FOOD TRAILS
Nexø Gamle Røgeri smokehouse, Nexø, Denmark Right: Smoked mackerel at Nexø Gamle Røgeri
CYCLE FROM SMOKEHOUSE TO SMOKEHOUSE ON BORNHOLM
The smokehouses on the Baltic island of Bornholm are renowned among the Danes. For them, a holiday there isn’t complete without a plate of sol over Gudhjem — a hot smoked herring fillet on rye bread, topped with radish, dill, salt and a raw egg yolk. To see what all the fuss is about, cycle this gentle, 64-mile route, which takes you round the coast of Bornholm, 20 miles south of Sweden, while stopping off to feast on hot smoked herring. Gudhjem is where the first commercial smokehouse started on the island, in the 1840s (the technique having been introduced by Scottish soldiers). With its steep streets and half-timbered cottages, it’s a good place to spend the first night. But the fish platters and atmosphere are better at subsequent stops, such as Svaneke, Allinge, Snogebaek, Nexø and Hasle (the latter is the last to still use the traditional method of open chimneys and alderwood). The tour is best done between early July and early September, when the weather is mild. A recent eruption of upmarket restaurants and cafes means there are plenty of fine dining options here, too, including Michelin- starred Kadeau (
kadeau.dk), on Sømarken beach.
GETTING STARTED: Rent bikes in Rønne, head north through the forest to Hasle, then up to the ruins of Hammershus castle. Spend a night in Allinge or Gudhjem on the north coast, then one or two nights in Svaneke or Nexø, in the east, before returning along the south coast, stopping at Dueodde, the island’s best beach, or Kadeau. DON’T MISS: A tour of Hasle Smokehouse to watch the artisans dive into a smoky chamber above an open fire, before pulling out rods hung with golden-smoked herrings, which you then devour, warm, minutes later. RO
HOP ON THE HONEY TRAIL IN SLOVENIA
Slovenia is one of the first countries to certify bee tourism providers. Its network of beekeepers and honey farms offers a range of activities and attractions. These include a restorative apitherapy honey massage, cycling the scenic Beekeeping Route and a visit to Radovljica’s Museum of Apiculture, where you can make heart-shaped honey bread in its restaurant. There’s also an ‘apicamp’, where visitors learn about queen-breeding and hive- building. The network is centred on the northern town of Radovljica, its shops stocked with artisanal honey and related goods. Most sojourns are within easy reach of the capital, Ljubljana, with many taking in agritourism addresses where local cheeses, wines and cured meats are produced and served.
GETTING STARTED: Tours and tastings are offered by Ljubljana’s many urban beekeepers, most linked by the Bee Path walking route. DON’T MISS: Radovljica’s Museum of Apiculture, home to 600 hand- painted panels from 18th- and 19th- century beehives.
mro.si SB
EXPLORE CORSICA’S CHARCUTERIE CIRCUIT
In the Middle Ages, chestnut trees were planted across the mountainous Corsican region of Castagniccia so the island could be self-sufficient if besieged. The result is a beguiling, forest-rich landscape and a rustic cuisine closely tied to the ubiquitous chestnut. This includes a wide array of charcuterie made from the chestnut-fed, free-range pigs that graze in these parts — and it can all be sampled at shop tastings or restaurants in the surrounding villages. Highlights include prisuttu (18-month-matured ham), lonzu (smoked tenderloin), coppa (air-dried pork shoulder), terrine de sanglier (wild boar pâté) and figatellu (pork liver sausage infused with red wine and herbs then smoked over a chestnut-wood fire).
GETTING STARTED: Begin the feasting in Vescovato, before tackling the winding roads up to Penta-di-Casinca, Loreto-di-Casinca and Silvareccio. DON’T MISS: The succulent produce at the family-run charcuterie Albertini Francois in Loreto-di- Casinca is unmissable. PY
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