Top 10 International Fun, Food and Shopping Festivals
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Each place has its own special cuisine, popular dishes and things that you can buy. In fact, these are some aspects that travellers always want to try and explore apart from other attractions. Food is one way of discovering a place. For a true explorer, discovering a new city is not complete without savoring its cuisine. To get to know a place, one should attend the different local festivals, try the foods and get involved in other fun activities. If you are planning an international trip for your next vacation, here is a list of the top ten international festivals that you shouldn’t miss.
1. Grillstock Festival, UK
If you are a foodie by heart, we are pretty sure that you have heard of this festival before. Grillstock festival in the United Kingdom is a festival of food and music. As the name suggests, this is a hardcore, all-meat food festival where you can enjoy freshly grilled meats along with some excellent music and drinks. If you enjoy partying, then this festival is for you. Get ready to enjoy a ‘dance-eat-drink-repeat’ lifestyle at the annual gigs in London or Manchester.
2. The Onion Market, Switzerland
If you are planning a trip to Switzerland, make sure you do not miss the onion market, where you can enjoy the biggest folk festival of Switzerland. The key attraction of the festival is the 50 tons of onion braids, along with various local cuisines, shopping, jewellery, textiles, toys and ceramics. The onion market festival is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Switzerland, and you shouldn”t miss it when you are here.
3. South Beach Wine and Food Festival, Florida, United States
Numerous online forums and discussions have suggested that wine is more preferred as compared to other drinks like tea, coffee and beer and if you are a wine-lover, then this festival is ideal for you. The South beach wine and food festival is a four-day food and wine marathon that takes place in Florida, USA. Food lovers get a chance to relish mouth-watering dishes made by the world’s most famous chefs and if you are planning to travel to the USA, make sure to visit this festival to taste some of the best wines and foods.
4. Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, Australia
This popular festival of Australia is held in March when foodies and wine lovers are all set to enjoy and have fun. This festival entails hundreds of events and thus gives food lovers endless options to satiate their taste buds. You can enjoy cakes, cocktails and so much more. It must be mentioned that the association that manages this festival has events lined up for the whole year-round across Victoria. If you are in Melbourne, don’t miss out on this.
5. Galway Oyster Festival, Ireland
Ireland is known for several things, such as seafood, Irish music, pubs, etc. The Galway Oyster Festival in Ireland is ideal for those who are looking for fun, food and some shopping, all in one place. It is a place where you can tantalise your taste buds with rare seafood. The entry to the festival is at a nominal price, and you can enjoy world-class seafood along with traditional Irish music, and you can truly appreciate the Irish culture.
6. Salon De Chocolate, Ecuador
You may have heard of numerous chocolate festivals, however, none can beat Quito’s chocolate festival as Salon De Chocolate offers the best opportunity to taste some of the best chocolates in the world. Ecuador produces the best cocoa in the world, and therefore it deserves a place in the top 10 festivals for food, fun and shopping. Try and visit early so that you may try the free chocolate samples, else you will miss them. The festival is quite different and unique and is a must-visit if you are in Ecuador. In fact, you should visit Ecuador at the time of the festival.
7. Dubai Shopping Festival, Dubai
If you enjoy travelling and shopping equally, the Dubai Shopping Festival is the perfect destination to start your new year. It is the biggest shopping festival in the Middle East that offers amazing discounts during the festival. You can shop from a vast collection of lifestyle, luxury and fashion brands and have a wonderful time in Dubai. You can also visit other tourist attractions at the same time.
8. The Great Singapore Sale, Singapore
If shopping is what you love, and you are planning a trip to Singapore, then book your flight tickets for June to August is the ideal time to plan the trip. The Great Singapore Sale is on for these 3 months and you can grab some excellent discounts and deals at this time. It is a famous international shopping event with the participation of various international brands from across the globe.
9. Wildfoods Festival, New Zealand
Fun and food are inseparable elements of any festival and the Wildfoods Festival of New Zealand is one such festival that offers both. The Wildfoods Festival is a weird festival where visitors can witness some of the most creative and wildest foods from the West Coast. The festival is organised in the small town of Hokitika and a visit to the festival will be a different and extremely enjoyable experience for travellers.
10. La Tomatina Festival, Spain
This popular festival is held on the last Wednesday of August. If you want to participate in the craziest fight of all time, the La Tomatina (Tomato) festival is the right festival for you. It takes place in the Valencian Town of Bunol in the eastern region of Spain and if you are looking for fun, then this is an extremely exciting option.
These international festivals offer you an experience of a lifetime so plan your trips accordingly. There are many more international fun, food and shopping festivals, so always stay informed so that you do not miss out on anything. So, wherever you plan to go abroad, do a lot of research on the best things to do and places to explore to enjoy your trip to the maximum.
