One of the delights of cruising is visiting ports you may not have previously considered exploring. On my cruise with Regent Seven Seas from Venice to Athens via the Greek Islands and Istanbul, the small coastal town of Kotor in Montenegro is on the itinerary. Cruising into this part of the world is nothing short of spectacular, as you wind your way along the bay, surrounded by the Orjen mountains to the west and the Lovcen mountains to the east. The bay has been inhabited since antiquity, with well-preserved medieval towns clinging to the coastline.
One of the Regent excursions on offer is a cooking class in Klinci village, where we learn to cook traditional exquisite Montenegrin dishes in a hands-on class at a historic family estate. Njeguški steak and buzara, burek and gulaš … it’s all hearty and delicious and a truly unique experience.
Every day onboard my cruise I battle with the very tough decision of whether to stay onboard to indulge in the exceptional cuisine in one of the many fine restaurants or go ashore for one of the many cuisine-themed excursions. One of the many things I love about Regent Seven Seas Cruises is that they often overnight in a port, so you have the option of dinner in your favourite restaurant on land or sea so you can really enjoy the best of both worlds. Regent know how important beautiful food is for their guests. They have once again stepped up their offering with the release of 12 new Epicurean Explorer Tours, which will see travellers indulging in cuisine-focused shoreside excursions in fabulous destinations across Asia, Europe, Canada and New England.
Food for thought
“With these thoughtfully designed Epicurean Explorer Tours we are providing a transformative experience that connects ultra luxury travellers deeply with the cultural heart of each destination through its most fundamental expression: food,” said Jason Montague, Chief Luxury Officer, Regent Seven Seas Cruises. “At Regent, we don’t just take our guests to their most desired destinations, we offer the chance to truly explore through countless unique shore excursions, all while enjoying the highest standards of service aboard The World’s Most Luxurious Fleet.”
Combining Regent’s promise of epicurean perfection and immersive exploration, the new tours provide food lovers the opportunity for unrivalled and authentic gastronomic adventures, from foraging in Invergordon, Scotland for ingredients to make the perfect Cullen Skink, to savouring premium Kobe beef prepared by a teppanyaki master chef in a restaurant overlooking Osaka Castle in Japan.
Limited to 18 guests per session, the intimate Epicurean Explorer Tours allow guests to take a hands-on approach to engaging with global gastronomy and traditions. The new tours are from 3 to 7 hours in duration, offering tailored experiences designed to spark the curiosity of epicureans, with some experiences including an onboard cooking class at the ships’ Culinary Arts Kitchen.
“Our Epicurean Explorer Tours represent the pinnacle of culinary exploration and are designed following painstaking in-destination research by our team of esteemed and accomplished chefs,” said Chef Kathryn Kelly, Executive Chef and Director of Culinary Enrichment, Regent Seven Seas Cruises. “We’re a team of passionate professionals who love nothing more than sharing in-depth culinary and destination knowledge with our valued Regent foodie guests.”
