This post may get cut-off in your inbox. Click the title above to read the full version.

The Ortigia Edit 🇮🇹

The island of Ortigia is, in my opinion, one of the first places you should visit in Sicily. Less bustling & urban than famous Palermo, and less touristy than the much-hyped Taormina, Ortigia is full of local charm, ancient Greek ruins, incredible food, and is fully walkable with a scenic coastline tour that will take you about an hour. Whether you have a quick weekend getaway planned or a full week-long trip, there’s plenty to do here and all within a comfortable radius.

Ortigia is less polished than many other Italian hotspots, and this is a good thing. Restaurants still feel genuinely family-run, interiors still feel cozy & kitsch instead of instagram-sanitized, and menu offerings still feel hyper-local instead of trend-oriented. From jaw-dropping beaches to a bustling market to gorgeous architecture, this is a truly stunning destination worth visiting.

Here are the Ortigia hotspots I point friends to when they ask.

x Nicoletta 🍋

Where to Stay

Casa Sabir

🍋 website / 📍 google maps

Casa Sabir is a stylish apartment dating to the early 1900s, on the first floor of a historic palazzo in Ortigia. Located in the heart of Syracuse, Sicily it overlooks this historic island’s bustling food market (more on that below), with a lovely sea view from its balconies and room for up to 4 guests. Its interiors combine charming original floor tiles and rustic plaster walls with contemporary touches, with all mod cons at your fingertips such as air conditioning, washer / dryer, wifi, and a full kitchen. Most importantly, from Casa Sabir you can walk to everything on this list, as well as enjoy a glass of wine straight from the flat’s iconic wine cellar.

Where to Eat – Traditional Restaurants

Trattoria La Foglia

🍋 instagram / 📍 google maps

Stepping into Trattoria La Foglia is like stepping into the Sicilian living room of your dreams – with mismatched vintage furniture & tableware everywhere, lace doilies on the tables, and chandeliers suspended above. But don’t let its bohemian character fool you, because the food here is serious business. Warm and family-run, it is renowned for exceptionally good Pasta alla Norma, fresh pasta with ricotta and lemon, traditional citrus salads, and fresh seafood catches like swordfish, tuna, and lobster. Vegetarians will find plenty here also, so it’s a perfect stop for everyone in your crew.

• • •

‘a Putia delle cose buone

🍋 instagram / 📍 google maps

‘a Putia is a cozy, unpretentious restaurant that will probably have a bit of a queue when you arrive (and nope, you can’t book ahead). Its menu is authentic and homely with traditional Sicilian comfort foods like pistachio pesto pasta, all sorts of bruschetta, and charcuterie boards with local meats & cheeses. Super friendly staff, generous portions, fair prices, & quirky Sicilian décor – what more could you want?

• • •

⁠⁠Casa Trimarchi

🍋 instagram / 📍 google maps

Part alimentari, part restaurant, Casa Trimarchi is a rustic, family-run establishment nestled into a quiet side street. The menu here is truly special, serving farm-to-table dishes made with organic vegetables and ingredients grown on the owners’ own agricultural estate. Lovely outdoor seating with a view towards Piazza Duomo. In-house specialities such as Zia Carmela’s meatballs, caponata, and eggplant parmesan.

Where to Eat – Trendy Restaurants

Chiodo Showroom

🍋 instagram / 📍 google maps

This is your spot for a truly inventive meal: a fabulously contemporary bistro with neighboring concept store and lush inner courtyard. Thanks to the fact that it was a former art space and design workshop, the vibe here is more vintage + mid-century + industrial than your average old-school trattoria, with retro furniture, mismatched found objects, and funky lighting throughout. Its menu features seasonal plates with modern or creative twists, and a very cute interior bar serves incredible, fresh cocktails and natural wines. Expect a small but high quality (and frequently rotating) menu using local ingredients. A truly unique experience in Ortigia.

• • •

Crudo Siracusa

🍋 instagram / 📍 google maps

This place is serious about raw fish, and at 6 years old is still one of the ‘newer’ kids on the block. Famous for ultra-fresh carpaccio, tartare, ceviche, and gorgeous seafood platters, this place also has great cocktails and homemade breads. If you’re looking for a spot with elegant plating and a contemporary concept for a special night out, this is the place.

Where to Eat – Casual Food

Caseificio Borderi

🍋 instagram / 📍 google maps

These are the sandwiches of your wildest dreams and you need to go here, full stop. Grab a panini for the beach, pick up fine cheeses for the house (many are made in-house), or take away cured meats for a delicious charcuterie board. You really can’t go wrong, and everything here is delicious – plus, you could do worse than a “I ♥️ BORDERI” T-shirt as your vacation souvenir. The shop is located at the edge of the Ortigia market, and lines can get LONG – so head here at a peculiar hour if you can. Fantastic, big portions. Go multiple times in your trip to try different things, if you can.

• • •

Tito Mare Fresh & Fried Street Food

🍋 instagram / 📍 google maps

One of the stalls in the vibrant Ortigia Market, Tito Mare is a fantastic seafood spot for when you want something great that doesn’t break the bank. With tons of fresh fish, fried fish, and shellfish on offer, this is the place for excellent prawns, calamari, seafood bruchette, and the like. Wonderful, lively atmosphere. Casual enough to hit in your beachwear. And definitely a perfect place to stop when touring the market has made you ravenously hungry. If you’re with a group, go for one of the XXL seafood platters – these are truly excellent.

• • •

Schiticchio

🍋 instagram / 📍 Via Cavour or Piazza Duomo

Surely you came to Italy expecting pizza, and while in Ortigia, this is your place to get it. The pizzas here lean toward Napoli style, but have a distinctly Sicilian feel – with regional toppings such as local coppa, yellowfin tuna, and Sicilian sausage. Pizzas featuring yellow datterino tomato sauce and pistachio pesto are also house favorites. Head to the location by Piazza Duomo for lovely views, or just map your way to whichever location is closest when you get hungry. Also try the salads!

Where to Drink

Enoteca Solaria

🍋 instagram / 📍 google maps

Fellow wine-lovers, this is your spot. Equally a wine bar, wine shop, and great place for small nibbles, Enoteca Solaria manages to feel rustic and old-school while also serving up an incredible selection of hip natural wines, which is a combo I don’t find often. The owners are lovely, super knowledgeable about wine, and happy to make suggestions. The patio is a lovely spot for a few rounds, day or night. And in general the vibe here was one of my favorites in all of Ortigia – perfectly relaxed, with a truly excellent selection of wines. Head here for orange wine & aperitivi in the evening, or grab takeaway bottles for the beach!

• • •

Cortile Verga

🍋 instagram / 📍 google maps

This is a fantastic place to eat AND drink, so please do pretend it’s in both sections – but more often than not it’s a hankering for a killer cocktail (and swanky vibes) that brings me here. While seated in the candle-lit courtyard you’ll be surrounded by stunning 18th-century Baroque stone architecture, and for that alone I’d send you here – but luckily the beverages are delicious and truly inventive, with a rotating menu that features local, seasonal ingredients. Try their take on a Negroni if that’s your thing, or the Madame (with bergamot and hibiscus) for something more fresh & botanical.

• • •

DiVino Mare

🍋 instagram / 📍google maps

Another excellent natural wine spot, with many local bottles so you can really get to know the region’s terroir, as well as delicious small plates. Relaxed, unpretentious vibe. Super friendly service. Also a great place for coffee during the day.

Other Faves

Ortigia Street Market

📍 google maps

This bustling market is an absolute must when in Ortigia. Browse local produce, seafood, and traditional street food in this open air market (such as arancini, nuts & spices, and fresh oysters) while taking in the calls of vendors all around you. I’d arrive around 11:30am to give yourself some shopping time, before becoming wickedly hungry (when you should then head to Caseificio Borderi or Tito Mare as suggested above). The market ends around 1:30/2pm and note it’s closed on Sundays. Perfect place to grab souvenirs with a smaller section of clothes, hats, bags, and trinkets.

• • •

Fratelli Burgio

🍋 instagram / 📍 google maps

Now we have the deli of your wildest dreams – filled to the brim with cured meats, cheeses, preserves, more sandwiches & charcuterie boards, local Sicilian produce, house-made provisions (such as caponata and pesto), and more. Possible to eat in or takeaway, and open from early morning to late night every day but Sunday – so it’s sure to slot into your itinerary somehow. Just go here.

• • •

Honorable Mention:

For the most scenic beaches in Ortigia, head to Forte Vigliena / Spiaggia Diana del Forte and Spiaggia di Cala Rossa.

For local landmarks: Syracuse Cathedral, Temple of Apollo, Chiesa di Santa Lucia, and Castello Maniace.

And finally, hit up MOON and Cuccumella when you need a casual café, and Viola Bakery for quick breakfast pastries like cornetto di crema 🥐

P.S. If you enjoyed this, there’s so much more coming… Make sure you subscribe to get all of my future city guides, etc.

x Nicoletta 🍋

This post may get cut-off in your inbox. Click the title above to read the full version.

The Lisbon Edit 🇵🇹

Lisbon’s hospitality scene is MASSIVE, and it can be realllly stressful to curate an itinerary here for this reason. My advice? Prioritize purely traditional Portuguese eateries if you’re there for just 2-3 days – and branch out to the trendy and/or non-Portuguese places only if you have more time. This way, you’ll catch the standout experiences you can solely find in Lisboa, such as seafood establishments that have been around for generations.

Lisbon is such an incredible city, with (in my opinion) some of the best weather in all of Europe – AKA, not too hot & also not too cold, year-round – so it’s an amazing place to visit no matter the month.

Here are the hotspots I point friends to when they ask.

x Nicoletta in Europe 🍋

P.S. This isn’t a pastel de nata guide – for those, please just go to the OG here.

Traditional Restaurants

Cervejaria Ramiro

🍋 website / 📍 google maps

An absolute must-visit seafood establishment that’s been around since the 1950s, that absolutely lives up to the hype. This is your spot for incredibly fresh shellfish, cold beers, and a buzzy vibe – with actual locals in attendance, not just tourists. They also serve killer traditional prego (steak tenderloin) sandwiches that you should really leave room for. Reservations are a must.

• • •

Taberna da Rua das Flores

🍋 instagram / 📍 google maps

A traditional Portuguese eatery with incredible décor and super cozy vibe (maybe 12 tables max?). They’ve got a changing blackboard menu which a waiter will bring over and read out loud to you, but their scallops with miso butter are a house fave. Exquisite desserts and excellent wine menu. Cash only and walk-ins only, but you can put your name on a list and then have a little stroll (or sip some wine) while you wait.

• • •

Restaurante Ponto Final

🍋 instagram / 📍 google maps

This place is about the view, not the food, in all honesty – but for its waterfront proximity alone it’s worth a visit. Perfect for a long afternoon lunch in the sun, or better yet, a sunset dining experience which in my opinion is the real power move. Mostly seafood on the menu, as you might expect. Advanced reservations obligatory, especially for a sunset dinner. The bonus here is that you’ll take a (quick 10-20 minute) ferry ride to cross the Tagus river, which in itself is a lovely experience.

Trendy Restaurants

Da Noi

🍋 instagram / 📍 google maps

Super trendy eatery with great music that’s been a hotspot for locals since 2020. Inventive, modern, seasonal plates such as crispy tuna tacos with wasabi, cacio e pepe beans, truffle gnocchi, lime rice, and duck prosciutto. Great wine list and delicious cocktails. Definitely try the spicy tequila house shot!

• • •

Bar Alimentar

🍋 instagram / 📍 google maps

Owned by the same people who created Tricky’s, I actually prefer the vibe and food in Bar Alimentar. SUPER trendy, candlelit São Bento spot with creative Italian dishes like fig and cheese ravioli, impressive cocktails, and a solid wine list. Incredible atmosphere. Reservations recommended, and save room for cannolis!

• • •

Lupita Pizzaria

🍋 instagram / 📍 google maps

If you’re in Lisbon for more than a few days and have hit up all the recommended traditional Portuguese places, you can start moving onto the trendy establishments that venture outside of local cuisine. Lupita is your spot for pizza, with an exquisitely designed interior, great natural wines, craft beers, and cocktails too. If seating is packed, you can take a pie to go & sit in the nearby park. You can’t book in advance, so be prepared to queue for a bit. And definitely order some dipping sauces!

Where to Drink

Boavista Social Club

🍋 instagram / 📍 google maps

Welcome to the Lisbon listening bar of your dreams – serving up groovy vibes, great tunes from live DJs, and an extensive list of excellent natural wines. If you’re into the holy trinity of orange wine, vinyl, and moody lighting, I can’t recommend this spot enough. There’s also a regularly changing menu of tasty tapas and notable guest chefs in rotation, for those who like a few nibbles with their wine. Plus, delicious cocktails for any friends who aren’t “wine drinkers.” Super hip crowd of local Lisboetas plus tourists in the know. Fantastic, cozy date spot. Bookings recommended.

• • •

Magnolia Bistrot & Winebar

🍋 instagram / 📍 google maps

This place does serve great food, but for me Magnolia is more about the gorgeous vibes & extensive wine menu. The interior is charming, with impressive walls of wine, and the patio is full of greenery for when the weather is nice (which, in Lisbon, is often!) It’s situated on a charming plaza which is great for buzzy people watching, and you can also belly up for coffee in the morning or tapas at night – so this is a rare spot that can slot into your itinerary any time of the day or night. Every corner of this place is photogenic & as it’s park-adjacent you can go for a lovely stroll after.

• • •

Holy Wine

🍋 instagram / 📍 google maps

This truly tiny hole-in-the-wall spot is my favorite of all the wine bars in Lisbon. Lots of local varieties so you can sample the terroir of Portugal, with friendly staff at hand ready to make a recommendation. Tasty snacks, the coolest décor, what more could you need?

• • •

Quiosque do Adamastor

🍋 instagram /📍 google maps

You won’t find this place recommended by all the ‘trendy’ travel influencers out there, but it’s one of my favorite spots every time I go to Lisbon. It’s quite literally an outdoor kiosk with basic patio furniture and servers you’ll have to flag down for drinks, but the view of the sunset going down over the iconic bridge & the shining river is truly exquisite. Plus, you can nab sizable 2€ sangrias for an outing that won’t break the bank, allowing you to save money for everything else on this list! Even if I visit in Autumn, Lisbon weather is good enough for terrace drinking – so head here for an aperitif before dinner, or time your visit with the sunset!

Other Faves

A Vida Portuguesa

🍋 instagram / 📍 multiple locations (1, 2, 3)

Incredible little shop full of purely Portuguese goods, from tinned fish to artisanal ceramics to Alentejo wool sweaters. The perfect spot to pick up souvenirs, with a few different addresses in Lisboa to choose from!

• • •

Conserveira de Lisboa

🍋 instagram / 📍 google maps

One of THE ultimate places to grab a Portuguese souvenir (or gifts for friends), this shop has tinned fish of every variety from tuna with sea fennel to sardines in olive oil to curry mackerel to stuffed squid. Every piece is an artwork in itself, with gorgeous packaging you’ll want to frame after eating. While there are many shops selling tinned fish in Lisbon – this one’s the best, and has been open since 1930.

• • •

Marquise da Mobler

🍋 instagram / 📍 google maps

This café is worth visiting for the décor alone – from the gorgeous Mediterranean interior to the lush garden out back to the stunning ceramics on view. A great spot for coffee, baked goods, or brunch. They also have a dedicated work space if you need to do a bit of coworking while in Lisbon.

• • •

Casa das Velas Loreto

🍋 instagram / 📍 google maps

This is the oldest candle store in the world, established 1789. Select your favorite handcrafted candles for the ultimate souvenir, from their rainbow of colors to natural beeswax classics. Surprisingly affordable prices. Cash only, so stop at an ATM before.

• • •

Not pictured: Feira da Ladra flea market!

If you enjoyed this, there’s so much more coming… Make sure you subscribe to get all of my future city guides, etc.

x Nicoletta 🍋

The Marseille Edit 🇫🇷

The specific joy of Marseille is how rough around the edges it is – it’s not yet as cleaned up as other Riviera hotspots like Nice, where tourist traps are on every corner ready to charge you 18€ for mediocre rosé.

Nope – Marseille still feels unique, raw, and hyper-local, with an exciting regional cuisine that you can’t get anywhere else. It has that delicious grit you’d want from corners of Brooklyn or East London that aren’t fully sanitized, while still feeling uniquely French.

Perhaps a bit like Pigalle or Belleville in Paris, in Marseille the hottest restos & wine bars might be covered in graffiti and right next to a North African grocer – a place where cultures collide in the best way, and nothing feels too posh or insincere.

Here are the hotspots I point friends to when they ask.

x Nicoletta in Europe 🍋

Where to Eat

Tuba Club

🍋 instagram

This has all my favorite things packed into one – a seafront location, a killer wine list, swimming, and excellent seafood. And when I say “seafront” I mean it; here there are tables literally perched atop rocks so close to the sea you can feel the mist on your face. Note that this is a pricey hotel, but you can still dine as a non-guest – and while the food isn’t the cheapest it is delicious (as opposed to a place where you’re really just paying for the view…) It’s a bit out of the city center but worth the trek. Probably one of the most unique experiences you can get in Marseille – and definitely one of the trendy spots to name drop to those in the know.

limmat

🍋 instagram

From the moment you see the graffiti’d low profile exterior and buzzy crowd spilling over the steps, you’ll know you’ve discovered a very cool underground spot. Known for its inventive menu of seafood & vegetable-forward small plates, its offerings change often with the seasons and there’s an incredible wine menu to boot. This place, to me, captures Marseille’s vibe perhaps better than any other on my list – unpretentious, unique, and full of bold flavors.

Poissonerie Kennedy

🍋 instagram

For seafood lovers, this is a MUST. Expect ultra fresh catch-of-the-days with dishes like crudo, crevettes, mussels, and grilled fish. The vibe here is truly Mediterranean with a lovely shaded patio and front terrace seating too. Plus, there’s plenty of natural wine and unique desserts on the menu for the perfect pairing.

À Moro

🍋 instagram

Maybe you didn’t know you’d need Italian food in Marseille – but if you have more than a few days to sample all the regional French fare, then be sure to put À Moro on your list. With delicacies like vitello tonatto, osso bucco, and delicious pastas – not to mention the terrazzo flooring and retro interior – you’ll truly feel like you’re in an Italian osteria for the night, though flawlessly executed, the French way.

Where to Drink

Ripaille

🍋 instagram

Both a wine bar and bistro, this place has the cutest vibes in town that feel more like a living room than a restaurant. Yes, the food here is innovative and truly delicious – but even if it wasn’t, I’d belly up here for some of the best natural wines you can find in town & the insanely cozy décor.

Figure

🍋 instagram

If you’re looking for the cool kid natty wine bar, here it is. You can definitely eat here also, but to me this is the spot for moody low lighting and the incredible wine selection. It’s from the same folks behing Lolo in Paris, and you can certainly feel the Pigalle vibes in this new spot. Think good music, a perfect apéro hour, and even cocktails too.

Le Vin sur la Main

🍋 instagram

This very tiny, very cool and funky wine bar is the place to go to discover something new. The staff are super knowledgable and ready to make recommendations (you’ll be asked orange, white, red, or rosé? and go from there), and if you happen to snag a seat inside you’ll feel you’re in a true Mediterranean wine cave – though the casual curb-side seating is great, too. Every wine here is natural and local – so it’s a great place to taste the terroir of Provence.

Ivresse

🍋 instagram

Situated in a former garage, this industrial-chic wine bar is all about a well-curated selection, with lots to sample from Central and Eastern Europe. Their small bites make for the perfect apéro hour, and they consistently welcome great visiting chefs into their kitchen as well. Walk-ins only. They also have a new-ish second location here.

Other Faves

Maison Empereur

🍋 instagram

This is, without a doubt, one of the BEST shopping experiences you can have—not just in Marseille but in life. You’ll find the obligatory wall of colorful savon de marseille soaps for the ultimate souvenir next to covetable and colorful bistro cutlery, french linens, rustic rolling pins and straw bags and espadrilles in every size, dainty glassware, ornate ceramic jugs—literally everything stunning and French you could ever hope for. This is a Marseille institution that’s been here for ages. JUST GO.

Epicerie L’IDEAL

🍋 instagram

THE place to visit for gourmet provisions from French mustards to Italian olive oils to homemade harissa – and also a restaurant with rotating small plates. Great spot for a lite lunch, or to pick up takeaway sandwiches & wine for the beach. They even have their own cookbook, which makes an excellent souvenir.

Pétrin Couchette

🍋 instagram

This is your spot for excellent coffees, simple breakfasts, sandwiches, and delicious baked goods – including surprising delicacies like italian maritozzi. Surely, while you are in Marseille, you will need at least one casual meal (perhaps even one right by the train station?) and this is the place for that – ‘simple’ offerings but with impeccable French quality. Also, if you haven’t had one before, this is a great place to pick up a classic Provençal pompe à l’huile, which is a sweet, olive-oil-based bread.

Ensemble

🍋 instagram

This gorgeous book shop is absolutely worth a stop – outside of artsy books, it also has posters, magazines, postcards, journals, and very slick merch. This isn’t a comprehensive bookstore with thousands of titles – more of a niche concept store that’s been thoughtfully designed like a fashion boutique or design showroom. If you check their website ahead of time, you might just find that your trip coincides with one of their wonderful art exhibitions, film screenings, talks, or other events.

P.S. If you enjoyed this, there’s SO much more coming… Make sure you subscribe to get all of my future city guides, etc.

x Nicoletta in Europe 🍋

Most travel guides will send you to churches, palaces, and museums – I’d rather send you to an afternoon tour of an olive mill, pasta classes with a local nonna, or a vineyard harvest where you can stomp and taste the local grapes…

Each week I share the food experiences I'd book and the wine bars I'd visit across Southern Europe. As an American living across the pond who owns (and chefs) a restaurant and wine bar, I've built my life around chasing memorable meals and great bottles – here are the places I recommend when friends ask.

x Nicoletta in Europe 🍋

🇪🇸 Spain Food & Wine Guide — Mallorca

What I’d Book
Culinary Experiences 🧀🌿🍇

Here’s how I’d spend my days in Mallorca:

1. Visit Mallorca’s Salt Pans

🫒 website / instagram

Behold Salines d’Es Trenc – Mallorca’s famous salt pans, where Flor de Sal is harvested by hand each summer. Visitors can tour the wetlands and learn traditional salt production.

2. Wander the Olive Estates of the Tramuntana

Son Moragues Olive Estate

🫒 website / instagram

This historic Tramuntana olive estate produces premium extra virgin olive oil from centuries-old trees, and offers several incredible experiences from olive oil tasting to an estate tour to a full-blown picnic under the olive trees.

Aubocassa Olive Oil Estate

🫒 website / instagram

Beautiful olive farm near Manacor offering tastings and walks through meticulously maintained groves.

Several Tramuntana estates also allow visitors to participate during their autumn harvests, which can be a particularly unique experience.

3. Tour Formatges Burguera

🫒 website

Formatges Burguera is a traditional dairy farm and cheese factory in Mallorca. Run by three generations of the Burguera family, the farm is famous for producing completely natural products without artificial preservatives or dyes, and is notably the only dairy on the island that exclusively uses milk from its own cows to produce artisan cheese.

4. Visit Ecovinyassa, a Sóller Citrus Farm

🫒 website / instagram

Ecovinyassa is a family-run, 18,000-square-meter organic citrus farm in Sóller, Mallorca, situated at the foot of the Alfabia mountain ridge. It offers a peaceful agrotourism experience where visitors can take a self-guided walk through the groves to see over 50 varieties of fruit trees along with farm animals like chickens and peacocks, and learn about sustainable organic farming. The walk ends at a shaded seating area where visitors can enjoy freshly squeezed juice and traditional Mallorcan snacks.

Where I’d Drink
Wine Bars 🍇

Note: I tend to recommend wine bars that feel warm, like neighborhood living rooms, full of drippy candles and artworks with tote bags slung everywhere that you want to take home. I’m drawn to places where the owner opens bottles they genuinely love, and are truly knowledgeable about who makes the wine and the stories behind it. I also have a particular fondness for natural wine, because to me that’s what Europe does best: bottles with personality, minimal intervention, hand-scrawled labels, and a sense of place you can taste…

Here’s how I’d spend my evenings in Mallorca:

Bar La Sang (Palma)

🫒 website / instagram

Palma’s first bar dedicated to low-intervention wines, Bar La Sang is a laid-back natural wine bar and boutique bottle shop in central Palma. The vibe is unpretentious and warm, featuring a curated Spanish and international wine list and seasonal, Mallorcan-inspired tapas. The staff are known for being incredibly passionate and happy to let you taste before you buy, and the selection is extensive and focuses on small producers across Europe, including locally grown Mallorcan varieties.

La Nouvelle Famille (Santanyí)

🫒 website / instagram

For a town best known for sleepy cafés and market lunches, La Nouvelle Famille brings something refreshingly modern. Expect beautifully sourced Mediterranean cooking, a standout natural wine list, and a relaxed atmosphere that makes it just as good for a quick glass as a long dinner.

Bar Mercantil (Felanitx)

🫒 instagram

Bar Mercantil is one of the most exciting places to drink wine in inland Mallorca, with a strong focus on small producers, seasonal food, and bottles that are hard to find elsewhere on the island. The space strikes a balance between village bar and modern wine destination without feeling precious or over-designed.

La Infame (Palma)

🫒 instagram

La Infame feels like the younger sibling of Palma's natural wine scene: a little louder, a little bolder, and completely unafraid to experiment. Come for the low-intervention bottles, stay for the inventive seasonal cooking that gives the wine something equally interesting to play with.

Bar Bodega Biniaraix (Biniaraix)

🫒 instagram

If you're already making the trip to the Sóller Valley, don't rush back to Palma. Instead, stop in the tiny stone village of Biniaraix for a glass at this charming neighborhood bodega, where the focus is firmly on Mallorcan wines and local producers. It's the kind of place that feels deeply rooted in the island rather than designed for tourists.

la viniloteca (Palma)

🫒 instagram

Part record shop, part natural wine bar, La Viniloteca is one of Palma's most distinctive places for a glass. Flip through vinyl while browsing a strong selection of biodynamic wines from small Balearic and Spanish producers, then head outside with a bottle once you've made your choice.

CuinaVivant (Palma)

🫒 website / instagram

Some restaurants treat wine as an afterthought—CuinaVivant clearly doesn't. The bottles receive just as much attention as the food, with an emphasis on Mallorcan producers and low-intervention wines served alongside a menu rooted in the island's seasonal larder.

Mister McCoy’s Island Ices

🫒 instagram

Mister McCoy's Island Ices proves that great wine bars don't have to fit neatly into one category. Alongside a sharp selection of natural wines, you'll find house-made island-inspired ice creams, seasonal snacks, and a playful approach that feels refreshingly different from Palma's more traditional drinking spots.

This is the first chapter in our Mallorca guide. Next we'll be sharing the restaurants, bakeries, cafés and producers that we'd plan an entire trip around.

Every late summer and early Fall, a beautiful chapter begins to open up across vineyards in the Northern Hemisphere.

Families, neighbors, seasonal workers, and curious travelers gather in every wine region to harvest the year’s grapes, with many natural vineyards still picking the old school way: by hand only, and with no machines in site – making sure the fruit doesn’t bruise and nothing affects the flavor. The days begin early, hands become sticky and stained, long celebratory meals are hosted between the vines, and entire villages celebrate the beginning of a new vintage.

What many people don’t realize is that you don’t have to be a winemaker—or even know anything about wine—to join in. Across France, Italy, Spain, and beyond, vineyards welcome volunteers and visitors during harvest season, no experience needed. Some will welcome you for a few hours or a day, others invite you to pitch a tent or stay for a week, and in exchange for helping to pick grapes they’ll provide meals, wine, wages, accommodation, or simply the chance to experience one of Europe’s oldest traditions from the inside.

If you happen to be taking a trip in Europe between late August and early October this year – scroll down to see if your trip coincides with any of the harvests at my favorite vineyards. And if it’s too late to make it happen this year – bookmark these for 2027! (My ultimate goal with this Substack is to begin organizing food & wine trips in the future – so make sure you’re following if you’d want to join us!)

My first time participating in a harvest was truly magical – and came out of the blue as I hadn’t previously known this was an experience open to me. I’d been gifted a wine tasting at a small family vineyard by my partner, where we roamed the small acreage of vines and sampled the wine that they produced – and even brought the family dog in tow, who got to frolic with the resident vineyard doggos. At the end of the tasting, the woman mentioned their upcoming harvest & how 50+ volunteers had already been gathered to chip in. She asked: any interest? And a month later we were back – this time, clippers in hand. With this, my love for the harvest was officially born, and it’s now a goal of mine to participate every year possible – especially in Southern Europe, where the vineyards are among the most beautiful in the world.

If you enjoy drinking wine – and as long as you are able-bodied enough to endure a day of manual labor – this is truly an experience I’d recommend at least once in your lifetime. You’ll make incredible connections chatting away as you clip and inspect. You’ll get to try the wine and feast between the vines as the celebration at the end of the day. You may get to meet the farm animals onsite, or get a tour of the estate, or even do some stomping (depending on the vineyard). And you’ll understand wine from a completely new angle at the end – you’ll even get to look forward to buying a future bottle from grapes you helped pick by hand.

The dates of harvest change each year, depending on how warm the weather’s been that summer – and some harvests at notable, or small, vineyards do fill up quickly – so you’ll want to contact them as early as possible to get in.

See my list below!

2026 Harvests at Southern Europe Vineyards

Note that the following is a list of the vineyards I personally recommend – and decidedly NOT a comprehensive list of every vineyard in Southern Europe to consider. Specifically, my list includes natural wine harvests only – because why would you want to visit large commercial vineyards which use pesticides or add crazy amounts of sugar for no reason?

Southern Europe is rife with small, family-run vineyards that have been making wine the old school way for centuries – as well as countless new wine farmers getting into the industry to keep the traditional methods alive – and to me, that’s the only kind of vineyard experience I want. A lot of these places are so friendly that you can bring a caravan and stay a while, and share lunch at the same table as the owners. There’s no pretentious wine world snobbery here – just welcoming people, a true love for farming and viticulture, and one of the most memorable vacation experiences you’ll ever have.

Read on for my favorites, and do let me know in the comments if you’ve ever been to a harvest, or book one of my recommendations, or would like to in the future!!

🍋 Nicoletta in Europe x

🇫🇷 FRANCE

1. Domaine de La Renière (📍 Le Puy-Notre-Dame)

Harvest Dates: 24 August to 12 September

🍇 website

2. Les Vins de l'Arpette (📍 Castelnau-de-Montmiral)

Harvest Dates: 15 August to 15 September

🍇 contact

3. Melsolo & Causse Marines (📍 Vieux)

Harvest Dates: 31 August to 5 September

🍇 contact

4. Les Clos des Pères (📍 La Livinière)

Harvest Dates: 17 August to 5 September

🍇 website

5. Domaine des Buis (📍 Entraygues-sur-Truyère)

Harvest Dates: 23 August to 19 September

🍇 contact

6. Château l’Escarderie (📍 Saint-Germain-de-la-Rivière)

Harvest Dates: 1-8 September 2026

🍇 website

7. La Ferme des 9 Chemins (📍Reichsfeld)

Harvest Dates: 17 August to 2 September

🍇 website

8. Curtet Vignerons (📍 Motz)

Harvest Dates: 20 August to 5 September

🍇 website

9. Domaine de l'Aubraine (📍 Saint-Gengoux-de-Scissé)

Harvest Dates: 20 August to 5 September

🍇 website

10. Mas Foulaquier (📍 Claret)

Harvest Dates: 10-21 August

🍇 website

11. Domaine d’Abrigeon (📍 Saint-Marcellin-lès-Vaison)

Harvest Dates: 1-15 September

🍇 contact

🇮🇹 Italy

1. Cà del Prete (📍 Pino D'asti)

Harvest Dates: 20 August to 13 September

🍇 contact

2. La Torre alle Tolfe (📍 Siena)

Harvest Dates: 1-30 September

🍇 website

3. Tre.Mi.La. Etna Wines (📍 Milo)

Harvest Dates: 14 September to 4 October

🍇 website

🇪🇸 Spain

1. Chapi Wines (📍Chapinería)

Harvest Dates: 20th August to 14th September 2026

🍇 instagram

2. Celler La Gutina (📍 Sant Climent Sescebes)

Harvest Dates: 10th August to 15th September 2026

🍇 website

Today marks 2 full months here on Substack as FEAST europe – and it’s been such an incredible journey already. As I haven’t talked much about myself here on the platform, I thought I’d do a little introduction piece, explaining WHY I write about Europe, why I constantly recommend restaurants & wine bars, and what this publication is all about.

If you’ve read any of my articles by now, you are surely aware of how much I adore eating and drinking and Europe itself. From the cultural norm of lingering over meals on a perfect outdoor terrace to the old-school winemaking methods that still persist today, to finding the perfect Mediterranean cove to swim in and meeting friendly locals along the way – my love for southern Europe knows no bounds, and is something I’ve been cultivating since I studied in Spain a whopping 18 years ago. I write about southern Europe through the eyes of an immigrant who fell in love with this land and still wakes up every day feeling endlessly grateful and enamored.

A big part of why I fell in love with southern Europe is the deep cultural appreciation of food and gathering at the table that so many of these countries share. When I recommend restaurants, it’s not just a simple “top 10 travel” listacle – it’s a personal diary of my favorite haunts, from someone who works professionally in a kitchen and runs a wine bar and considers eating/drinking “out” my absolute favorite way to spend time. I recommend places as my way of saying thank you, and as my way of trying to send some attention their way, as someone who knows how hard it is to design a menu, to afford kitting out a space, to endlessly pay and train and keep staff, and to just keep the freaking lights on week after week (yep, even those restaurants up at the top you are sure are thriving...)

I write about restaurants and natural wine bars because they are my true happy places, where I turn to to soothe my soul when the world is feeling oppressive, which is something I share with my Italian husband and therefore the thing we earmark so much of our paychecks for. We regularly spend an entire day’s wages on a single meal and do so happily. We linger over every sip and every bite, we get to know the people working front of house and back of house in each establishment if we can, and we forensically study every detail of the experience to learn what we can about hospitality. Also, we eat out often as we don’t always want to cook on our days off! 😂 The appreciation we bring to each and every experience ‘out’ is unparalleled.

If and when I recommend hotels, it’s from the point of view of someone who spends just as much time campervanning across Europe to save money where I can, with a few nights here and there somewhere more luxurious (where I will DROOL over the lush robes and room service and in-house spa, yes, but also just the ability to have a long, hot shower and high thread count sheets and more than 2 meters of space at my disposal). I pay for my travels via 12+ hour shifts standing on my feet and sweating in a 40° kitchen, plus running my secondary company from home coaching writers. I met my husband later in life and we haven’t yet been able to consider starting a family with our busy lifestyles, so for now we have two modest incomes that we solely devote to enjoying life in our coveted time off – but I am not, and never will be, a luxury travel influencer. I can only ever call myself someone who adores southern Europe and wants to soak in its culture as much as possible in this tiny span of life I’ve been given – and someone dedicated to emptying my pockets for this pursuit.

As you may see from my frequent Black Book content, I am everywhere and nowhere currently in southern Europe (perhaps somewhat confusingly). This is because my husband and I are potentially looking to move here more permanently someday, and taking the time to research where that might be. Our home base continues to be southern England, where we are both immigrants, with as many months as possible traveling nomadically around Europe (often during the colder months, when we can close the restaurant – but also during as many weekend getaways as humanly possible). We have family in Italy and Spain, and I previously lived in Madrid. I have friendships across France as someone who lived in Paris in my 20s and Aix-en-Provence in my 30s. And we have a potential restaurant opportunity in Lisbon which we are exploring. Probably, someday we’ll be bi-continental between one specific town in southern Europe plus our coastal home in England – but for now we are on the hunt, endlessly roaming (and eating), considering all possibilities.

When I am not in my beloved Europe, I find ways to ‘travel’ there vicariously through books and language, to continue soaking in the culture. In my spare time, I am constantly studying the gastronomy & viticulture of southern Europe – sometimes to consider menu expansions for our Italian restaurant, or bar menu, but often just for fun, and to try my hand at new dishes at home. I regularly study Italian, Spanish, & French, and hope to be fluent in all 3 someday – but for now appreciate the ability to simply add to my travel vocabulary bit by bit each month. And when I can steal a few moments for reading, it is ALWAYS focused on Europe and/or food in some capacity: anything like MFK Fisher writing about Provence, Hemingway writing about Paris in A Moveable Feast, or Henry Miller’s ode to the Greek island of Corfu, The Colossus of Maroussi – which will always be my holy trifecta.

I hope to keep expanding this Substack as I go, with all the stolen moments I’m able to dedicate to writing. To come: way more food writing, diving into the incredible gastronomy of southern Europe. Personal essays & updates as we narrow down our future European home. Potentially, eventually, even invites to join us at vineyards, cooking classes, supper clubs, etc. – as hosting others is one of my true love languages.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to encapsulate my love for southern Europe in writing. It is a love that runs so deeply into my bones, and to wax poetic about the culture, nature, and food here is the greatest legacy I’d love to leave behind. Recently, my sister and I were toying around with one of those hypothetical prompts: what would you do with your life if you found out you only had a year or two more to live? And I found that my response was simple: I would spend the time in southern Europe, soaking everything in, sharing moments at the table with loved ones, and writing it all down. So, why wait?

I hope you’ll join me here at FEAST europe. I can’t wait to continue sharing my love of Europe with you.

When I’m not in my beloved Europe—

all I can do is write about food. When the urge arises to wax poetic about French markets or Spanish tapas and I am not physically able to do so, it is all I can do to slice crusty bits of sourdough, shove them into the toaster until blistering hot, and slather them with creamy piles of fresh chèvre the same way I’d be doing if I were in France at the moment.

When I am in Europe,

expounding the joys of crystal clear Mediterranean waters or the simple perfection of a spritz on a terrace – what I am really writing about is the joy of feasting on life, of being satiated, of stuffing oneself full. What I am writing about is permission for pleasure.

When I am in England, meanwhile, I am writing about hunger – about yearning, about digesting, about the taste left in one’s mouth.

After all, after a very rich goat cheese lunch its taste will be left in your mouth. And, if you are a true southern European, with this farmy taste lingering upon your tongue long after you’ve guzzled your rosé, you will begin to think about dinner.