olive, a food and travel media brand, has announced the winners of its inaugural Travel & Taste Awards, celebrating the destinations, hotels and experiences shaping the future of food-led travel.
The winners include Spain (Food Destination of the Year), Estonia (Emerging Food Destination of the Year), Sri Lanka (Luxury Food Destination of the Year), Antwerp (European City Break of the Year), Athens (Cocktail Culture City of the Year), Slovenia’s Julian Alps (Sustainable Food Destination of the Year) and Finland (Coolcation Destination of the Year).
Judged by olive’s editors alongside a panel of travel and food experts, the publisher says the awards recognise the places delivering some of the most exceptional culinary experiences around the world – from destination dining and vineyard stays to city breaks, island escapes and immersive regional food culture.
Spain takes the headline award, with judges praising the sheer breadth of what the country offers food-led travellers.
Alex Crossley, digital editor at olive, says: “This country’s regional variety gives food lovers genuine choice. The diversity in produce, dishes, culinary traditions, landscapes and communities make it a year-round destination for any kind of traveller. Whether that’s fresh seafood and zippy wine pairings in Galicia, cider and cheese-fuelled hikes in mountainous Asturias, pintxo crawls and vineyard hopping in Logroño or rice field paella feasts in rural Valencia.”
With travellers increasingly looking to beat the summer heat, added the publisher, Finland is named Coolcation Destination of the Year – a natural coolcation spot with its lush forests of pine and birch, shimmering waters and national sauna culture. Home to Europe’s largest lake district with excellent hiking, rich wildlife plus midnight sun in Finnish Lapland, it’s the ultimate heatwave antidote.
The trend runs through the wider results, too: Antwerp takes European City Break of the Year, Slovenia’s Julian Alps top the sustainability category and Switzerland is highly commended for luxury travel.
Newcastle is the surprise UK entry on the Emerging Food Destination of the Year shortlist.
Janine Ratcliffe, editor of olive, says: “The North East is having a moment thanks to a vibrant food scene that celebrates and lifts up local talent. Discover the craft breweries, artisan bakeries and laid back dining of Ouseburn. Visit the cool food stalls of the regenerated Grainger Market or hop on a metro to Tynemouth or Whitley Bay to eat spankingly fresh seafood with the sound of the waves.”
The judges, including trends expert Gurdeep Loyal, picked Estonia as the Emerging Food Destination of the Year.
Gurdeep Loyal says: “The commitment to hyper-local sourcing, micro seasonality and foraging from unique terrain makes it an exciting culinary destination to explore a New Nordic/Baltic hybrid approach on more of a budget than its Nordic neighbours.”
Cocktails are now a reason to book a trip, the publisher continued – and Athens tops the list.
olive’s audience research found readers are increasingly planning travel around drinks as well as food, prompting a dedicated category in the awards’ first year.
Hannah Guinness, olive’s in-house drinks expert, says: “Our audience know their drinks, they even told us they book trips around wine and cocktails. So we dedicated a category to this growing trend. We all know that food can be a lens into the culture and soul of a city and the same also goes for drinks – from home-grown wines and spirits to local aperitifs and much-loved bars. This is reflected in the diversity of our Cocktail Culture City of the Year shortlist, which offers brilliant inspiration for your next city break, from New York’s many, many world-class bars to CDMX’s vibrant agave spirits and lively hospitality.”
Guest judge Millie Milliken-Holdham says of the winner: “Athens’ star has been rising steadily for the last decade and having meaningfully built a scene that celebrates local ingredients and has redefined Greek hospitality, its spot at the top of this list felt not only timely but long deserved.”
Sri Lanka is named Luxury Food Destination of the Year, pairing a new generation of boutique hotel groups redefining island luxury with an exciting culinary scene and exceptional natural produce, set against a backdrop that ranges from ancient hill country to pristine coastline.
The full list of winners are:
- Food destination of the year: Spain
- Luxury food destination of the year: Sri Lanka
- Emerging food destination of the year: Estonia
- Sustainable food destination of the year: JOINT Julian Alps (Slovenia), Placencia (Belize)
- European city break of the year: Antwerp (Belgium)
- Gourmet island escape of the year: Sicily (Italy)
- Culinary experience destination of the year: Oaxaca (Mexico)
- Coolcation destination of the year: Finland
- Wine tourism destination of the year: Douro Valley (Portugal)
- Cocktail culture city of the year: Athens (Greece)
- Culinary cruise journey of the year: HX: In Darwin's Footsteps (Galapagos, Ecuador)
- Luxury train journey of the year: Belmond Andean Explorer (Peru)
- UK vineyard stay of the year: JOINT Sandridge Barton & Tillingham
- UK spa retreat of the year: Heckfield Place (Hampshire)
- UK restaurant with rooms of the year: JOINT Myse and Osip
- London gourmet escape of the year: The Connaught (Mayfair)
- European rural retreat of the year: Doyenné, Paris
The publisher says winners receive national editorial coverage across olive platforms, commercial partnership opportunities, social and digital amplification and use of the official olive Travel & Taste Awards winner branding.
The awards come as culinary tourism continues to outperform wider travel trends, with travellers increasingly prioritising restaurants, local food culture and immersive experiences when planning trips.
You can read more about all the winners in the October issue of olive which is out now.
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