Spring Holidays For Food Lovers 2026

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Looking for spring getaway ideas? If your mind turns to a holiday as the days get longer and the weather starts to warm up, read our picks of the best spring holidays for food lovers. Whether you're looking to explore the UK countryside, a buzzing European city break or an adventure further afield, there's a spring break for everyone. You can explore markets, restaurants and bars in each destination, and we've included where to stay, from boutique hotels to cosy cottages.

For more holiday inspiration, check out our best spa hotels in the UK, best UK city breaks and the best romantic hotels in the UK. For further afield, discover more of the best European city breaks.

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UK spring holidays
European spring holidays
Further afield

UK spring holidays

Aldeburgh, Suffolk – for a seaside escape

This coastal town in East Suffolk is a great base for chilled vibes, beach walks and a buzzing food scene. Local butcher Salter & King on the high street sells the finest Suffolk pork, lamb, beef and Sutton Hoo chickens, and it does a mean sausage roll. Stop in at Lawson’s Deli for a slice of Fen Farm’s exquisite Baron Bigod cheese – a Suffolk superstar – and grab a coffee with the locals from Munchies café. Aldeburgh Fish & Chip Shop is a must, as is a scoop or two from Ives or Harris & James, which both serve ice creams all year round (just mind out for the seagulls). White Hart Inn is a wood-panelled pub where all the locals drink – it’s the best spot for a bag of scratchings, a great Guinness and people watching. Pop to Fishers Gin distillery for a tour and tasting.

For walks, take a stroll along the beach to local artist Maggi Hambling’s sculpture Scallop. For something longer, walk from Aldeburgh along the Sailors' Path all the way over to Snape Maltings (two hours at a leisurely pace) where you are rewarded with a world-renowned concert hall and an amazing antiques centre with shops, cafés and a deli. Passing cows and pigs, it’s a blissful walk through Snape Warren and the marshes – perfect for taking in Suffolk’s varying landscapes.

Where to stay: Sitting proudly in the heart of Aldeburgh and just a second’s stroll to its shingle beach, The Suffolk is a restaurant with six rooms above which flies the flag for the county’s produce and producers. Head chef Luke Truelove (former head chef for Tom Kerridge) works closely with Aldeburgh fishermen, high street butcher Salter & King, and local veg grower Tilly Ware to ensure dishes like east coast lobster with garlic butter; whole brill to share with chips and tartare; and Iken Red côte de boeuf with béarnaise never disappoint.

Check rates and availability at the-suffolk.co.uk or mrandmrssmith.com

The Lake District – for spring walks

With the landscape reawakening after winter, spring is a wonderful time to visit the Lake District. The region’s famed hospitality scene comes alive, with spring menus featuring local lamb, fresh fish and the first of the season's wild garlic.

Plan a weekend away in early spring to explore the area’s walking routes, which are quieter before the Easter holidays rush. Miles Without Stiles compiles over 50 different walking routes across the Lake District, all intended to be as accessible as possible. As the name suggests, none of the routes have stiles to climb over, and there are no steep hills either – making it much easier for those with limited mobility to explore this spectacular part of the UK.

You'll have worked up an appetite after all that walking, and in the Lake District, you're spoilt for choice. For special occasions, L'Enclume in Cartmel offers legendary Michelin-starred fine dining, as does Forest Side in Grasmere, set in a grand Victorian villa. Homeground in Windermere serves hearty brunches to set you up for a day of walking, and the region is scattered with great pubs – try The Punch Bowl Inn for elevated classics served next to roaring fires.

Where to stay: Just a short drive from the North Pennines and Hadrian’s Wall, Farlam Hall is perfect for nature lovers and those seeking relaxation. As expected from a Michelin Key hotel and member of Relais & Châteaux, the rooms at Farlam Hall exude luxury. Thoughtfully designed interiors, rich furnishings and lovely views of the hotel’s tranquil grounds enhance the peaceful ambiance, whilst foodies will love the memorable dining experience at Cedar Tree Restaurant, balancing Indian flavours from chef Hrishikesh Desai with locally sourced ingredients.

Doubles from £290 per night, check availability at farlamhall.com or booking.com. Check out our full round-up of the best Lake District hotels for more.

Porthleven – for classic Cornwall

Cornwall makes a great option for a UK spring holiday and if you're not sure where to choose, Porthleven is buzzing base. The Porthleven Food Festival (24-26 April 2026) celebrates Cornwall's food and drink producers with demos, workshops and live music in a takeover of the whole town. Even if you're not there for the festival, Porthleven is full of foodie gems. The Ship Inn pub has an outdoor terrace with panoramic views of the harbour, head to Amélie for their famous Sunday lunch or pick up a classic Cornish pasty from Ann's Pasty Lounge.

Where to stay: Go for a self-catering option in the heart of the action and stay in Harbour View Cottage, seconds from the centre of town and with views over Porthleven Harbour. This compact cottage for two has a cosy feel with underfloor heating, plus a well-equipped kitchen perfect for foodies wanting to take advantage of cooking the local produce. There is a separate private enclosed terrace opposite the cottage with a table and chairs with panoramic harbour views and it's perfect for outdoor eating or just enjoying a bottle of wine watching the sunset.

From £595 per week, check availability at porthlevenholidaycottages.co.uk

Wye Valley – for spring produce

The banks of these Severn and Rye rivers come alive with lush greenery and produce in spring, making it the perfect time to visit and road trip through the countryside. Stop off at Wye Valley Produce's farm gate shop to pick up seasonal asparagus, rhubarb and more. Aside from food, a star attraction of the valley is the historical Tintern Abbey – on the Welsh side – whose romantic ruins sent Wordsworth and Turner wild. Nearby you'll find Parva Farm vineyard, whose wines (notably its Dathliad sparkling) are winning serious prizes. Head to The Whitebrook for a Michelin-starred experience which makes the most of local ingredients, from wild boar to foraged mugwort and sea woodruff.

Where to stay: Parva Farmhouse is a gourmet bed-and-breakfast with impressive cooking and stunning views of the River Wye. The three-storey farmhouse has eight bedrooms – our top pick is room four to maximise the river views. Dinner is available Wednesdays to Saturdays and served in the property’s simple 16-cover dining room (open to non-residents, too). Menus are changed fortnightly, based around scrupulously sourced and fiercely seasonal ingredients. Breakfast is also a highlight, with twists on classics including homemade granola and fruit compotes or fried duck egg on sourdough.

Doubles from £105 per night, check availability at parvafarmhouse.co.uk or booking.com.

A white bowl filled with homemade ravioli pasta

European spring holidays

Valencia – for impressive festivals

Valencia comes alive in March with the vibrant Las Fallas Festival (1-19 March), during which giant wooden figures are paraded through the city and set alight in dramatic bonfires. The streets are filled with music, fireworks and the irresistible aroma of sweet churros and buñuelos con chocolate, which are served in cafés and horchaterías during the festivities.

Beyond the festival, Valencia’s orange trees are in bloom and the city’s Central Market is stacked with local produce, ideal for picnics. Sample classic paella on the beach, try horchata with fartons and soak up the city’s lively food culture. We also picked the city as one of our best sustainable travel destinations to visit for a greener trip – as a former Europe's Green Capital in 2024, there are around 200 kilometres of cycle paths and virtually flat terrain, which makes it easy to bike (and walk) between sights, including Valencia Cathedral and the art nouveau Central Market.

Where to stay: Stay at the boutique 25-room Caro Hotel, set in a 19th-century palace, to be immersed in the city's history. You'll be surrounded by Gothic arches, a 2nd-century Roman mosaic and remnants of the 13th-century Arabic city walls.

Doubles from £188; check availability at booking.com or thomascook.com

Street view in Valencia of ornate architecture in warm sunlight, featuring colourful facades and intricate designs. People stroll along the bustling pavement

Utrecht – for flowers and canalside cafés

The best time to visit the famous Dutch flower fields is spring, as the flowers are in full bloom from March to May. Combine your visit with a city break in Utrecht, one of Netherlands' oldest cities with tree-lined canals, a charming personality and buzzy cafe culture. Talud9 is a coffee bar by day and wine bar by night, all delivered in a pretty ancient warehouse on the canal. For top-notch seafood, visit the huge atrium dining room in Vis en Meer and order a seafood platter from the lively open kitchen. Dutch colonial history means The Netherlands also has a thriving Indonesian subculture with excellent cooking and BLAUW, serving Indonesian rice tables, is worth a visit.

Where to stay: Eye Hotel is a smart boutique hotel in the centre of the city. Housed in an ancient eye hospital (hence the name), rooms have a Scandinavian feel with light and bright decor and a variety of room sizes to choose from. Amsterdam is just a 20-minute train ride away, should you want to combine two city breaks in one.

Doubles from £109 per night, check availability at eyehotel.nl, booking.com or expedia.com.

West Sweden – for foodie walking trails

Enjoy the improving spring weather by exploring the Swedish countryside. Follow the Gotaleden walking trail, treading through forests blanketed with tiny flowers, winding along rivers and clambering over rocks around Lake Aspen. Reward yourself in Lerum at psychologist-turned-fromager Hans’s Garage Fromage. If you'll be arriving into Gothenburg, the city's courtyards and terraces come to life in spring – try flash-fried herring at quirky food truck Strömmingsluckan or head out on the ferry to the archipelago for a taste of Styrsö’s car-free island life and cinnamon buns at charming Café Obergska. For more walking holiday inspiration, check out 11 unique foodie-friendly hiking trails or 1o unique walking holidays for food lovers.

Where to stay: Spend the night at Nääs Fabriker, an old cotton factory built in 1890, now home to a stylish hotel with onsite restaurants, shops, bakery and brewery. Wrap up in your robe and pad to the al fresco lakeside spa to sink into the jacuzzi, dip in the lake and warm up in the sauna. Book a table in the plant-adorned conservatory room in the main restaurant for dishes such as grilled scallop with fried chorizo crumble, venison tenderloin with Swedish mushrooms and blackberries, and lingonberry and malt hop sorbet.

Doubles from £97 per night, check availability at naasfabriker.se, booking.com or expedia.co.uk.

A lake surrounded by trees and a large cotton mill converted into a hotel

Porto – for dining beneath the blossom

Base yourself in Porto's arty neighbourhood of Cedofeita, a network of cobbled streets brimming with independent shops, tavernas and bars. Browse the neighbourhood's galleries before seeking out sunny terraces to soak up the lively atmosphere – an olive tree provides shade for locals catching up over a glass of wine at Aduela, while Restaurante a Taska serves a great value set lunch of hearty Portuguese traditional dishes under the jacaranda trees, which bloom bright purple during the spring months.

No-frills bistros in the quieter residential streets include Adega Do Carregal and Lareira – chef Pedro Braga's Mito has a fancier feel for contemporary sharing dishes. Hole-in-the-wall Generosa Pão e Pizza churns out hunky cinnamon rolls and pizza slices all day, to provide sustenance before an evening of wines by the glass at local hub Genuíno wine bar.

Where to stay: Rosa et Al Townhouse, a six-room hotel, is a lesson in boutique design. Rooms blessed with original wooden floorboards, cornicing and sash windows that lead to balconies are made even more beautiful with claw-footed baths, contemporary furniture and local art. There's a trendy food shop that doubles with a reception desk. For breakfast and brunch, 50 jars of tea (some made with herbs from the garden) cover a large serving table; you can choose your own Portuguese tinned cod or sardines; and there’s a dinky walled garden out back where you can sit around tiled tables, eating eggs with spruced-up sides and drinking freshly squeezed orange juice in the sunshine.

Doubles from £117 per night, check availability at rosaetal.com, booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com.

Seville – for a sunny city break

This orange-tree filled city comes into full bloom in spring. One of the best ways to experience Seville’s fabulous gourmet scene is to engage in your own little ‘tapeo’ – a relaxed wander around some of its many bars. Sixto Tovar’s Eslava bar is at the forefront of innovative tapas in Seville. Park yourself at the counter for must-try honey pork ribs and award-winning huevo tapa, along with a recommended wine. Set a few hours aside to try all the food on offer at Lonja del Barranco gourmet food market, an indoor food market with plenty to choose from, from steak to seafood, tacos to croquettes. Dig into a bowl of spicy paella or try over 150 artisan cheeses from all over the world.

Where to stay: The Hospes Las Casas Del Rey De Baeza is a charming hotel housed in a beautiful 18th-century ‘corral de vecino’ (characteristic of the city, these are apartments built round a courtyard) in the barrio Santa Cruz. Rooms are elegantly decorated in neutral tones and a suntrap rooftop pool with plenty of loungers is a highlight to come back to after days exploring the city.

Doubles from €135 per night, check availability at hospes.com, booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com.

Spring holidays further afield

Nashville – for food festivals and live music

Spring is a busy time to be in Nashville, with plenty of festivals to visit – from the annual East Nashville Beer Festival to the Cherry Blossom Festival or Nashville Food & Wine Festival at the end of April. Every corner of Nashville pulses with live music and street food – tuck into The Grilled Cheeserie’s famous cheese toasties or sample from the eclectic range of cuisines at Assembly Food Hall in downtown Nashville. Biscuit Love is where to head for buttermilk biscuits topped with the likes of spicy fried chicken, local sausage gravy or berries and butter toffee syrup. Visit Butcher & Bee for unique meze dishes and standout burgers using locally grown ingredients. Before you leave, Nashville hot chicken is a must. Get it at Hattie B's, where the extra brave dare to try the ‘shut the cluck up!!!’ spice level.

Where to stay: the sleek double rooms at stylish Noelle provide a calm oasis from the buzz of the city, despite being close to broadway and the heart of the action. Rooms have plush king-size beds, custom furniture and luxurious bathrooms. Make sure to save time to head up to Rare Bird, the rooftop bar and lounge, for a golden hour cocktail.

Doubles from £237 at noelle-nashville.com, booking.com or expedia.co.uk.

The Philippines – for remote island adventures

The month of May is a great time to visit this stunning archipelago of 7,000 tropical islands. The warm climate hasn’t quite reached rainy season, and tropical fruits are in abundance – taste Java plums, jackfruit, watermelon, pineapples, pomelo and the islands’ national fruit, mangos (try to find the champagne mango, considered the sweetest in the world). Chicken adobo is the unofficial national dish of the Philippines and every family has their own recipe – try a variety to find your favourite.

Where to stay: Community-based hospitality initiative Tao offers different sustainable tours of the islands from two to four nights. A true escape (don’t expect room service or WiFi), here you can wake up each morning in a bamboo hut before heading out on a private boat tour, going snorkelling or swimming off deserted beaches or enjoying a traditional massage. In the evenings, return to sip on rum cocktails and feast on fresh fish in the company of your fellow adventurers.
From £380 for a two-night trip, check availability at taophilippines.com.

Tokyo, Japan – for cherry blossom season and local tours

Japan's cherry blossom season is famous around the world and while the precise best time to visit depends each year on the weather, most cherry blossom festivals begin around the end of March and can last well into the month of May. Visit Tokyo for plenty of scenic opportunities along with a jam-packed food scene from super-fresh sushi to Michelin-starred ramen at Tsuta. Katsu fanatics should head to Mai Sen for their signature tonkatsu that attracts queues, whilst family-run Kyubey is the place for high-quality sushi.

Where to stay: Soak up contemporary Japanese design at stylish OMO5 Otsuka. Situated on the third floor of a sky-high modern building, there are 125 rooms with an upmarket hostel feel. The OMO Café specialises in vol-au-vents for breakfast and lunch, alongside pastries made on site, all served with OMO speciality coffee. Head out with one of OMO’s “rangers” for a foodie tour of the local area. Tailored around specific niches, you can choose between a local brewery crawl, a tour specialising in nostalgic Showa-style food, and one highlighting the hippest foodie spots in the neighbourhood

Doubles from £99 per night, check availability at omo-hotels.com, booking.com or expedia.com.