Food lovers guide to the perfect European destination
If it's true that to truly understand a culture you must first taste it, your next vacation needs to be somewhere they serve great food. With that simple rule in mind, we've scoured the whole of Europe to find seven cities that combine world-class culture with a signature dish you have to taste at least once in your life. Each dish is a window into that nation's history and culture – and a source of local pride. Once tasted, you'll understand why.
Go to Budapest for… Goulash
From cassoulet and tagine to gumbo and beef bourguignon, hearty soupy stews are a staple all over Europe. One of Europe's most storied stews, however, is Hungarian goulash. Taking its name from 'gulyás', the Magyar for 'herdsman', goulash became a national dish in the late 1800s when Hungarians sought a way of further distinguishing themselves from their neighbors in the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
A hearty blend of beef, vegetables and spices–most notably the fiery kick of paprika–regional variations exist but the most authentic version is cooked in a kettle, as the gulyás did several centuries ago.
Eat it here: For the best taste of this dish in the capital city, head for Budapest Bisztró, a slick modern restaurant whose goulash is reassuringly old school.
Go to Vienna for… Wiener schnitzel
While the precise origins of the wiener schnitzel remain hotly contested-Italians claim Costoletta Milanese is the original take–the dish has long been one of the culinary icons of Austria's capital city.
A distant cousin of the American chicken-fried steak, and further proof that frying in breadcrumbs improves any cut of meat, the wiener schnitzel is essentially a thin veal cutlet– Michelin-starred Austrian chef Kurt Gutenbrunner suggests a very precise 3mm. Breaded, pan-fried in butter and garnished with lemon and parsley, it is served with a potato salad.
Eat it here: For arguably the most elegant experience of the dish, head to Cafe Dommayer. You'll dine beneath the chandeliers and beside the locals.
Go to Berlin for… Currywurst
One part large German sausage, the other part a thick covering of curry sauce–while a dietician would no doubt disagree, there's much to admire in Germany's modern classic. Since its introduction in either 1947 or 1949, depending on which story you believe, the currywurst has grown in popularity to the point that around 800,000,000 servings are happily devoured annually. The wise traveler would combine currywurst with Munich's annual Oktoberfest, an annual celebration of vast steins of beer and gigantic sausage, where every face carries a smile.
Eat it here: While available on almost every street in the land, Berlin is a particular currywurst hotspot. Of the many options, Curry 36 is worthy of special praise and a late-night visit.
Go to Naples for… Pizza
Sure, it's not the national dish. And sure, you can get world-class wood-fired pizza in Brooklyn, in Texas, Wisconsin and Flagstaff, Arizona. But for the original and best version of the world's favorite food, head back to where it all began.
A chaotic but charming city that enriches all six senses, pizza in Napoli is unlike anywhere else on earth, with pizzaiolo on every street and every corner. And the beauty of Neapolitan pizza is that the puffy, cloud-like dough is far easier to digest than most other styles, so it won't leave you feeling too full. Take advantage by taking a tour of as many pizzerias as your stomach allows.
Eat it here: For the most historic, head to L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele, opened in 1870 and unchanged ever since. For the most celebrated, you need Pizzeria Dal Presidente, its name changed after a visit from a hungry President Clinton. And for the best of the new generation, seek out Sorbillo or 50 Kalò, or preferably both.
Go to Geneva for… Hot, gooey cheese
Few if any nations on earth have been melting cheese for as long or with such obvious love as the Swiss. Fondue–the art of dipping bread and meat into a cauldron of melted cheese–became an international classic in the 1970s and '80s and is still a staple of any visit.
Likewise raclette, a dish served in Switzerland's mountainous regions since the 13th century and derived from the French verb meaning “to scrape". As with fondue, the cheese is the star, but this time a huge wheel of cow's milk cheese is heated over a flame and ceremoniously scraped off, melted and molten, onto hot potatoes, charcuterie and vegetables. Raclette is less celebrated perhaps, but every bit as essential.
Eat it here: While available almost everywhere, Auberge de Saviese has perfected the art of fondue and raclette and benefits from being just moments from beautiful Lake Geneva.
Go to London for… Fish & chips
Throughout the decades, the world has been blessed with a number of memorable double acts. Laurel and Hardy. Abbott and Costello. Aykroyd and Belushi. Impressive as they all were, none can claim to have had the enduring popularity of Britain's greatest twosome: the fried fish and chipped potato. Its origins remain unclear; the fried fish element was brought to England by Western Sephardic Jews in the 17th century, but Britain has made fish and chips its own.
A working class staple, the modern “chippy" has evolved but remained true to its origins, with the fish and the chips forever and always the stars of the piece. They are, as Prime Minister Winston Churchill remarked, “The good companions", and no visit to England is complete without them.
Eat it here: King Fisher Fish and Chips in Devon was named chip shop of the year for 2017–it's a long drive but worth every mile. Within London's confines, and amid very hot competition, Kerbisher and Malt in three locations put a contemporary spin on the classic dish. And no less a connoisseur than Idris Elba stated recently that: “The Rock and Sole Plaice in Covent Garden does proper fish and chips."
Go to Copenhagen for… Smørrebrød
Head to the Danish capital and you could attempt to secure a seat at one of the city's many Michelin-starred establishments–Copenhagen is a gastronomic hotspot right now. But you might be better off just grabbing a sandwich. For the most authentic Danish dining experience, seek out a smørrebrød, the nation's signature, open-faced sandwich.
As the name translates, it's nothing more complicated than butter on bread–thick, dark rye onto which you pile cheese, vegetables, roast pork, pickled herrings, smoked salmon or whatever combination you desire. To the Danes, 'hygge' is the pursuit of happiness. Smørrebrød will take you there.
Eat it here: Head to Restuarant Schonnemann for history and herring–the venerable establishment has been perfecting its smørrebrød since 1877 and is always reassuringly busy.
If you go
United Airlines offers nonstop flights from many cities to these destinations or airports nearby. Visit united.com or use the United app to plan your next European adventure.
Go to Budapest for… Goulash
From cassoulet and tagine to gumbo and beef bourguignon, hearty soupy stews are a staple all over Europe. One of Europe's most storied stews, however, is Hungarian goulash. Taking its name from 'gulyás', the Magyar for 'herdsman', goulash became a national dish in the late 1800s when Hungarians sought a way of further distinguishing themselves from their neighbors in the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
A hearty blend of beef, vegetables and spices–most notably the fiery kick of paprika–regional variations exist but the most authentic version is cooked in a kettle, as the gulyás did several centuries ago.
Eat it here: For the best taste of this dish in the capital city, head for Budapest Bisztró, a slick modern restaurant whose goulash is reassuringly old school.
Go to Vienna for… Wiener schnitzel
While the precise origins of the wiener schnitzel remain hotly contested-Italians claim Costoletta Milanese is the original take–the dish has long been one of the culinary icons of Austria's capital city.
A distant cousin of the American chicken-fried steak, and further proof that frying in breadcrumbs improves any cut of meat, the wiener schnitzel is essentially a thin veal cutlet– Michelin-starred Austrian chef Kurt Gutenbrunner suggests a very precise 3mm. Breaded, pan-fried in butter and garnished with lemon and parsley, it is served with a potato salad.
Eat it here: For arguably the most elegant experience of the dish, head to Cafe Dommayer. You'll dine beneath the chandeliers and beside the locals.
Go to Berlin for… Currywurst
One part large German sausage, the other part a thick covering of curry sauce–while a dietician would no doubt disagree, there's much to admire in Germany's modern classic. Since its introduction in either 1947 or 1949, depending on which story you believe, the currywurst has grown in popularity to the point that around 800,000,000 servings are happily devoured annually. The wise traveler would combine currywurst with Munich's annual Oktoberfest, an annual celebration of vast steins of beer and gigantic sausage, where every face carries a smile.
Eat it here: While available on almost every street in the land, Berlin is a particular currywurst hotspot. Of the many options, Curry 36 is worthy of special praise and a late-night visit.
Go to Naples for… Pizza
Sure, it's not the national dish. And sure, you can get world-class wood-fired pizza in Brooklyn, in Texas, Wisconsin and Flagstaff, Arizona. But for the original and best version of the world's favorite food, head back to where it all began.
A chaotic but charming city that enriches all six senses, pizza in Napoli is unlike anywhere else on earth, with pizzaiolo on every street and every corner. And the beauty of Neapolitan pizza is that the puffy, cloud-like dough is far easier to digest than most other styles, so it won't leave you feeling too full. Take advantage by taking a tour of as many pizzerias as your stomach allows.
Eat it here: For the most historic, head to L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele, opened in 1870 and unchanged ever since. For the most celebrated, you need Pizzeria Dal Presidente, its name changed after a visit from a hungry President Clinton. And for the best of the new generation, seek out Sorbillo or 50 Kalò, or preferably both.
Go to Geneva for… Hot, gooey cheese
Few if any nations on earth have been melting cheese for as long or with such obvious love as the Swiss. Fondue–the art of dipping bread and meat into a cauldron of melted cheese–became an international classic in the 1970s and '80s and is still a staple of any visit.
Likewise raclette, a dish served in Switzerland's mountainous regions since the 13th century and derived from the French verb meaning “to scrape". As with fondue, the cheese is the star, but this time a huge wheel of cow's milk cheese is heated over a flame and ceremoniously scraped off, melted and molten, onto hot potatoes, charcuterie and vegetables. Raclette is less celebrated perhaps, but every bit as essential.
Eat it here: While available almost everywhere, Auberge de Saviese has perfected the art of fondue and raclette and benefits from being just moments from beautiful Lake Geneva.
Go to London for… Fish & chips
Throughout the decades, the world has been blessed with a number of memorable double acts. Laurel and Hardy. Abbott and Costello. Aykroyd and Belushi. Impressive as they all were, none can claim to have had the enduring popularity of Britain's greatest twosome: the fried fish and chipped potato. Its origins remain unclear; the fried fish element was brought to England by Western Sephardic Jews in the 17th century, but Britain has made fish and chips its own.
A working class staple, the modern “chippy" has evolved but remained true to its origins, with the fish and the chips forever and always the stars of the piece. They are, as Prime Minister Winston Churchill remarked, “The good companions", and no visit to England is complete without them.
Eat it here: King Fisher Fish and Chips in Devon was named chip shop of the year for 2017–it's a long drive but worth every mile. Within London's confines, and amid very hot competition, Kerbisher and Malt in three locations put a contemporary spin on the classic dish. And no less a connoisseur than Idris Elba stated recently that: “The Rock and Sole Plaice in Covent Garden does proper fish and chips."
Go to Copenhagen for… Smørrebrød
Head to the Danish capital and you could attempt to secure a seat at one of the city's many Michelin-starred establishments–Copenhagen is a gastronomic hotspot right now. But you might be better off just grabbing a sandwich. For the most authentic Danish dining experience, seek out a smørrebrød, the nation's signature, open-faced sandwich.
As the name translates, it's nothing more complicated than butter on bread–thick, dark rye onto which you pile cheese, vegetables, roast pork, pickled herrings, smoked salmon or whatever combination you desire. To the Danes, 'hygge' is the pursuit of happiness. Smørrebrød will take you there.
Eat it here: Head to Restuarant Schonnemann for history and herring–the venerable establishment has been perfecting its smørrebrød since 1877 and is always reassuringly busy.
If you go
United Airlines offers nonstop flights from many cities to these destinations or airports nearby. Visit united.com or use the United app to plan your next European adventure.

On March 19, 2020, United operated its first flight carrying cargo without passengers on board. While the passenger cabin was empty, its cargo hold was completely full, carrying more than 29,000 pounds of commodities from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Frankfurt Airport (FRA).
A year later, United Cargo has operated more than 11,000 cargo-only flights carrying more than 570 million pounds of freight. To support the COVID-19 pandemic recovery efforts, United Cargo has also transported more than 113 million pounds of medical and pharmaceutical products on both cargo-only and passenger flights as well as approximately 10 million COVID-19 vaccines, providing global communities access to the items they have needed most.
"At the beginning of the pandemic, we knew we were uniquely positioned to utilize our widebody aircraft and our network to keep commodities moving, so we quickly mobilized various departments throughout the airline to launch a cargo-only network of flights that would keep commodities moving," said United Cargo President Jan Krems. "Thanks to those efforts, United Cargo has delivered millions of items to countries all around the world. We would not have been successful without the steadfast support of our employees, industry partners and our customers."
Since last March, United Cargo has transported almost 850 million pounds of freight on cargo-only and passenger flights. The airline will continue to monitor market trends adjust its cargo-only flight schedules to help ensure we are meeting our customer's evolving shipping needs.
Whether you haven't flown with us for a while or just need a quick refresher before your spring trip, read this list of tips to know before your flight and arrive at the airport travel-ready:
1. Download the United app for contactless bag check, travel assistance and more
Before your flight, download the United app to view your flight status, check in, sign up for flight notifications, locate departure gates, access our free personal device entertainment when available and more. We've also updated our app with new features that can make your trip a little safer, including contactless bag check.
Don't forget to use Agent on Demand for help with any and all questions you may have before your flight. This new capability is available at all our U.S. hub airports and allows you to use your own mobile device to contact a customer service agent via phone, video or chat to help with day-of-travel questions while you're at the airport. Learn more about Agent on Demand here.
2. Check out the Travel-Ready Center
Our Travel-Ready Center makes it easy to get a personalized overview of everything you need to do in preparation for your flight. Just enter your confirmation number or MileagePlus® number and you'll find detailed information on all the documents, tests and more that you'll need for your trip.
3. Read and sign the Ready-to-Fly checklist
Before completing check-in, all United travelers will need to read our Ready-to-Fly checklist and confirm that they understand and agree to our policies. These include:
Acknowledging that you haven't had any symptoms of COVID-19 in the last 14 days
Agreeing that you will not fly if you have tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 21 days
Confirming that you will follow all policies regarding face masks, social distancing and other health and safety measures we've adopted
4. Arrive early; avoid the stress
Airports can be busy, especially during peak travel periods like spring break season. The TSA advises arriving at the airport two hours before your flight for domestic travel and three hours for international travel in anticipation of long security lines. This can help ease the stress when navigating busy check-in areas, security lines and crowded boarding gates.
5. Get familiar with CleanPlus
United CleanPlus℠ is our commitment to delivering industry-leading cleanliness as we put health and safety at the forefront of your experience. We've teamed up with Clorox to redefine our cleaning and disinfection procedures and Cleveland Clinic to advise us on enhancing our cleaning and disinfection protocols, like:
Disinfecting high-touch areas on board and in the terminal
Using electrostatic spraying, Ultraviolet C lighting wands and more advanced measures to clean aircraft cabins before boarding
Redesigning our mobile app to allow for touchless check-in and contactless payment, along with enhanced travel assistance features
Implementing high-efficiency (HEPA) filters on our aircraft that completely recirculate cabin air every 2-3 minutes and remove 99.97% of airborne particles, including viruses and bacteria
Studies show COVID-19 exposure risk is minimal when air filtration systems and masks are in use, so you can rest assured that the steps we've taken to keep you safe truly make a difference.
6. Wear your mask
Federal law requires all travelers to wear a face mask in the airport, including customer service counters, airport lounges, gates and baggage claim, and on board during their entire flight. Make sure you review the requirements for face masks, including what an acceptable face mask looks like.
7. Get ready for a safer boarding process
To make boarding even safer, we now have travelers board their aircraft from back to front. At the gate, just listen for your row number to be called – we'll ask a few rows at a time to board, starting with the last row of the plane. This helps everyone maintain a safe distance from each other during boarding without slowing things down. As you step onto the plane, flight attendants will hand each passenger a sanitizing towelette, which you can use to wipe down your seat to ensure it's extra clean.
8. Pack smart
Before packing your bags, check to see what exactly you can carry on and what you should plan to check. You can also copy your confirmation number into our Baggage Calculator tool to learn about the bag allowance included with your reservation, as well as the cost of checking any additional bags.
9. Check your flight status, important notices and weather
Check the United app regularly for the latest updates on weather conditions, flight status, gate numbers and seat assignments. You can also visit our Important Notices page to find essential information and updates about travel waivers, international travel, TSA and security, airports and United Club locations.
10. Relax and enjoy your flight
Once you're on board, it's time to sit back and enjoy your flight. Our flight attendants will be happy to help you with anything else you need.
This week, we were honored to become the first U.S. airline to join the UNICEF Humanitarian Airfreight Initiative to combat the COVID-19 pandemic by transporting the vaccine and other critically needed supplies to underserved areas of the globe.
"We are committed to helping the global community in any way we can, and we all must work together to do our part to bring this health and humanitarian crisis to an end," said Director of Cargo Specialty Products Manu Jacobs.
We will leverage our expertise to transport these critical pharmaceutical and healthcare shipments around the world safely, efficiently and expediently. We are proud to partner with the United Nations to support this global effort and provide equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines.