Cheese lovers know what’s good and love to visit regions where they come from.
Europe is famous for its love of cheese.
Enthusiasts organize tours according to their preferences. Many of the world’s most famous cheese varieties come from our continent. In Western European countries, cheese production and consumption are at a high level. Many places have become famous for the cheese produced there. Most people outside of Europe don’t even know that Gouda is actually a city. We know that Gouda is the best-selling cheese in the world, produced by millions of dairy farmers. A beautiful place does exist in the Netherlands, and cheese has made serious business out of it.
From bustling cheese markets and fascinating museums to practical cheese-making workshops, here are the top nine places in Europe every cheese lover should visit:
Roquefort, France
It’s no surprise that this list starts in France. The town of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon in southern France has become famous to all cheese lovers. One of the most famous blue cheeses in the world is produced here. It’s made from sheep’s milk and is marbled with characteristic dark blue-green veins. Visitors can tour the cellars where huge wheels of this sharp cheese mature and see exactly how it’s made. Tastings of the finished product are mandatory.
Gruyères, Switzerland
This medieval town is a picturesque blend of cobblestone streets and lush meadows where cows graze, looking like they’re perfectly painted. It gained fame as the birthplace of the hard nutty cheese Gruyère way back in the 12th century. Visit La Maison du Gruyère cheese factory to learn more about its history and see how it’s made. Try dishes with the famous Gruyère cheese in a local restaurant on-site.
Parma, Italy
The city located in Italy’s most famous gastronomic region Emilia-Romagna in northern Italy. One of Parma’s most famous exports is Parmigiano Reggiano, the cheese affectionately known as Parmesan. The real deal is far from the grated stuff for spaghetti. It can be aged for several years and is a real treat for the palate. You can visit a factory where you’ll be guided through the process of making this hard, aged, and flavorful cheese. Restaurant menus in the surrounding area are full of dishes with Parmesan. In his honor, there is a museum dedicated to this ‘king of cheese’.
Gouda, Netherlands
The best-selling cheese in the world, as claimed in this place, is made right in this quaint Dutch town. Gouda is part of the Dutch cheese province – a region full of flavors for lovers of this noble food. There is everything from museums where you can discover how cheese is made and matures, to monuments related to cheese, cheese-related events, and even former cheese weighing scales in the museum on the main square. Don’t miss the lively traditional cheese market teeming with traders and buyers. You can taste plenty of samples and choose your favorites to take home.
Emmental, Switzerland
Switzerland’s idyllic Emmental valley is known for its rolling hills and Alpine views. It’s even more famous for being the home of Emmental, one of the most popular cheeses. In many parts of the world, it’s known only as Swiss cheese. You can visit the Emmental Show dairy to find out exactly how it’s made – and why it has so many holes! Learning all about the holes is very important. There’s also an opportunity to try making your own cheese under the guidance of a professional. The suggestion is to indulge and taste.
Pag, Croatia
The island of Pag has rightfully found its place on this list. It’s known for its lunar-like landscape and distinctive local cheese. Everyone who believed as children that the moon was made of cheese should definitely visit here. Here in one place, there is both cheese and the moon. Pag is made from sheep’s milk fed on aromatic local vegetation such as sage. Thanks to strong winds, the plants are covered in sea salt. This gives the cheese its distinctive sharp and salty taste. Visit the Gligora Pag cheese dairy to learn more about the cheese and how it’s made, as well as to taste some samples. More and more cheese-loving visitors are coming to this island.
Asturias, Spain
The region of Asturias on the northern coast of Spain is known as País de Quesos or the ‘land of cheeses’. It produces over 50 different varieties, including smoked Gamonéu and strong and spicy blue Cabrales. You can follow the Cabrales cheese route to visit dairies, explore aromatic limestone caves in Asiego where cheeses are stored and matured, and visit cheese tastings at cheese factories. It sounds very tempting, which means for a visit to this region, enough days should be allocated.
Camembert, France
Camembert is a village located in the Normandy region in northern France. It’s one of the world-famous destinations for cheese lovers. Thanks to the soft and creamy cheese, the name of the place is known worldwide, although few people know what the cheese was named after. You can explore the beautiful countryside and rich pastures where cows graze in large numbers. Maison du Camembert is visited to see how this popular cheese is made – and enjoy tasting it, of course. Alternatively, visit Durand Cheesemonger – the last dairy farm still making camembert using traditional methods. Cider is drunk here with cheese, not wine.
Cheese lovers, like myself, should visit at least some of these locations.
Gouda is a vibrant cheese town, Parma is the center of Italian gastronomy, and French cheeses are good wherever you eat them. Some people like museums or churches, and some visit places where the best cheeses are eaten. Cheese lovers have a great choice in Europe. These are not all the best locations, there could be nine more, and another nine, and who knows how many more.
