Europe’s Best Destinations for Food and Wine Experiences
Key Takeaways
- Paris ranks as Europe's ultimate food and wine destination, achieving a near-perfect score of 117 out of 120, driven by its extraordinary 519 Michelin-starred restaurants and France's unrivalled haul of 51,782 award-winning wines.
- Milan stands out as one of the best food cities in Europe, recording by far the highest number of food tours (688) of any destination on the list.
- Italy dominates the rankings, claiming six of the top ten spots.
- The top 10 includes iconic culinary capitals alongside lesser-celebrated gems like Verona and Nice, making it straightforward to plan a varied gastronomic city break across Europe.
Whether you're dreaming of a long lunch in a candlelit Parisian bistro or a glass of Barolo in a sun-drenched Milan wine bar, Europe is, quite simply, the world's greatest stage for food and wine lovers.
But with so many incredible cities to choose from, how do you decide where to go? To take the guesswork out of it, we've created our European Food and Wine Index, ranking ten of the continent's most celebrated destinations according to four key factors: the number of wineries and vineyards, Michelin-starred restaurants, food tours, and award-winning wines produced by the country.
Each category was scored out of 30, giving a maximum possible score of 120. The results? A mouthwatering mix of expected champions and a few surprises along the way. Here's how they ranked.
| Rank | Destination | Number of wineries & vineyards | Number of Michelin-starred restaurants | Number of food tours | Number of award-winning wines (by country) | Total Score/120 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paris, France | 34 | 519 | 118 | 51,782 | 117 |
| 2 | Milan, Italy | 14 | 130 | 688 | 39,433 | 108 |
| 3 | Rome, Italy | 19 | 85 | 136 | 39,433 | 107 |
| 4 | Naples, Italy | 13 | 71 | 43 | 39,433 | 97 |
| 5 | Madrid, Spain | 22 | 169 | 30 | 27,167 | 96 |
| 6 | Florence, Italy | 13 | 45 | 127 | 39,433 | 95 |
| 7 | Venice, Italy | 4 | 59 | 55 | 39,433 | 87 |
| 8 | Lisbon, Portugal | 20 | 56 | 35 | 9,858 | 82 |
| 9 | Verona, Italy | 22 | 46 | 11 | 39,433 | 81 |
| 10 | Nice, France | 10 | 39 | 14 | 51,782 | 78 |
1. Paris, France
Leading our list with a near-perfect score of 117 out of 120, Paris is, perhaps unsurprisingly, the ultimate food and wine destination in Europe. With a jaw-dropping 519 Michelin-starred restaurants, more than any other city on our list by some distance, the French capital is in a league of its own when it comes to fine dining.
Offering some of the best wine experiences in Europe with 34 nearby wineries, along with 118 food tours to explore its neighbourhoods, and France's extraordinary haul of 51,782 award-winning wines, it's easy to see why Paris achieved a perfect 30 out of 30 in three of our four categories. From a leisurely lunch at a café terrace overlooking the Seine to a tasting menu at a fine-dining restaurant, there is no city on earth that does food and wine quite like this one.
2. Milan, Italy
Often thought of as Italy's fashion and finance capital, Milan has a delicious secret: it's one of the best cities for food in Europe, and our index proves it. Scoring an impressive 108 out of 120, Milan leads the entire list for food tours, with a remarkable 688 on offer, nearly six times as many as Paris.
Whether you're exploring the aperitivo culture of the Navigli canals or sitting down to a bowl of perfectly crafted risotto alla Milanese, this is a city that invites you to eat slowly and savour every bite. With 130 Michelin-starred restaurants, Milan is a must for any serious food lover.
3. Rome, Italy
Coming in a very close third, Rome scores 107 out of 120 and is the most beautifully rounded destination on our list. With 19 nearby wineries, 85 Michelin-starred restaurants, 136 food tours, and the full weight of Italy's impressive wine pedigree behind it, the Eternal City delivers on every front.
Roman food culture is ancient and deeply proud. This is a city where the simplest dishes, from cacio e pepe to supplì, are treated with the same reverence as anything found on a tasting menu. Spend a morning taking in the Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain while touring the city, linger over lunch at one of its cosy neighbourhood restaurants, and let Rome do the rest.
4. Naples, Italy
Naples, in fourth place, might not have the Michelin star count of its northern rivals, but it has something arguably more powerful: soul. Scoring 97 out of 120, this southern Italian city is the spiritual home to some of the best food in Europe: pizza, street food, and the kind of no-fuss, enormously satisfying cooking that makes you want to move there immediately.
With 71 Michelin-starred restaurants and 43 food tours, Naples is easily one of the best food places in Europe. Don't leave without trying a classic Margherita at one of the city's legendary pizzerias, or pausing to take in the stunning coastline of the Bay of Naples. Those keen to explore the region further will find everything they need on our Pompeii, Capri and the Bay of Naples tour.
5. Madrid, Spain
Spain's capital comes in fifth with a score of 96, and its fine dining credentials are genuinely impressive. 169 Michelin-starred restaurants put it second only to Paris in that category. Madrid is also surrounded by 22 wineries and vineyards, giving it one of the strongest local wine scenes on the list.
Where it loses a few points is in food tours (just 30) and the size of Spain's award-winning wine portfolio compared to France and Italy. That said, a city where you can graze on jamón ibérico and pintxos all evening, then sit down to a world-class tasting menu before a stroll around the Plaza Mayor, is never going to be anything less than wonderful.
6. Florence, Italy
Florence lands sixth place in our Wine and Food Index. The Tuscan capital scores 95 out of 120, with a standout 127 food tours on offer, a testament to how much this city embraces visitors who want to understand its ingredients, its markets, and its cooking traditions from scratch.
A morning spent lost in the masterpieces of the Uffizi Gallery, followed by freshly made pasta and a glass of Chianti Classico at sunset over the Arno: Florence is the kind of destination that makes food feel like an art form.
7. Venice, Italy
In seventh place is Venice, with a score of 87 out of 120. Whilst its small number of local wineries keeps it from the very top, its food scene is something entirely unique. The city's bacari, tiny wine bars serving small plates of cicchetti, offer one of the most charming and characterful ways to eat anywhere in the world.
Whether you're taking in St Mark's Square and the Doge's Palace or ducking into a bacaro for a glass of Prosecco away from the crowds, Venice has plenty to offer, however you choose to spend your time there.
8. Lisbon, Portugal
We head to Portugal for eighth place. Scoring 82 out of 120, Lisbon is held back primarily by Portugal's smaller award-winning wine portfolio (9,858) compared to France and Italy, but it easily deserves its place as one of the best food cities in Europe
With 20 local wineries, 56 Michelin-starred restaurants, and 35 food tours, Lisbon is very much deserving of a spot in the top 10. Spend a morning taking in the Belém Tower and the magnificent Monastery of Jerónimos, before an afternoon enjoying a glass of vinho verde and a pastél de nata.
9. Verona, Italy
Verona may sit ninth on our list with a score of 81, but it may arguably offer some of the best wine experiences in Europe. With 22 nearby wineries and vineyards, equal to Madrid, the city is located near some of Italy's most celebrated wine regions.
During a trip to Verona, end the day as the locals do, aperitivo in hand, soaking up the atmosphere around the Roman amphitheatre as the evening light falls across the city's domes and spires.
10. Nice, France
Rounding off our list at tenth with a score of 78, Nice benefits enormously from France's incredible wine legacy, finishing top of our rankings in the award-winning wines category.
Whilst its food tour and Michelin-star numbers are more modest than other cities on our list, Nice is the gateway to Provençal cuisine: a wonderful world of ratatouille, salade niçoise, and rosé wine. For those keen to explore the region further, our Highlights of Provence tour takes in vineyard lunches, lavender estates, and candlelit dinners of freshly prepared Provençal dishes.
Whether you're planning a weekend break or a longer gastronomic adventure, every destination on this list offers something truly special. From the extraordinary concentration of fine dining in Paris to the buzzing street food scene in Naples and the wine culture of Lisbon, Europe remains the best continent for those who love to eat and drink well. The only question is: where will you go first?
Methodology
To uncover Europe's best cities for food and wine lovers, we analysed 30 locations across the continent, excluding those in the UK. Using data from TripAdvisor, Michelin Guide, and Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA), we looked at four key factors that help make a destination a culinary standout: the number of wineries and vineyards nearby, the number of Michelin-starred restaurants, the number of food tours, and the number of award-winning wines produced within each country.
Each destination was awarded a score out of 30 for every category. These scores were then combined to give an overall score out of 120, allowing us to rank the destinations and reveal the European locations offering the very best combination of exceptional food, outstanding wine, and unforgettable gastronomic experiences.
