For foodies, hiking is a great chance to stumble upon some rural spots that you may not have otherwise found. Integrating cuisine into your walking holiday can also inspire some detours and seek out the freshest ingredients possible, especially when hiking around coastlines and fishing villages.
Portugal’s Rota Vicentina
Orbis Way’s selection of southwestern Portuguese coastal walks has the perfect combination of clifftop walks where you can see sunsets on the horizon, and extraordinary seafood with incredibly fresh catches.
The Rota Vicentina trail system is a great place to start because it winds through the Costa Vicentina Natural Park where fishing boats are departed directly from the beaches – Odeceixe and Zambujeira do Mar at dawn are two examples. Here, you’ll encounter percebes (gooseneck barnacles) that are harvested from the rocks by local marisqueiros. These delicacies have premium prices in Lisbon but can be enjoyed minutes from harvest at seaside tavernas.
The region’s fish stew essentially contains whatever the boats brought in that morning: sea bass, gilt-head bream, and sole will be swimming in your broths with Portuguese olive oil.
Norway’s Lofoten Islands
The Lofoten archipelago have some incredible hikes with impeccable infrastructure and fresh seafood all around. Traditional fishing villages like Nusfjord and Reine are the bases for these walks, but you can ascend up most mountains in all directions. Dried cod hangs on wooden racks called hjell all throughout the islands.
Local restaurants serve Arctic char which is caught from clear mountain lakes, king crab is hauled from depths exceeding 200 meters, and sea urchins are manually harvested by local divers. The region’s specialty is fresh cod prepared as lutefisk or simply pan-fried with dill, but the real MVP is the sweet, firm flesh of locally caught halibut, often served as sashimi-style råfisk.
Scotland’s Isle of Skye
Skye’s Atlantic coastline is a little bit like Norway’s. It has some world-class hiking trails, incredible whisky distilleries, and some of Britain’s finest seafood. It’s sourced directly from the island’s waters, with the Trotternish Ridge walk offering the best of both – stunning views while lobster traps are dotted all around. Skye’s langoustines are legendary—these Dublin Bay prawns are caught daily in the Sound of Sleat and served that evening in restaurants like The Three Chimneys, where they’re simply grilled with garlic butter to showcase their natural sweetness.
Local hand-dived scallops from Loch Harport are huge specimens – very meaty and dwarf their farmed counterparts, while Skye oysters from Loch Harport mature in cold, nutrient-rich waters for exceptional flavor.
Spain’s Camino del Norte
Spain’s northern coast is where you can find plenty of pilgrim walking routes that are centuries old, along with Cantabrian Sea seafood. The coastal Camino passes through many fishing ports where txakoli (slightly sparkling white wine) complements the day’s catch.
Local restaurants in Getaria serve whole turbot and sea bream grilled over charcoal, while San Sebastián’s pintxos bars have anchovies from nearby Santoña. These can help refuel you for your Camino hike.
Hiking is a great hobby that can be combined with many others – birdwatching, skiing, camping, stargazing, photography, and many more. One of the fastest ways to get to the heart of a new place’s culture is through its food, and seafood in particular touches on old, traditional dishes and methods of catching.
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