The Best Street Food Cities in the World

It’s the birthplace of pizza, for goodness sake! Of course this place is street food heaven. Italy is not short of culinary cities – Bologna is the foodie capital and Rome is not short on Michelin stars – but to authentically experience the people’s eating habits in Italy, there’s no replacement for Napoli. The city’s unique blend of ancient history and lively (bordering on chaotic) streets lends itself perfectly to fast, delicious creations both sweet and savoury. Our Seductive Southern Italy trip starts in Naples and our first full day starts with an expertly guided street food tour of the city. Of course you’ll be having some pizza – almost certainly the best you’ve ever had – but you’ll also try classic Neapolitan specialties like aubergine parmigiana and sfogliatelle, a flaky pastry shell filled with sweetened ricotta. Trust us, you haven’t lived until you’ve walked down a narrow old street in Naples while shoving a folded pizza into your mouth – any city where this is socially acceptable is fine by us.

The beauty of street food is that it’s been going on for as long as food and trade existed together. Night markets are an incredible symbol of culture, and in some ways a thriving continuation of our ancient history, and there’s probably not a city on Earth that better captures the old tradition of delicious fast food than Marrakech. You don’t even have to go beyond its famous main square, Jemaa el-Fnaa, to have an unforgettable foodie experience. There’s plenty going on here throughout the day, but things really come alive when nighttime falls and the stalls are lit-up only by hanging lamps and the flames from their fiery grills. Expect plenty of delicious tagine and couscous dishes, but more adventurous eaters might fancy a try of some sheep’s head or snail soup. Whether you push the boat out or play it safe, flavour wins the night, but eating out in Jemaa el-Fnaa is about more than just the food. The atmosphere of this place is incredible, with live music, street performers and the background noise of thousands of happy customers setting an ambience quite unlike any other. You’ll get to experience that for yourself on our Epic Morocco trip, which ends up in Marrakech, where you’ll be treated to a guided street food tour of the city’s old medina.