While some people travel to relax or visit new attractions, there is an entire breed of vacationers that travel just to eat something entirely different than what they are accustomed to.

These travelers are known as the foodies, gourmets, or gastronomes of the world, taking travel destinations by storm one ingredient at a time.

So the next time you decide to take a vacation, think of your appetite and test your palate on these 10 culinary travel destinations, whose foods are definitely worthy of consumption.

New Orleans, LA

You cannot mention Southern food without following your nose to New Orleans, a city known for its impeccable gastronomic experience.

Gumbo, cakes, beignets, shrimp, potatoes, peach cobbler, pecan pie — the food is as legendary as it is delicious.

New Orleans is a food mecca infused by Creole and African ingredients and spices, a haven for the gluttonous, where the king cakes of New Orleans Cake Café & Balcony, the award-winning delicacies of the Gumbo Shop and the barbecue shrimp of Deanies are cooked to perfection and prepared solely with their guests’ appetites in mind.

Naples, Italy

Birthplace of the pizza, Naples Italy is a culinary gem, creating the perfect landscape for foodies to whet their pallets on staple Italian dishes. 

Sink your teeth on delicacies like spaghetti alla puttanesca (spaghetti with olives, chili, garlic, and tomato sauce), authentic Italian pizza, or lasagna dressed with meat sauce and garlic-infused tomato sauce, and much more.

Naples is a culture city mixed with different flavors, history and people that have propelled this city to the forefront of Italy’s mouthwatering food industry.

Bluff, New Zealand

The seafood capital of New Zealand, Bluff lures many a drifter to the salty aromas intoxicating its atmosphere.

Bluff is especially known for its oysters, which are arguably the best in the world. 

So delicious are their flavors, the city is host to the Bluff Oyster Festival where visitors from across the globe congregate to savor the oyster and seafood platters as well as Muttonbirds and other local dishes.

New York City

No visit to New York City is complete without exploring the gastronomic possibilities of a city at the crossroads of the world.

From the barbecue specialties of Dallas BBQ and the Asian treats of Chinatown to the exotic Caribbean flavors of Negril Village Restaurant, NYC is a melting pot of cultures completely represented throughout the delicious delicacies of its restaurants.

Also, stop by a local food cart and bite into a hotdog, shish kabob or even roasted peanuts.

NYC has the prefect ingredient to make your wildest food cravings become a reality whether you are grabbing a bite from the busy streets or seated in a cozy restaurant.

Peru

Voted World’s Leading Culinary Destination by the World Travel Awards in 2012 and 2013, Peru has made its stamp on the culinary destination map with traditional dishes like ceviche, lomo saltado (strips of sirloin), Peruvian lamb stew, aji de gallina and potatoes.

With a wealth of unique flavors and diverse lands, Peru is a popular destination for gourmands looking to quench their pallets on Peru’s gastronomic flair.

Delhi, India

With recipes dating back thousands of years, much of Delhi’s culture is centered on it food. 

Travelers from near and far migrate by to the street of Chandni Chowk, painted with a mouthwatering décor of stalls filling the air with their Tandoori chicken dishes and chaat.

Or rub elbows with India’s celebs at Paranthewali Gali while chowing down on delectable parantha cooking.

No matter where you are in the city, there is a taste to satisfy any food connoisseur.

Tokyo, Japan

A trip to Tokyo will definitely be a feast for the senses.  

A dynamic gastronomic oasis, this destination will make you stop and smell the mouth-watering aromas of foods like sushi, dojo-nabe, wasabi, and chanko tomoegara, which have transformed this city into a popular culinary vacation spot for gourmets everywhere.

Don’t forget to take a detour on Ameyoko street, populated with many food stalls infusing the atmosphere with the scents of their flavorful treats.

Oaxaca, Mexico

According to an article on CNN Travel, food is one of the main reasons to visit this colorful city.  As the “land of the moles” (no, not the subterranean kind; the kind made with ground chiles, chocolate, and sesame seeds), a visit here would not be complete without indulging in the peculiar tastes of roasted grasshopper (a rich delicacy here), chocolate covered treats and of course the ever-so-popular Mole dish.

You are even invited to take a cooking class with a renowned local chef.

Oistins, Barbados

A trip to gastronomic heaven will not be complete without a stop in the Caribbean. 

You pallet will thank you if you take a trip to Oistins Bay Gardens’ Friday night fish fry.

Here, you will be spellbound by the flavorsome delicacies of fish, lobster and chicken grilled or fried to perfection, and accompanied by a glass of authentic Bajan beer to make this dining experience complete. 

Served with a side order of Caribbean rhythms just a light breeze away and the picturesque sunset slowly fading in the background, this could very well be a foodie’s paradise.

Istanbul, Turkey

As the heart of the Ottoman Empire, Istanbul has also made its way at the top of the gourmet map in Turkey. 

No trip to Istanbul would be complete without sampling its famous donor: a Turkish dish made with lamb, roasted on an open fire and served with rice.

Here, you will also see fish commonly found on restaurant menus, and with a glass of raki, your taste buds will certainly be delighted.