World Food Travel Association Plans October Study Tour to Eastern Slovenia
Five-day culinary program limited to 20 participants targets food professionals and travelers seeking direct access to local producers and heritage traditions.
The World Food Travel Association is organizing a five-day culinary study tour through Eastern Slovenia scheduled for October 22-26, 2026, designed for food and travel professionals as well as serious culinary travelers seeking structured access to regional food systems and producers.
The program, developed in collaboration with the Culinary Heritage Network, centers on the concept of Taste of Place—a framework for understanding destinations through their foodways, cultural heritage, landscapes, and communities. The tour will cover historic areas of Ljubljana and Maribor, with scheduled visits to family farms, vineyards during harvest season, local markets, and meetings with artisan producers including farmers, beekeepers, and winemakers.
Itinerary highlights include a welcome dinner at Jaz by Ana Roš, the restaurant operated by Michelin-starred chef Ana Roš; vineyard lunches and tastings in the Jeruzalem wine region; a visit to the world's oldest living grapevine in Maribor; and a hands-on workshop in making gibanica, a traditional Slovenian layered cake. Participants will undertake guided city walks and experience shared meals structured around meaningful conversation with local food professionals.
The tour caps participation at 20 people to maintain what organizers describe as a relaxed atmosphere and access to experiences unavailable to larger groups. The cost is €750 per person, covering all scheduled meals, tastings, producer visits, guided walks, airport and in-tour transfers, and support from a local World Food Travel Association ambassador. Accommodation in central Maribor is booked separately by participants, with special rates available through the organization. Airfare and train travel to Ljubljana remain the participant's responsibility.
Registration requires a €375 deposit, or 50 percent of the total fee. The tour is expected to reach capacity quickly given the limited participant count. Interested parties can reserve places or request additional information by emailing help@worldfoodtravel.org. Erik Wolf, Founder and Executive Director of the World Food Travel Association, is leading the initiative.
Slovenia contains 24 culinary regions and three distinct wine regions, each with distinct local traditions and specialties, according to tour organizers. The positioning of Eastern Slovenia as an emerging culinary destination reflects broader industry interest in food tourism segments targeting professionals and affluent consumers willing to pay premium rates for curated access to artisanal producers and heritage food systems in lesser-known European regions.