How Food Can Be the Best Guidebook
One of the first things I do when I arrive in a new city? I don’t grab a map or head straight to the nearest attraction. I go looking for food.
Because food is more than just fuel when you’re travelling. It’s a way into the heart of a place. It tells you about its history, its culture, and its people. It’s a guidebook you can eat, one that leads you to hidden streets, small family-owned cafés, and conversations you’d never have otherwise.
When I look back on my trips, it’s often the food I remember most vividly. The flaky croissant eaten in a Paris café. The steaming hot waffle from a Brussels street stall. The pizza in Naples that ruined all other pizzas for me.
Food grounds you in the place you’re in. And when you let it lead the way, you don’t just visit a city, you taste it.
Here’s why food is the best guidebook, with some of my favourite European foodie experiences that prove it.
🥖 Paris: Croissants and Coffee
Paris has enough landmarks to fill a lifetime. But you don’t need to climb the Eiffel Tower or walk through the Louvre to feel the essence of the city. Sometimes all it takes is a croissant.
There’s something magical about sitting in a Parisian café, croissant in hand, coffee steaming on the table, watching the world go by. The pace of life is slower. People linger. And in that moment, you’re not a tourist rushing between sights, you’re part of the city’s rhythm.
Why it matters: The croissant is more than a pastry. It’s a daily ritual. It tells you about French pride in technique, their obsession with quality, and their love of taking time to enjoy life.
If you’ve only got 48 hours in Paris, here’s a foodie plan:
Morning: Grab a croissant or pain au chocolat from a local boulangerie - avoid the tourist traps, go where locals queue.
Lunch: Try a jambon-beurre baguette from a street stall - the simplest sandwich in the world, but somehow perfect in Paris.
Afternoon: Coffee and people-watching in Le Marais.
Evening: A bistro dinner with wine. Nothing fancy, just hearty, slow, and enjoyed properly.
🍕 Naples: Pizza as History
When I went to Naples, I thought I knew pizza. I didn’t.
Neapolitan pizza isn’t just food, it’s heritage. It’s simplicity perfected: San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, dough blistered in a wood-fired oven. No gimmicks, no overloaded toppings. Just balance and tradition.
The first bite is a revelation. The crust is soft yet chewy, the toppings light but flavourful. It makes sense why the dish is UNESCO-recognised - it’s literally protected as a cultural treasure.
Why it matters: Pizza in Naples teaches you about pride, tradition, and how sometimes less really is more. It’s a story of working-class food becoming a global phenomenon.
If you’ve only got 48 hours in Naples, here’s a foodie plan:
Day 1 Lunch: Pizza margherita at L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele (yes, the one from Eat Pray Love. Expect a queue, but it’s worth it).
Day 1 Dinner: Try pizza fritta (fried pizza) — a street food classic.
Day 2 Lunch: Spaghetti alle vongole (clams with pasta) near the harbour.
Day 2 Afternoon: Espresso standing at a bar — Neapolitans don’t linger, they sip, chat, and move on.
🧇 Brussels: Waffles Done Right
Brussels is one of the easiest foodie trips from the UK, and one of the most satisfying.
I used to think waffles were just a sweet treat. Then I had a Liège waffle — doughy, chewy, caramelised with sugar, eaten hot from a street stall. It was the kind of food you don’t just eat — you experience.
Why it matters: Belgian food is comfort food. Fries, chocolate, beer, and waffles aren’t just indulgence — they’re part of the culture. They tell you about conviviality, about food being something to share and celebrate.
If you’ve only got 48 hours in Brussels, here’s a foodie plan:
Day 1 Morning: A Brussels waffle (light, rectangular, crispy) with just powdered sugar.
Day 1 Lunch: Moules-frites (mussels with fries) at a traditional brasserie.
Day 1 Evening: Belgian beer tasting in a cosy bar near Grand Place.
Day 2 Morning: Liège waffle hot from a stall.
Day 2 Afternoon: Chocolate sampling at Neuhaus or Pierre Marcolini.
🥘 Lisbon: Pastéis de Nata
Lisbon is a feast for the senses, but the dish that sums it up best is the humble pastel de nata.
Standing in line at Pastéis de Belém, watching trays of golden custard tarts come out of the oven, you know you’re about to taste something special. Flaky pastry. Creamy custard. Cinnamon on top. Warm in your hand, gone in two bites.
It’s not just dessert. It’s history. Born from monks needing to use up egg yolks, perfected over centuries, and now a global symbol of Portuguese identity.
Why it matters: Lisbon’s food reflects its history — a mix of tradition, resourcefulness, and global influences from its seafaring past.
If you’ve only got 48 hours in Lisbon, here’s a foodie plan:
Day 1 Breakfast: Pastéis de nata with espresso in Belém.
Day 1 Dinner: Fresh seafood — grilled sardines or bacalhau (salt cod).
Day 2 Lunch: Petiscos (Portuguese tapas) in Bairro Alto.
Day 2 Evening: A glass of port with Fado music in Alfama.
🥨 Prague: Hearty Comforts
Prague is like stepping into a fairytale — and its food feels the same: hearty, comforting, and rooted in tradition.
Think goulash served with bread dumplings. Roast pork with sauerkraut. Trdelník (chimney cake) dusted with sugar. And of course, beer — which is famously cheaper than water.
Why it matters: Prague’s food reflects its medieval roots and its resilience. It’s about warmth, nourishment, and simple pleasures.
If you’ve only got 48 hours in Prague, here’s a foodie plan:
Day 1 Lunch: Beef goulash with dumplings at a traditional tavern.
Day 1 Evening: Roast pork with sauerkraut and a local lager.
Day 2 Morning: Trdelník from a street stall (yes, touristy, but still fun).
Day 2 Afternoon: A beer hall experience — long tables, hearty snacks, plenty of atmosphere.
✨ Food as a Map
What I’ve learned is this: food is the best guidebook you can carry.
It tells you where to go — that backstreet market, that bakery, that stall tucked into a square. It introduces you to locals. It sparks conversations and memories. It connects you to history in a way no guidebook ever could.
And often, the best experiences aren’t planned. They’re the random sandwich, the café you stumbled across, the dish recommended by a stranger.
Final Thoughts
On your next weekend trip, don’t worry about ticking every attraction off the list. Instead, follow your stomach. Order the local speciality. Ask a server what’s good. Try something you wouldn’t eat at home.
Because when you let food lead the way, you don’t just see a city. You taste it.
And trust me — it’s those flavours that stay with you long after you’ve unpacked your bag.
👉 Want a foodie-focused trip? I create personalised travel packs with local dishes, must-visit cafés, and walking food tours — designed to help you make the most of your trip.