Travelling to a new country is usually exciting, but most tourists merely skim the surface of the countries they are visiting because they aren’t able get under their skins. Vacation time limits are one factor, but a larger obstacle is the lack of language understanding. Now, in Buenos Aires, before some travellers with aspirations of discovering South America cross into Patagonia or Chile, they spend extra time learning Spanish and set themselves up for a deeper discovery of the continent.

When it comes to life’s simple pleasures, food definitely ranks near (if not at) the top of the list for most people. It’s probably fair to say that the way to a whole nation’s heart is through its stomach, so finding out what makes a country tick is often as simple as checking out what dishes regularly make it onto the dinner table. Thanks to the efforts of our local partners around the globe, we’ve assembled an extensive selection of typical local appetisers, soups and stews, main dishes, vegetarian dishes, desserts, drinks and snacks and street foods.

Great sources of national pride, a country’s cuisine and local produce are as much a cause for celebration as its culture and history. Not a month goes by without an homage to food and drink somewhere in the world, so check out our selection of events encouraging you to kick up your heels, eat, drink and be merry.