provide an immersion into the daily lives of the locals and their culture.

France

In the Aquitaine region of southwest France, Caroline Feely of the Chateau Haut Garrigue vineyards leads French Wine Adventures, offering gourmet food and wine pairings along with hands-on wine workshops, allowing you to play winemaker for a day. Caroline and her husband, Sean, have owned the organic winemaking chateau for five years; and as they are Irish and South African, classes are conducted in English as well as French.

Nearby, Simply Canvas offers a unique eco-camping holiday in luxurious safari tents, along with a culinary adventure that is largely sourced from the organic gardens of owners Sandra and Santi, as well as regional wine and food producers. You can assist in the kitchen, or simply sit back and enjoy the results in the lavender and wildflower gardens that fill the property.

Italy

Amidst the rolling green hills and russet rooftops of Tuscany, Villa San Michele in Florence offers a range of cooking classes from internationally-renowned chefs. At this former monastery-turned-hotel, visitors discover how to prepare the regional cuisine, combined with trips to Chianti, wine tastings, and visits to Florence for boutique shopping and museums. The courses are varied, from traditional pasta and Tuscan specialties to cooking for one in their “Singles” course, and a compact class tailored for children ages eight to 14. Small class sizes mean that each student has a hands-on experience alongside the chef; classes are in English and suitable for every level of expertise.

Spain

Its proximity to Africa has lent Spain a spicy exoticism unlike anywhere else in Europe. Here you will find ahead-of-their-time artists, enjoy late evenings over tapas and sangria, outrageous food-flinging fiestas, see stomping flamenco dancers and sample some of the most inventive cuisine in the world. River barge cruises are a very European way to travel, and Frontiers Elegant Journeys offers a tapas tour in San Sebastian, where you can also sample the vintage Rioja wines that the region is famous for. Private cooking lessons, in the barge’s fully equipped gourmet demonstration kitchen or on shore, can also be arranged.

Hungary

There’s more to Hungarian cuisine than paprika and goulash. This Eastern European country offers a wealth of UNESCO World Heritage sites, delicious cuisine, and plenty of local cultural traditions. Carolyn and Gábor Bánfalvi wrote a couple of culinary guidebooks on Hungarian food and wine, and started Taste Hungary as an outlet for introducing travelers to the authentic tastes and flavors of Hungary. With the Bánfalvis, you can visit food artisans, winemakers, market halls, swank Budapest restaurants and rustic family-run village inns–all with a small group of no more than eight. Tours are individually structured and special requests can easily be incorporated, and range from day trips to week-long tours that include accommodations.

Sweden

Skåne has become a centre for gastronomy and food technology. Food has always been an important part of daily life in Skåne, but you may be surprised that Swedish food is much more than smoked herring. The culinary arts of the Scandinavian country enjoy dynamic development as skilled and innovative chefs create new dishes made from traditional ingredients such as eel, beef, lamb, wild game, fowl and regional vegetables. With Travel Gate Sweden, you can enjoy a full gastronomic experience at the baroque 16th century Trollenäs Castle, or the Citadellet Fortress in Landskrona, where you can choose your time period such as medieval or renaissance.

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Image One: Villa San Michele

Image Two: JLastra