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RTÉ News
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Two Irish food festivals make list of Europe's best food fests
Galway's celebrated Oyster and Seafood Festival has been voted the second best summer food festival in Europe in a new list. Big 7 has released their list of the top 25 Summer Food Festivals in Europe, with the Galway festival securing the no. 2 spot. Big 7 is a travel site and media company that specialises in rounding up the best experiences, food and drink spots and activities around the world. Drawing from recommendations and tips from readers, the editorial team also add in their contributions, curating a selection of 'best of' lists across food, travel and more. Running this year from 26 to 28 September, the Galway International Oyster and Seafood Festival was founded in 1954 to coincide with the annual oyster harvest and is the oldest oyster festival in the world, as well as one of the longest-running food festivals in Europe. A highlight of the festival is the annual Oyster Opening or 'Shucking' Competition, which sees more than 20 competitors, representing countries from all over the world flock to Galway to vie for the World Championship title. As well as this, the city is lit up with parades, demos and more over the last weekend of September. COMPETITOR INTRO - Denmark, Jesper Knudsen 🦪 Welcome back, Jesper! Jesper has won the Danish Oyster competition for 11 years in a row! He also won the World Oyster Opening Championship in 2013, will he do it again? Catch him in action on Sat 28th of September 🤩 #GIOSF2024 — Galway Oyster Fest (@galwayoyster) August 20, 2024 "Sling back oysters by the bucketload, enjoy the toe-tapping trad music, and watch the masters at work – all set against the backdrop of the wind-whipped Atlantic coast", the editors of Big 7 write. Taste of Dublin, which takes place 12-15 June, was also named on the list, coming in at no. 23. The annual festival, which takes place in Merrion Square, celebrates the best food producers and chefs in the country and is an excellent opportunity to try new things. "Festival goers can pick up tips and tricks from demonstrations and panel discussions with top chefs, as well as take part in hands-on classes and tastings", Big 7 writes. "There's also a gorgeous slice of the Mediterranean in the Tasting Spain corner – sample meats, cheeses, olive oil, and tapas, and learn from the best with masterclasses and expert wine tastings." The Sardine Festival in Portimão, Portugal nabbed the top spot, a lively celebration of the humble sardine that promises stalls selling local handicrafts, street artists, and live music. Almo do Vinho in Alenquer, located just 35 minutes from Lisbon, was ranked third on the list. This festival celebrates the region's wine producers, with guests free to come meet winemakers and indulge in grape-stomping competitions, wine-barrel rolling races, jewellery-making workshops, traditional folk dances and more. Read the full list of festivals below: The Sardine Festival – Portimão, Portugal The Galway International Oyster and Seafood Festival – Galway, Ireland Almo do Vinho – Alenquer, Portugal Maschseefest – Hannover, Germany Stragusto Food Festival – Trapani, Italy Napoli Pizza Village Festival – Naples, Italy Fête de l'Ail Rose – Lautrec, France Fistiki Festival – Aegina, Greece Istrian Pasta Festival – Žminj, Croatia Gladmat Food Festival – Stavanger, Norway Lymington Seafood Festival – Lymington, England Foodies Festival – Across the United Kingdom Sarajevo Street Food Market – Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina Loch Lomond Food and Drink Festival – Loch Lomond, Scotland Copenhagen Cooking Festival – Copenhagen, Denmark Cycladic Gastronomy Festival – Sifnos, Greece La Tomatina – Buñol, Spain Abergavenny Food Festival – Abergavenny, Wales Aarhus Food Festival – Aarhus, Denmark Trøndelag Food Festival – Trondheim, Norway Taste of London – London, England Bordeaux Wine Festival – Bordeaux, France Taste of Dublin – Dublin, Ireland Bite of Amsterdam – Amsterdam, Netherlands Matstreif – Oslo, Norway
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Scots food festival with spectacular scenery named one of the best in Europe
Scroll down to see who came top of the fests BEST OF THE FEST BEST OF THE FEST Scots food festival with spectacular scenery named one of the best in Europe Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) WITH summer in full swing and tourism thriving, food festivals are an ideal way to enjoy local cuisine and culture in one go. A combo of great grub, music and entertainment, these culinary events are a huge draw for visitors. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Food fests are a way to sample different cuisines 3 The top Scots fest is on the banks of Loch Lomond Global travel site Big 7 Travel has just released its list of The 25 Best Summer Food Festivals in Europe - perfect inspiration for foodie travellers planning their next getaway. And one Scots fest makes the cut, taking a top 20 spot among places like Norway, France, Spain and Greece. A Big 7 expert says: "We pulled together tips from our readers and the Big 7 Travel team, looking at everything from must-try local dishes and good vibes to great locations and how popular each festival is." The Loch Lomond Summerfest, which is being held on July 5 and 6, takes spot number 14 on the global ranking. Taking place on the banks of the bonnie loch, there's loads for the whole family to enjoy. The Big 7 team says: "The event showcases the very best of Scottish produce, and no, we don't mean deep-fried Mars bars. "Instead, there is a bounty of fresh food to be enjoyed from the surrounding national park, including freshly caught wild salmon and venison. "Fill up on local and international foods, paired with local beers, whisky, and gins. There's plenty of kids' entertainment for the little ones, plus cooking demos, talks and live music." There's also a dedicated food and drink fest at the Lomond Shores location later in the year, in September. Taking top spot in Europe is the Sardine Festival, in Portimao in Portugal in August. Explore Algarve with The Sun's Best of Beaches Love them or hate them, there's no room for sardine slander at the Algarve's beloved Sardine Festival. The Big 7 experts said: "The Sardine Festival is held to commemorate the start of the sardine season while celebrating their long, salty, delicious history. "Enjoy them the Portuguese way – place a sardine on a chunk of fresh bread, peel off the skin, eat the meat of the fish, and then finish off with the bread that's soaked up all the juices. "Extra Portuguese points if it's washed down with a cold Sagres. While sardines are the star of the show here, there's something for everyone: a mix of food options, stalls selling local handicrafts, street artists, and live music. "When the sun sets, live music keeps the energy high."
The Herald Scotland
17-05-2025
- The Herald Scotland
Scottish beer garden with breath-taking views among UK's best
The Cold Town House is located in the Grassmarket area of the Old Town (Image: Tripadvisor) Edinburgh beer garden with views 'nothing short of breathtaking' named the best in Scotland The Cold Town House in Edinburgh was named the best beer garden in Scotland by travel website Big 7. Discussing the iconic spot, the website said that you'd be forgiven for thinking that a beer garden in such a busy city centre would be "impossible." However, it noted that the views from the bar in the Grassmarket area of the Old Town are "nothing short of breath-taking." After a day of exploring the historic city, visitors can enjoy a pint at this pub while taking in sights of the nearby castle, which looms large over revellers. The site added that a visit here is the "stuff of dreams," turning an ordinary beer garden visit into something truly magical. The beer garden has been praised for its stunning views of Edinburgh Castle and the Old Town. (Image: Tripadvisor) The location was commended by visitors on Tripadvisor, who gave it a 4/5 out of 722 reviews. One person said: "The best bar in Edinburgh by far. Awesome service, experience and drinks. The views are just stunning and the staff couldn't have been more friendly." Another added: "Great for drinks, lovely environment with great selection of beers on tap!" Recommended Reading: Other Scottish spots were listed, including The Dores Inn in Inverness, the Ben Nevis Inn in Fort William and The Old Mill Inn in Pitlochry. The latter, which was originally built in the 18th century as a mill, was highlighted as a particularly interesting visit.
Perth Now
26-04-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
What's all the fuss around running marathons?
This week I will, again, be living my marathon life vicariously through my friends as a mate takes part in the London Marathon. This specific friend is working his way through the holy grail of running achievements for the average man — the Big 7 marathons. They are a series of seven globally renowned marathons: Tokyo, Boston, London, Sydney, Berlin, Chicago and New York, and at this stage he's already run three. With Sydney in August he'll be within 126km of the magnificent seven. It's quite an achievement and I must admit I haven't really been able to get my head around it, this marathon fever that many people contract. Whether it's a bucket list thing or just that they are chasing the feeling you get when you cross the finish line; it's certainly an impressive goal. I think the training probably plays a part as it keeps you active and 'keeps the old man out' as we like to say in this column but I honestly feel like there must be easier challenges. Having played what I would call semi-professional football for 10 years, I know all about leaning into discomfort. I get that. I can still distinctly remember saying to myself on several occasions during my footy career, 'why am I putting myself through this?', but at least I was getting paid (well sort of, if you consider $12,000 a season a worthwhile amount). I come from a family background that preached only undertaking actions that would, in the old Catholic way of things, 'help you get to heaven' — so I was often re-evaluating things. I have another friend who is of Greek descent and he is now training to do the Athens Marathon. This of course led me to quickly remind him that Pheidippides, the legendary Greek runner who ran the first marathon from Marathon in Greece to Athens in 490 BC to announce the victory of the Greeks over the Persians. He collapsed and died at the end of his 40km. My friend Chris looked unfazed that a fella died after running 26 miles and now people do it for fun. I'm yet to join this marathon frenzy but apparently once running becomes an activity you seek out rather than dread you officially have the runner's mentality. The other thing that blows me away is the runner's love of Strava, which is basically a social network for athletes. You record what you're doing and it goes to your Strava feed, where your friends can share in the glory. It's sports Instagram I guess you'd say. Then there's the Garmin watch, which must be stopped precisely when you finish your run, regardless of what's happening. They reckon that even if they get hit by a car, runners will stop their Garmin to record the run officially before dealing with the consequences of a car crash. A runner's obsession with new running shoes is also remarkable. Maybe we are just a nation of hoarders as I know many blokes who collect surf boards, bikes and guitars without ever considering selling one of their favourites. It's the same with running shoes for runners. I've lost count of how many times I've heard about Kelvin Kiptum winning the Chicago Marathon in 2:00:35, breaking the men's record by 34 seconds while wearing Nike trainers, the Alphafly 3. I'm pretty sure buying those shoes won't really make a huge difference to the average runner. Maybe not eating that pie at the footy or having chips with a burger will — but not the nearly $400 shoes. My other advice is to rewatch the scene when Sylvester Stallone runs up those stairs in Rocky followed by the Chariots Of Fire theme song piece before a race and then just try to enjoy yourself. Soak up the atmosphere, look around, engage with the crowd. A little tip from my marathon-running brother: having your nickname on your back is handy, especially in the States as the Americans like calling out your name. Personally 'Go Barra' would keep me going at least until the next corner. And when it gets tough just focus on the people in front, on your arms, your breathing. I read somewhere when negative thoughts creep in, just force yourself to smile, even if you look silly. Or start chanting 'if it's going to be, it's up to me', it's amazing how that works.
