Best Bicycle Tours for Seafood Lovers

In Croatia, a konoba isn’t just a restaurant—it’s a word with history. Originally referring to the place where food was kept and prepared, a konoba was also where fishing equipment was stored. Today, an eatery labeled a konoba is a registered restaurant that serves traditional Dalmatian dishes, proving that Croatians take their culinary identity seriously.

Visit the island of Korčula and you’ll find villages that still revolve around the fishing trade. And the preservation of traditions is directly reflected onto your plate: when you dine at a konoba, your choices might include a tomato-based fish stew called brodet, sea bass grilled with olive oil, shrimp scampi, or octopus peka—a traditional preparation baked under an earthenware cloche.

The cuisine of the Costa Brava is a mix of mar i muntanya (sea and mountain)—which means just as much Jamón Ibérico as seafood paella and Mediterranean lobster. Considered the gastronomic heartland of Catalonia, this Spanish region is synonymous with renowned chefs like Ferran Adrá (of now-closed El Bullí) and the Roca brothers (of El Celler de Can Roca). It’s no coincidence that these culinary geniuses have some of the world’s freshest ingredients at their fingertips.

Popular in Catalan cuisine is the fisherman’s stew called suquet, tapas with boquerones (salt-cured anchovies), and arroz negre, squid ink rice with fresh prawns. And they all taste great with a glass of sparkling Cava!

Sicily knows how to do seafood. After all, this is the island that gave rise to the Mediterranean diet, included on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage.

The complexity of Sicilian cuisine reflects its unique history, culture, and influence. Take Sicily’s pesce spada alla ghiotta, for example—a dish featuring locally fished swordfish, olives (introduced to the island by Greeks), capers, and a bright squeeze of lemon (Sicily’s famous citrus, the result of mineral-rich volcanic soil). Don’t care for swordfish? There’s always pasta con le sarde (sardine pasta), tuna steaks, or sea bream baked with tomatoes, potatoes, and olives.

A bike ride through Puglia is an endless parade of olive trees, making it easy to forget you’re on a peninsula between the Adriatic and Ionian seas. Luckily, olive oil and seafood are a match made in heaven. When served with rustic “peasant” food like durum wheat orecchiette (accompanied by sautéed chicory or broccoli rabe) and hand-pulled mozzarella, Puglia’s super-fresh fish create a beautiful, balanced meal.

Pugliese chefs typically treat seafood simply: red mullet, sea urchin, or mussels star in dishes that use only what’s in season. A favorite seaside meal on our Puglia tour serves up a well-rounded bounty of mid-ride fuel: grilled veggies like eggplant and zucchini, satisfyingly crunchy-fried cuttlefish, filets of grilled sea bass, and an endive salad.

On our Greek Isles tour, don’t be surprised if a fisherman’s dinghy docks next to DuVine’s gulet. Your onboard chef is probably planning the day’s menu as he stocks up on whatever’s freshest: lobster plucked from Aegean waters around uninhabited islands, sea bream to be grilled with lemon and olive oil, or shrimp that’ll be baked in tomato sauce with feta.

Served right where it’s caught, the diversity and availability of Greek fish is as limitless as the ways it can be prepared. In a seaside taverna, you might lunch on charcoal-fired octopus or battered squid, then order mydopilafo, a risotto-like dish with mussels and herbs, or a whole grilled sea bass (finished with oregano) for dinner.

You might think of Bordeaux for its richer dishes like foie gras and terrines, but this wine region is surprisingly close to the Atlantic. The coastal city of Arcachon—only 34 miles from Bordeaux—is celebrated for its oysters, Aquitaine caviar, and bulots (sea snails).

But you needn’t travel far from the heart of Bordeaux’s wine country to find succulent seafood. The Gironde Estuary famously plays a role in the terroir of wine appellations like the Médoc—and perhaps less famously nurtures a remerging oyster trade in the Médoc’s saltwater marshes. Fishing huts called carrelets are also a common sight on the banks of the Gironde. The daily catch includes white shrimp found only in France’s estuaries and boneless lamprey (best prepared “a la Bordelaise”). Try a few freshly shucked oysters with a glass of white wine from Bordeaux’s Entre-Deux-Mers area!

“California cuisine” is a term commonly used to describe the West Coast’s ubiquitous farm-to-table flavors. But what exactly are chefs sourcing?

For one, Northern California’s Tomales Bay is home to a thriving shellfish trade, which means fresh-shucked picnics, barbecue oysters, and bike rides right to the beds. There’s also wild-caught California spiny lobster, squid from Monterey, Dungeness crab, and California halibut. And just like vegetables, Bay Area seafood is a treat to enjoy as the changing seasons affect the availability of different ingredients.