Where To Travel If You Love Cheese
Do you ever enjoy going straight to the source of a beloved food or drink while traveling? I mean, I for one love to sip bubbly in Champagne or eat pasta in Italy.
I mean in 2022, Chris and I went all the way to Italy to Modena to try balsamic vinegar where it was from.
But one thing I love tasting right at the destination is cheese. Maybe it is because I have a whole blog dedicated to travel in France and they are definitely known for their many varieties of cheese, but who doesn’t love to taste cheese in the place it is famous for?
This post may contain affiliate links. This means if you click and book/purchase something through a link, I may earn a small commission (at not additional cost to you)!
So if you love cheese and want to indulge your tastebuds while traveling, here are some epic places to travel to for this gooey, melty, creamy, amazing stuff.
Emilia Romagna, Italy: Like France, Italy too is known for its cheese, and this region in Italy is definitely known for its cheese. Why? Well, this is where Parmigiano Reggiano is from! You can stay in Bologna and book tours of factories near Parma, Modena, and more! As a side note, Modena is where you can taste real balsamic vinegar!
Normandy, France: Soft, bloomy rind cheese fans unite! Normandy is home to 4 popular (at least in France) soft, bloomy rind cheeses that melt in your mouth. These cheeses are Camembert, Livarot, Pont L’Eveque, and Neufchatel. Each can be found around Normandy, but come from towns with these cheese names in their names. And you can even go to a cheese museum in Camembert to learn how it is made and see it being made in a factory before doing a tasting.
The Alps: Living in Grenoble, France introduced me to a world of melty cheese and cheese dishes beyond my wildest dreams. We’re talking Fondue, Raclette, and Tartiflette. Aside from France, you definitely want to go to Switzerland and the Swiss Alps to really take it in. Head to Gruyeres in Switzerland to try the delicious cheese named after the town. And honestly, you’ll 100% NEED to go to an alpine restaurant for Fondue Savoyarde, Raclette (a half-wheel of cheese melted and the top is scraped off on veggies and meat), or Tartiflette (a potato and cheese dish with bacon). These are best paired with a day on the slopes.
Wisconsin, USA: Wisconsin is a cheesy place. Cheese curds, Cheddar, Muenster (very different than the French Munster), Colby, and Colby-Monterey Jack are abundant in this state. In fact, the last 3 cheeses I mentioned here are from Wisconsin! So road trip around America’s Dairyland and discover the best of the American cheeses here.
United Kingdom: The UK is also very well known for its cheeses. Cheddar cheese comes from the town of Cheddar in Somerset. And if you’re a fan of blue cheese, you can taste Stilton cheese that is made in Derbyshire, Leicestershire, and Nottinghamshire. But the coolest thing you can partake in and/or just watch is the annual Cooper’s Hill Cheese Rolling in Gloucester. Witness hundreds of people chase a big wheel of cheese down a steep hill to see who can grab it first. It is seriously iconic.
Gouda, The Netherlands: Love Gouda? You’re going to want to visit this place. Not only can you pop into cheese shops, but there is a whole Gouda Cheese Experience museum you can explore too.
Oregon, USA: There are many places to get great cheese in the US, but Oregon certainly wins a lot of awards for its artisan cheesemaking. Cheesemakers like Tillamook Creamery, Face Rock Creamery, and Rogue Creamery are getting quite famous throughout the US and it isn’t hard to see why. So why not check out these cheesemakers and more as you explore the Oregon Cheese Trail?
Loire Valley, France: I know… France is on here a few times, but they have over 1,200 varieties of cheese! And if the melty alpine cheeses of the Alps or the soft bloomy cheeses of Normandy aren’t calling your name, perhaps the goat cheeses in the Loire Valley will. Pop into cheese shops throughout the Loire and you’ll be certain to find things like Valencay, Pouligny-Saint-Pierre, and Coeur de Touraine. I know that goat cheese is a hit or miss with people, but as a goat cheese (that’s chevre in French) stan, the Loire Valley is the place to go. Perhaps sneak in a few visits to the many chateaux in the area in between bites of cheese.
So there you have it, cheese, cheese, and nothing but the cheese. If you love this delightful dairy product, these are the places you’ll want to visit. Would you go to any of these places? Have you been?