As restrictions begin to ease on outdoor gatherings, picnic season is coming into full swing. If you’re planning to go alfresco this April, our top ten picks will see you through the summer when it comes to packing the perfect spread – whether you’re simply looking for inspiration on your local park platter or to bookmark these back-to-nature banquets-on-blankets for when international travel resumes.
For the ultimate Moroccan mezze…Dar Ahlam, Morocco
A traditional Kasbah set in a haven of manicured lawns and fragrant almond blossom, it is easy to understand the Arabic meaning behind Dar Ahlam’s name, ‘House of Dreams’. With no menu or dedicated restaurant space, meals are crafted from local ingredients sourced from the souk or grown in the hotel’s garden, while guests are invited to dine in the dozens of private spaces dotted in and around the hotel at any time they wish. Sample the spectacular ‘1,001 Night’ dinner, take in the greenery at an alfresco lunch in the garden, or venture outside the hotel on camelback with a picnic to the Sidi Fla volcanic basalt gorges, or beneath a private tent on the shores of the Ouarzazate lake.
For farmhouse flavours…Susafa, Sicily
Get an authentic taste of Sicily from Susafa, a 200-year-old family-run farmhouse which harvests and presses its own olives and cherries, and where chefs pick herbs and vegetables from the gardens, ready for dinner. Take a stroll around the idyllic grounds of fragrant orchards, before settling down to a picnic of homemade jams, organic oils, freshly baked breads and just-picked herbs and vegetables beneath the cherry trees. If you’d like to take the ingredients home with you or learn the Sicilian art of baking, baskets of organic delicacies are available to purchase via the hotel’s e-commerce site dedicated to Susafa-grown produce – including selections for pasta, pizza, and cake lover, along with access to online cooking classes.
For a slice of Spanish magic…Hacienda Zorita Wine Hotel & Organic Farm, Spain
Tapas dishes are made for sharing, making them the perfect picnic fare. And for farm fresh ingredients in a bucolic setting, look no further than Hacienda Zorita Wine Hotel – where specialities including extra virgin olive oil, local cheese and pata negra are produced on the estate. Choose a sunny spot along the River Tormes, before washing a wholesome platter of organic meats and cheeses down with some wine produced on the surrounding Duero Valley vineyards.
For the royal treatment…Schlosshotel Kronberg, Germany
A fairytale castle laden with history, Schlosshotel Kronberg was built in 1893 and was home to Empress Victoria Friedrich, the eldest daughter of Queen Victoria. Today, guests stay here surrounded by many of the empress’ original antiques and paintings, including works by Rubens, Titian and Gainsborough. Outdoors, the castle gardens provide the perfect setting for a private picnic, hidden amongst rose bushes and flowing fountains. A German feast of rostbratwurst, freshly baked pretzels with butter, cottage bread rolls and spundekäs awaits…
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