Is there anything better than cheese? After all, cheese pretty much goes with everything. It’s amazing on bread, with fruit and with vegetables, with pasta, with chocolate, with wine or beer, or even just on its own.
And the best thing about cheese, besides that it simply exists, is that there are so many varieties, made all over the world. You can get a mild Brie in France, a flavorful goat cheese in Tuscany, or a pungent (dare we say, stinky) blue cheese in Asturias that’ll knock your socks off (or at least smell like them). Many cheeses can be found in particular places around the world, where cheesemongers have been perfecting their craft for generations.
Who wouldn’t want the perfect excuse to roam around France, eating every morsel of Camembert, Brie and Beaufort in their sight? Or around Italy, where you can sample gorgonzola, pecorino romano, and classic parmesan. There are also the cheese markets of Amsterdam, cheesy excursions in Spain, and the actual town of Cheddar for some real-deal cheddary goodness. (And if you want to stay state-side, don’t worry. There are plenty of places to visit in the United States as well.)
Cheesy travelers might be reaching for their passports when they read about these amazing cheeses — and the destinations that created them.
Bordeaux, France
France is a cheese utopia, and some of the world’s best cheeses come from Bordeaux. Not only are there are tons of varieties of cheese shops you can go to such as Le Chèvre-Feuille, a factory specializing in rich goat cheeses, but also Baud et Millet, a tiny cheese restaurant inside a cave.
Normandy, France
Normandy is the home of the creamiest French cheese around: Camembert. You can visit the Cheese Museum, which is built in the shape of a Camembert cheese wheel and the President Farm, where you can eat plenty of fresh cheese and learn everything about Camembert, from its historical beginnings to the cheesemaking process.
The French Alps
Along the borders of France, Switzerland and Italy, you’re bound to discover some delicious cheeses, like Reblochon, Beaufort, Abondance, Bleu de Sassenage, and Tomme de Savoie. Plus you can enjoy them while admiring the gorgeous views.
Asturias, Spain
This part of Spain is often called “El Pais de los Quesos” (Land of Cheese). The most popular cheese from this region is a strongly flavored cheese called Queso de Cabrales. Cheese lovers can even discover all there is about this famous cheese though a special foundation dedicated to the historical and cultural importance of Cabrales.
La Mancha, Spain
La Mancha isn’t only the home of Don Quixote, it’s also the home of the most famous Spanish cheese: Manchego. The buttery cheese from the milk of Manchega sheep that is herded in the provinces of Toledo, Cuenca, Ciudad Real, and Albacete.
Sardinia, Italy
You can find just about any type of Italian cheese in Sardinia from pecorino to blue cheese. But what makes Sardinian cheese special (and maybe a little risky) is an illegal cheese made with live maggots called casu marzu.
Pagazzano, Italy
Lovers of pungent cheese should definitely go to Pagazzano, home of gorgonzola. One of the best companies producing the traditional Italian cheese, Arrigoni, is definitely worth a try.
Source: Travel + Leisure
