These are the best food and drink tours to travel for in 2026, according to Tripadvisor

Reykjavik food walk leads Tripadvisor’s 2026 culinary experiences

Poinews.com – Travellers planning holidays around memorable meals have a new list of inspiration for 2026, with a Reykjavik tasting walk taking the top position among food tours worldwide in Tripadvisor’s latest Travellers’ Choice Awards.

The Icelandic experience invites visitors to explore the capital through a series of local stops over roughly three hours. Guests sample familiar and less expected parts of the country’s food culture, including Icelandic hot dogs, cheeses and ice cream. The itinerary covers about six venues, moving between casual food trucks and more refined restaurants to introduce dishes that may be overlooked by visitors focused only on Iceland’s landscapes.

The rankings draw on traveller reviews and ratings submitted during the preceding 12 months. They highlight a growing appetite for trips where eating and drinking are central to the itinerary rather than simply a break between sightseeing stops.

“Food is at the heart of how we experience a destination, and these awards recognise the restaurant and culinary experiences travellers consider among the very best,” Laurel Greatrix, chief communications officer at Tripadvisor Group, said. “From cooking classes with locals to incredible food tours and restaurants, these are the kinds of experiences that can become a highlight of a trip – or even a reason to take one.”

European food and wine experiences dominate the selections

Europe features prominently across both the food-tour and drinks-focused lists. Alongside Reykjavik, visitors looking for a guided way to understand a city’s cuisine can consider a food and wine tour in Lisbon, a Greek food walking experience in Athens, and a historic pub tour in Prague.

These types of tours can offer a practical introduction for first-time visitors: a guide can put local dishes into context, point out food traditions that are easy to miss, and help travellers fit several different tastes into a limited amount of time. They also vary widely in pace and format. Some focus on street food or neighbourhood staples, while others pair regional ingredients with a longer sit-down meal.

For travellers, the appeal is often as much about place as it is about the menu. A food walk can link a city’s markets, cafés, pubs and restaurants into one route, turning a meal into a way of learning how different parts of a destination connect. That can be especially useful in cities with a strong dining identity but an overwhelming choice of places to eat.

Tuscany tasting trip ranks near the top

A half-day wine tasting tour from Florence through Tuscany placed second overall in the drinks category. The experience takes participants to wine estates and includes tastings of wine, olive oil, cheese and cured meats. A traditional Tuscan lunch or dinner is also part of the outing.

The result reflects the continued attraction of food-and-wine travel in regions where local produce, vineyard visits and regional cooking can be combined in a single day. For visitors based in Florence, the tour format offers a way to move beyond the city centre while experiencing products closely associated with Tuscany.

Wine-focused excursions are not only for enthusiasts with specialist knowledge. Tastings can provide a structured introduction to the flavours and foods of a region, particularly when they are paired with cheese, cured meats or olive oil. Travellers considering such tours may want to check the duration, meal arrangements and transport details before booking, since countryside itineraries can differ considerably from city-based walks.

Restaurants and trending dining spots also recognised

The 2026 Travellers’ Choice Awards extend beyond guided experiences. Tripadvisor also selected restaurants around the world in categories including fine dining, hidden gems and plant-based meals.

A newer category, “viral right now,” spotlights restaurants and food businesses attracting particular attention. The list includes Dishoom in London, Banh Mi Huynh Hoa in Ho Chi Minh City and Cremeria Santo Stefano in Bologna.

For travellers building an itinerary around food, the awards suggest several ways to approach a destination. A guided tour can provide a broad overview early in a trip; a highly regarded restaurant may suit a planned evening; and a popular casual stop can offer a more spontaneous taste of local dining culture. Combining the three can create a fuller picture than relying on a single meal or a short list of photo-friendly places.

As travel increasingly takes shape around personal interests, culinary experiences remain a flexible reason to choose a destination. Whether the draw is an Icelandic food walk, a Tuscan estate tasting, an Athens street-food route or a historic Prague pub, the strongest experiences tend to make food part of the journey itself.