Culinary Delights of London and Paris Tour

London overwhelms at first. Monuments rise upon the skyline, narrating centuries of changing design, Big Ben to the Shard and beyond. Elegant townhouses line central streets, a glimmer of old glory still standing proudly amidst the changing face of the capital. Red double-decker buses and black Hackney carriages (traditional London taxis) pass by. You see tube station signs, statuesque heroes, plus all those other snippets that make the British capital so unique. All this and you’ve not reached the hotel yet. Transfer from the airport to the heart of London and reach your five-star suite just steps from the Thames. While London is huge, it’s remarkable how much of the city is within a small and walkable central area either side of the river.

A day is left free for any exploration according to your mood. Combine a hearty pub meal and a pint of craft bitter with the jet lag, and you’ll probably be asleep before long. The late Victorian-era pubs are a good place to be on the first evening of a food tour. Standards have improved enormously in recent decades, going from pub grub to gourmet cuisine without changing the menu. Think lamb shank, shepherd’s pie, fish, and chips, or a meaty pie that only Britain could produce. In recent years, the world has seen a craft beer revolution; London pubs have been pulling cask ales and bitters for centuries before it became fashionable. There’s always a unique pint to swill down the food.

Delve into the history of London fine dining, and you’ll find the best restaurants to be close to food markets, where organic produce continues its journey from farm to table. Three such markets are the focus of today, and it’s not just the food. Borough Market stands in the shadow of the Shard, at the crossroads of regeneration in East London. Camden Lock dominates Camden, a hip and arty section of the capital along the canals. Convent Garden has brought the atmosphere of old-world London back to the city center, the fruit, and vegetable market now very much part of the city after almost being bulldozed into the suburbs by property developers.

Visiting these three parts of London provides insight into the capital and its changes. It also means a stomach-filling concoction of delicacies from all over Britain. Taste Sussex salamis of port and wild fennel, gourmet scotch eggs, salted beef handmade pies, white chocolate ice cream, and samples from the butchers, greengrocers, and fishmongers. Borough Market is where you find a dizzying array of gourmet produce. Camden Lock is all about the atmosphere and bustle, while Covent Garden showcases raw ingredients that are big on flavor. This evening is free, and there will be plenty of places on your list to visit. Staying in Central London makes it easy to get around on the underground.

Regal excesses cover Central London. They tell of world domination and colonial power, of a dedication to tradition and fine tastes. London Bridge, iconic as it hangs over the River Thames. The Tower of London, such an imposing sight along the river. Step inside here and a Beefeater is your guide, narrating ghoulish tales of those hung and quartered within the infamous prison. Admire the crown jewels, and then take a walk through Buckingham Palace nearby, such extravagance found along the corridors and in the ceremonial rooms. There’s more to London than the Queen of course, but it’s not really a London experience without acknowledging how the royal family has forever shaped the city.

It’s good to be hungry after this morning tour. Stay patient with your stomach because there’s a lot of food to fill the afternoon. High tea is as British as, well, high tea, a royal practice that became a daily indulgence for an empire’s rich and powerful. It’s had rejuvenation in the last 20 years, although one place has always proudly brought out the different cakes, sandwiches, finger foods, and fragrant teas. Glitzy and glamorous, high tea at the Ritz is a legendary London experience and another angle for food lovers. It’s remarkable how much flavor they can infuse into traditional bites on a multi-tiered crystal platform.

This final day in London is left free so you can explore at your own pace. It’s impossible to have a set program in this enormous city; art galleries, curio stalls, photographic landmarks, street musicians, homely bistros, and that’s just on a ten-minute walk of your hotel. Discover the London that most excites your imagination before dinner reservations at one of the world’s most famous restaurants, the three-star Michelin-starred Restaurant Gordon Ramsey. You may know the face from television; it’s far more serene in the dining room, with all the attention to detail you’d expect at the restaurant of such a passionate food lover.

Travel to Paris on the train. It’s just over two hours to the French capital, far quicker than transferring in and out of the airports. Sit back and relax with some bakery treats then disembark into the City of Lights. Your hotel is nestled along the Champs-Elysees, where Greco-style townhouses line up before the Arc de Triomphe. Like London, it’s remarkable how many of the famous sights can be found within walking distance. A great option for this afternoon is to walk the River Seine, the city’s historical artery upon which so many icons are built, including the Eiffel Tower on the edge of the city’s old urban core.

Tomorrow is all about chocolate-covered fingers, but this evening you keep your hands clean on a VIP tour of the Louvre, the world’s most recognizable art gallery. It’s a tour followed by wine tasting. Think of Michelangelo sipping on a Bordeaux premier crux, admiring Da Vinci, and take in Botticelli paintings while contrasting Syrah flavors from the south. The wine tasting takes you on a tour of France’s distinctive wine regions while the fine art showcases the best of Europe over the last millennia. Spend the rest of the evening fine dining in a restaurant nearby, a degustation menu pairing food with free-flowing Chardonnay and Pinot.

Saint-Germain is the romantic neighborhood along the left bank of the Seine, where footsteps echo across the cobbles, and aromas seep out from small boutique stores. Saint-Germain is the home of the chocolatiers, a haven for all those who love sweets. Meet a chocolate maker and discover the culinary art, your fingers covered in luscious chocolate that’s too tasty to wash off. Sample the ultimate chocolate éclairs from the neighborhood where they were invented. Attend a tour of Saint-Germain’s iconic macaron makers, where the dainty traditions have been passed down through multiple generations. A guide takes you on a journey through the backstreets that have made Paris a chocolate-loving city, so much to sample and smell along the elegant lanes. The afternoon and evening are free to continue your own adventure through the streets of France’s capital.

Vineyards stretch out between urban streets. Cathedral domes mark the skyline and it feels like you’re walking through an impressionist painting. This is Montmartre, Paris’ bohemian neighborhood that once housed Van Gogh, Picasso, Monet, and just about every other legendary artist that came to paint in Paris. Montmartre is more like a hilltop village than a Parisian suburb, its vibe distinct from everything else you encounter in the capital. It’s easy to see how and where the artists were inspired, not just by the charming landscapes but also the cafes and food stores dotted throughout Montmartre.

Try a sample of French cheeses at a specialist store, comparing the different corners of the country. Indulge in a lineup of local pastries, so fluffy and elegant as they crumble into your mouth. Taste wine in one of the small bistros that seem to resemble a vintage museum piece. Cured meats, chocolate, and a superb bakery are along on the list as you explore Montmartre with food as a focus. By walking between the local shops you see where the artists lived and the bohemian style that’s continued into today. The evening is free, and you’re always spoilt for dining options in the French capital, Cinq-Mars a good choice if you seek flavors loved by the locals.

Pastry and coffee and you’re off on the train to Versailles, where an early start is highly recommended. This stately destination gets crowded in the afternoons and the earlier you arrive, the more ostentatious the palace feels. With few other people around you walk through rooms of tapestried walls and opulent light fixtures, past grand portraits of Louis XIV in red-heeled shows, through the postcard-inducing Hall of Mirrors and amongst the liberal excess of France’s royal family. You’ll be in need of some subsistence by midday, and the Versailles area is liberally filled with cafes.

There’s an aperitif in the late-afternoon, tutored wine and cheese tasting in one of those Parisian bistros you want to pack up and transport to your home street. It’s not about eating lots of food but sampling the full variety of flavors and understanding how cheeses and wines are paired together. They eat late in Paris so you have a couple of hours to walk off all that dairy, for tonight you’re dining at one of Paris’ most revered Michelin-starred restaurants. This is the city and country where classic gourmet cooking comes from, and it’s not a trip to Paris without an upmarket experience in one of the premier venues. Sometimes it’s best not to even look a menu, but to sit back and wait for the chef’s recommendations upon the table.

Time flies in the big cities, especially when you’re hopping between all the food haunts. There will be time for a final coffee along the Champ-Elysee and a chance for a dainty pastry to keep you going at mid-morning. After breakfast, it’s off to the airport, homeward bound after the best of London and Paris for food lovers.