From Törggelen to the Olive Harvest: Fall Vacations for Foodies

In the fall, it's not just the landscape that changes; the food on our plates changes, too. Pumpkins and chestnuts return to the kitchen, the Törggele season begins in South Tyrol, and grapes, hazelnuts, and olives are harvested in other parts of Italy. Perhaps that’s why fall is (in our opinion, at least) the best time of year to experience a destination through its cuisine.

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Many of these foods and traditions offer a glimpse into the region we’re exploring. Often, you’ll even get to see firsthand where the food comes from because harvest season is also in full swing in the hotel gardens and affiliated farms.

5 destinations with culinary events for your fall trip in Europe

In this Green Travel Letter, we've compiled a few ideas on how you can immerse yourself even more in the culinary traditions of your fall travel destination, and we're introducing five Green Pearls® partners where fall flavors are truly delicious.

“Törggelen” in South Tyrol

After the grape harvest ends in the fall, an eagerly awaited season begins in South Tyrol: the Törggelen. Originally, winegrowers and merchants would gather after the harvest to taste the new wine. Today, hikes from farm to farm, roasted chestnuts, and traditional South Tyrolean dishes are just as much a part of the "fifth season" as the tasting.

The tradition is deeply rooted in the Eisack Valley and the Ritten region. In other words, if you’re staying at the ADLER Ritten above Bolzano, you’ll be right in the thick of it. And after hiking through colorful forests in the fall, you can experience Törggelen at the surrounding Buschenschänken (small "pop-up" wine bars) firsthand: sitting together, striking up conversations, and tasting what the season has to offer.

Even more Törggelen season: Find out where the tradition comes from, what’s served, and why a trip to South Tyrol is worth it in our article “9 Reasons Why You Should Travel to South Tyrol for Törggelen“

Harvest season in Piedmont: Wine, hazelnuts, and truffles

The fall season in Italy’s Piedmont region brings several culinary highlights. In the Roero area, grape harvesting is in full swing, hazelnut harvesting has just wrapped up, and white truffle season is beginning around Alba. You won't only find these products on restaurant menus, though: Golden vineyards and hazelnut groves shape the landscape, and the unprocessed products can be found at markets and producers' farms (or you could join a guided tour with a trifolao to learn the secrets of truffle hunting).

In the Roero region, specifically in Monticello d’Alba, you’ll find the four Rocche di Monticello vacation rentals. Your hosts, Irene and Roberto, know the area well and are happy to give you tips on wineries, restaurants, and local producers. Bra, the birthplace of the international Slow Food movement, is also nearby. A great opportunity not only to sample Piedmontese cuisine but also to learn more about its culinary traditions.

What lies behind the Slow Food movement? In our in-depth article, we take a closer look at the movement and explore its relationship to travel and regional food culture.

Olive harvest in Liguria

In Liguria, olive harvest season kicks off in late October and continues through November. Olives are picked from trees and processed at oil mills as soon as possible. Especially in the Ligurian hinterland, you’ll see nets spread out beneath many trees, and if you visit an oil mill, you can watch the production of the first oil of the new season.

A great place to start is the Albergo Diffuso Relais del Maro, located in the small village of Borgomaro. Olive groves have been part of the cultural landscape here for centuries, and the Taggiasca olive—typical of western Liguria—is grown practically right around the corner. This gives you the chance to experience olive oil right where it’s made. Chances are, you'll end up bringing home more than just a bottle of olive oil as an edible souvenir!

Fancy a trip to an olive harvest? Read our article, "A Culinary Journey to the Olive Harvest in Italy and Spain," to learn more about harvest seasons, growing regions, and places where you can experience an olive harvest on vacation.

Harvest season right next to the hotel

In the fall, the STURM's 3,000-square-meter garden in the Rhön region truly shines. Guests can harvest herbs and vegetables, as well as the last berries and other fruits, and enjoy them as snacks or in dishes prepared in the hotel kitchen. Just as the seasons change, so does the food on your plate.

However, the garden is more than just a source of ingredients for the kitchen. As a guest, you are welcome—and encouraged—to stroll among the garden beds and fruit trees to see firsthand where some of your future meals' ingredients come from. For ingredients that can't be grown on-site, STURM works with organic producers from the Rhön and the surrounding region.

Fall at Home: Now you can bring a little bit of STURM’s fall cuisine right into your home—with this recipe for pearl spelt risotto with pumpkin and chestnuts.

From the hotel's farm to your table

For centuries, farming—and with it, the rhythm of sowing, cultivating, and harvesting—has been an integral part of the Stanglwirt Organic and Wellness Resort. To this day, the Hauser family runs their own organic farm, raising dairy cattle and managing alpine pastures. Some of the food produced there is processed on site and ends up on your plate or in the farm store.

In the fall especially, it becomes clear just how closely agriculture, the seasons, and the cuisine are intertwined. Rather than offering everything year-round, the menus are based on what the farm and local producers currently provide.

Just how much of a hotel’s food is actually grown on-site? In our article, "Harvesting their own produce – hotels with their own farms," we feature additional Green Pearls® partners that grow or produce their own food.

Fall delights come in many forms

Törggelen, truffle season, or olive harvest: Many culinary experiences are only available for a limited time each year. And fall offers a particularly rich array of opportunities for culinary getaways. So why not plan your trip around what’s currently growing, being harvested, or produced in the area? 

With Green Pearls®, you’re sure to find the right accommodations—ones that transparently showcase their commitment to a greater regional focus and to sustainability in tourism.

#sharingiscaring | Who should plan a fall culinary journey with you? Share the newsletter or talk to them!