My friend and I travelled to 18 cities across Europe over 6 weeks and there were many trials and tribulations that came along with it; my backpack and I got stuck on a tram, we left our passports in a different city, and got lost in a very large museum. I wouldn’t change those memories for the world, but I would change eating gluten-free if I could. In Metz, it took us both two hours and endless Googling to find a place for gluten-free and vegan food.
Through more fault of my own by only speaking one language, I had to search gluten-free in each language of the country we visited and even sometimes people didn’t understand that it was an allergy that needed to be 100% free from gluten. No matter how allergy inclusive a country is, there is always a small risk of cross-contamination – a fact which coeliacs deal with daily. Unfortunately, in Antwerp, this happened to me when I got ‘glutenned’ and was bedridden for the day.
The best piece of advice I can give for travelling with an allergy is to book a hostel with a kitchen. It is a lifesaver and a very budget friendly way to cook meals you know will definitely be allergy free, and you can meet new and interesting people too. Although most of the places we travelled to were very inclusive cities for allergies and dietary preferences, being mostly capitals and touristy areas.
"...you’ll likely find an abundance of quality free-from options to reconnect with food and experience new, diverse flavours."
Here are my top five:
1. Italy has to be the best place for gluten-free food – they truly have mastered the art of gluten-free alternatives. With most of their foods having gluten in it, their free-from options were surprisingly good. I visited Verona, Florence and Milan and indulged in a six cheese pizza, cannolis, and gelato, as well as numerous pasta dishes that I still dream about today.
2. My second pick from the places I travelled would have to be Vienna – simply for the fact that they had gluten-free McDonalds. A gluten-free McDonalds burger was such a novelty to me, with only being able to eat the chips at home. Shamelessly, I consumed four burgers out of the five days I was there.
3. Next up, my third favourite place for gluten-free options was Brussels for their vegan and gluten-free waffles, and of course, chocolate.
4. Ranking fourth, is Amsterdam for their inclusive food culture and their gluten-free Dutch pancakes – that were so delicious we decided to circle back at the end of our trip.
5. Finally, Budapest was excellent for gluten-free with a 100% gluten-free bakery right outside my hostel. Combined with the thermal baths and a boat party on the Danube river, I had the best time.
Having an allergy or a diet preference should never stop anyone from travelling – you’ll likely find an abundance of quality free-from options to reconnect with food and experience new, diverse flavours.
