Harvesting the fruits of fall

Fall is one of our favourite seasons in the Mediterranean, as it is harvest season! These are golden days, still comfortably warm, enough that you can still go swimming in many places until December. By the end of October, other destinations will be accentuated by colourful foliage that makes a visit dramatically gorgeous. In landscapes painted gold and amber, the region’s culinary scene is particularly rich and rustic, making this an invigorating time to plan a visit.

Along with the plump grapes, chestnuts and pomegranates, and earthy mushrooms on display at local markets, the air at this time of year is filled with the scent of freshly harvested olives, a precursor to the exquisite olive oil that is a cornerstone of Mediterranean cuisine. Many local festivals celebrating the harvest take place during the autumn, whether it is vineyards plucking ripe grapes and offering wine tastings, or vendors displaying their ample produce and encouraging visitors to sample offerings as fresh as they get. Traditional feasts and festivals are the perfect opportunity to get to know culinary heritage, as well as connect with local producers, from farmers to artisans.

At feast, we embrace the abundance of autumn by highlighting the pleasures of the season, whether it’s by staying among fragrant, thousand-year-old olive trees in Apulia, or heading out on a classic truffle hunt in Piedmont. A journey with us at this time of year is travel to lands that feel enchanted, with warm days where the landscapes look like paintings, and heartwarming evenings indulging in traditional comforts, such as savouring a risotto with wild mushrooms or a homemade, slow-cooked stew.