I spent a week in a sunny Prague over the summer. Staying in an apartment meant that I prepared some meals at home, but I wasn’t short of delicious gluten-free options when eating out.
A dedicated gluten-free Italian restaurant situated in a tucked away square, offering the perfect spot to sit and watch the world go by. I really enjoyed it here so visited twice. I had some gorgeous gluten-free and lactose-free bread and oil, steak, and risotto over my two visits.
Fancy a pizza? Bassotto is 100% gluten-free and they offer vegan cheese too! This restaurant is nestled away so you may not notice it walking by. I watched the chef freshly make my margherita pizza, and it was as good as it looks. Bassotto offers the option to takeaway or eat in, and also had a selection of gluten-free and some dairy-free sweet treats.
As a coeliac I often find myself at vegan restaurants like My Raw Cafe. As an avid meat and gluten-eater before my diagnosis, I wouldn’t have gone out of my way to get a table here in the past, but boy would I have been missing out. I went for the full three courses and did not regret a single bite. This was without a doubt my favourite meal of the trip – 100% gluten-free, raw and vegan!
Restaurace u Agamy is a dedicated gluten-free restaurant offering local cuisine. It looked absolutely gorgeous, but visiting in the 35 degree heat of the summer, I didn’t much feel like eating a warm hearty meal like this. If I were to travel back in cooler temperatures, I’d be sure to pay a visit here.
Always a winner, you can find Hard Rock Cafe in the heart of the city. As a Coeliac UK approved restaurant chain, you can rest assured the menu will cater for coeliacs and gluten-free diners.
Yet another gluten-free bakery which I didn’t have time to visit. You’re spoilt for choice!
Supermarkets
Albert
I found an Albert supermarket closely to my apartment, and there are stores dotted around the city. They had a dedicated gluten-free section in the stores I visited, filled with lots of local and international gluten-free brands such as Schar. Local brand Nature’s Promise, also seemed to offer lots of gluten-free products including oats and biscuits. I was also lactose intolerant during this trip and they had plenty of lactose-free options including yoghurts and chocolate.
Useful words and phrases
English
Gluten-free
Gluten
Milk
Czech
Bez Lepek
Lepek
Mleko
Overall verdict
Overall rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to get my hands on gluten-free food in Prague. There were plenty of options both in terms of dedicated gluten-free eateries and clearly marked gluten-free products in stores.
Coeliac friendly
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
I felt that coeliac disease and allergies were both generally understood and treated seriously in the places I visited.
Safety
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
All the places I visited understood the need to avoid cross-contamination and with lots of dedicated restaurants and bakeries. As a result I felt really safe in the restaurants I ate in.
This summer I enjoyed basking in the glorious sunshine on the Dalmatian coast in Dubrovnik. The ancient walled city offered history, beaches and beautiful sunsets.
During my time there I hunted out lots of delicious gluten-free options.
Wow. This place boasts a stunning view of the coastline and its islands. You will have to book in advance to eat here, and it was certainly worth the advance planning as the view of the sunset from the hilltop was perfect.
The restaurant staff were vary accommodating to my gluten and dairy free needs and I had a super succulent steak with an assortment of grilled vegetables. This was my favourite and most memorable meal of the trip – a steak with a view, what’s not to love!?
As always, an Italian restaurant often delivers of the gluten-free front and Nico’s was no exception. The chef was able to whip up a delicious gluten and dairy free seafood spaghetti.
Another Italian with plenty of gluten-free options. This time I opted for the prawn and courgette risotto. My only complaint was that I just wish there was more!
En route back to our apartment we stumbled across this roadside Mexican eatery where we indulged in corn tacos and frozen margeritas – a great pit stop before heading home.
Supermarkets
When arriving in Dubrovnik I headed to the local supermarkets, Studenac and Prima to check out their gluten-free produce. I wasn’t too hopeful, but I needn’t have been so pessimistic as they offered a number of gluten-free treats including plenty of Schar cereals, biscuits, crackers, local ham and crisps. Each were clearly labelled.
Boat trip
We booked a full day boat trip around the islands which included both lunch and drinks. I was a little nervous about this given the boat was only small, meaning a very small kitchen area. Luckily the staff were very understanding and I was able to tuck into freshly-caught fish, mash potatoes and a cabbage salad along with the other island hoppers – all naturally gluten and dairy free!
I holidayed in Dubrovnik for just a few days, so there were plenty of places I had on my list but didn’t get chance to try:
This is 100% gluten-free, and the only dedicated gluten-free eatery I came across when researching restaurants in Dubrovnik. Igra serves casual bites such as hummus, sausages, chips and breads.
Soul Kitchen is an international kitchen with gluten-free options. The photos of their food looked like they offer a good selection of healthy choices.
A mediterranean restaurant with an Asian twist offering gluten-free options. This place would be top of my list if I were to go back to Dubrovnik, the food looked fantastic.
Whilst I was waiting for my flight I had a wander around the terminal shops and restaurants and came across a few clearly labelled gluten-free options like this brownie.
Useful phrases
Most of the people I met in Dubrovnik spoke excellent English, but it is always handy to have some local lingo up your sleeve in case you need it.
English
Gluten-free
I am coeliac
Lactose-free
Croatian
Bez glutena
Ja sam celijakija
Bez laktose
Overall verdict
Overall rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Being a fairly tourist-centric city, Dubrovnik catered to most allergies and intolerances and so I felt fairly comfortable eating out and felt confident my dietary requirements were understood.
Coeliac friendly
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
The Croatian people I spoke to seemed familiar with coeliac disease and the requirement for gluten-free food and the avoidance of cross-contamination.
Safety
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
I felt that my food was prepared safely in all of the places I ate.
This summer I spent a week in Norway. It is somewhere that has been on my bucket list for a long while, and it was certainly worth the wait.
On our visit we mainly focused on the fjords, staying in Bergen, Odda, and then Vik.
The scenery was magnificent, and we were surprised by how few people we saw at times, even in August. If you’re after rugged landscapes, beautiful scenery and a place to escape from the noise, I would 100% recommend Norway…just make sure to bring some waterproof clothes!
When is the best time to travel to Norway?
We went to Norway in August as we felt we’d have the best chance of some decent weather for hiking and enjoying the views. It rained! If you’re considering a holiday in Norway, be prepared for all weathers whatever the time of year. Whilst it rained most days of the week we were there, there were plenty of dry spells which gave us opportunity to get out and enjoy some hiking. The temperature was fairly mild, around 16 degrees celsius, but as you might expect in the great outdoors, the weather can be extremely changeable, so we made use of wooly hats, waterproofs and suncream in any given day.
When speaking to the locals, they said that the rain was slightly unusual for that time of year, however not completely out of the ordinary. Our hiking guide also recommended coming in the winter when you can hike in the snow.
Do I need to hire a car in Norway?
We decided to hire a car for our multi-stop trip. We flew from Manchester in the UK directly to Bergen, before hiring a car with Sixt at the airport. We opted for a 4×4 and we were very glad of it on some of the rural roads we were taking.
That said, if you want to just focus on visiting the main cites and towns in Norway, such as Bergen, Stavanger and Oslo, Norway can be done without a car. You can also get to the fjords on public transport from Bergen, however you wouldn’t have the opportunity to venture out too much unless you opt onto organised trips and tours.
What to pack for Norway
Whether you’re visiting Norway for adventure and want to get involved in the hiking, kayaking and climbing scene, or you simply want to take in the views. I’d recommend packing an assortment of clothing for all weathers – layers is certainly the way to go. Here’s what I packed:
Waterproof clothes – trousers, coat and cap
Quick dry sportswear – including tshirts, mid-layers and leggings
Hiking boots – even if you’re not planning on hiking, some hiking boots or good trainers will serve you well to explore a little. If you are planning on hiking, make sure you’ve worn your boots in before attempting a long hike (or have some blister plasters at the ready).
Backpack and waterproof backpack cover – a backpack is handy when going out for walks to pack with plenty of snacks, water and extra layers or waterproofs. The waterproof backpack cover came in extremely handy too – if you’re backpack isn’t waterproof, I’d recommend investing in one to avoid some very soggy sandwiches!
Norway 1-week itinerary
Day one: Fly UK to Bergen
We had an evening flight, getting into Bergen at 11:30pm so we opted to call it a night and rest at the hotel Scandic.
Day two: Drive Bergen > Odda
Rested and raring to go, we collected our hire car from the airport and headed to Odda for our first stop. The drive from Bergen to Odda took around 3 hours. Odda is a small town, but an ideal location if you are planning on hiking the Trolltunga. We stayed in an apartment overlooking the fjord, and took some time to relax before the Trolltunga hike the following day.
Day three: Trolltunga Hike
Bright and early at 07:30am we joined our hiking guide and group from Trolltunga Active. We met at the P2 car park before getting the shuttle to P3. I would strongly recommend getting the shuttle to P3. The climb up from P2 to P3 is steep, and is not a particularly beautiful hike as it is along the windy road up the mountain. We past many weary-looking hikers in the shuttle.
Thankfully we were blessed with beautiful sunshine all day on our Trolltunga hike, and didn’t get a spot of ran throughout the day. As a result we were rewarded with fantastic views and had a really pleasant day. The first part of the hike is uphill, but after this it is fairly flat and any uphill climbs are much shorter.
The hike took around 9 hours to complete with plenty of stops for food and photos. If you were hiking without a group and have fewer stops this could definitely be done quicker.
Day four: Drive Odda > Vik
After a well earned rest, we were up and back on the road, this time to the Sognefjord town of Vik i Sogn. The scenic drive took around 3 hours and once we arrived we enjoyed soaking up the unspoilt view of the fjord directly from our Airbnb.
Day five: Kvitenjuk hike
We were the only ones on the trail up to see the panoramic view of the fjord. It was an uphill climb, but worth the effort as we sat and enjoyed soaking up the view and silence at the summit. The Kvitenjuk hike was a much shorter hike following the Trolltunga, and took us around 1.5hours with a break at the top.
Day six: Bordalsgjelet Gorge and Voss
We travelled to Voss which is a lovely little town 1.5hours away from Vik i Sogn. Whilst we were travelling through a heavy downpour, the skies cleared and the sun came out for our arrival in Voss. We parked up and started the Bordalsgjelet Gorge hike, a short hike to a tucked away gorge amongst the local residents’ homes.
The great thing about hiking in Voss was that the town offers plenty of cafes and restaurants to refuel afterwards.
We ate at Vangen Cafe which offered a number of gluten-free options. I went for the vegetable curry with gluten free bread.
Day seven: Huldafossen Hike
On our last full day we went to another remote hike where we were the only people there. The Huldafossen hike was fairly flat which was a well-received treat after some of the uphill climbs on previous hikes. We saw the gorgeous waterfalls and glacier.
Day eight: Fly Bergen > UK
Before we travelled back home we had some time to explore Bergen. This was the most touristy area of all three stops, with lots of tourists coming from cruise ships. It is a lovely city and very walkable. We enjoyed a lunch and a wander around the shops before heading to the airport to travel home.
Eating gluten-free in Norway
The nature of our trip in the Fjords meant that we were self-catering most of the time, taking food to eat whilst out hiking and then cooking in our accommodation afterwards.
Scandic offered a separate section on the breakfast buffet for gluten-free and dairy free, offering gluten-free cookies, gluten-free bread and vegan raspberry energy balls which were delicious! This was in addition to a great selection of fruit.
I took a few gluten-free basics with me not knowing how easy it would be to find gluten-free food in the local supermarkets. I needn’t have done so as there were Extra supermarkets in both Odda and Vik, both of which offered lots of gluten-free foods including breads, pastas, biscuits, cakes and beers. They also had lots of lactose-free products too, with lots of lactose-free yoghurts and cheeses.
Gluten-free Bergen
Whilst I was mainly self-catering for this trip I did eat out in Bergen and Voss. I would recommend taking a look on the Norwegian Coeliac Society’s handy map of accredited restaurants to help guide your restaurant choices.
Bergen being a city meant that I had more gluten-free options than other towns and villages I visited. We opted for lunch at Olivia’s – an Italian restaurant which was well-reviewed by fellow coeliacs. Most dishes can be done gluten-free, and I went for a gluten-free margarita pizza with vegan cheese and a chilli dip.
Accredited by the Norweigan Coeliac Society, Peppe’s is a pizza chain offering eat-in and takeaway options. You’ll find various Pepe’s dotted across Norway.
Pizza Baken is another pizza chain accredited by the Norweigan Coeliac Society. Apparently frozen pizza is the most eaten meal in Norway, so you’d technically be living like a local by jumping on the pizza wagon.
Since starting my gluten-free diet I’ve discovered a newfound love for nuts! Peanuts, almonds, walnuts -anything and everything nutty. That’s why I decided to try making my very own nut bars, with 100% natural ingredients, these are a great gluten-free and dairy-free snack and the best bit is you can throw in whatever kind of nuts and seeds you fancy.
Ingredients
Mixed nuts (150g) – feel free to throw in whichever nuts take your fancy. I chose peanuts, almonds and brasil nuts
Mixed seeds (70g) – again these can be whatever seeds you like. I tend to just buy a bag of ready mixed seeds.
Honey (4 tablespoons)
Almond butter (4 tablespoons)
A pinch of salt
Recipe
Step one: Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4.
Step two: Spread your mixed nuts on a baking tray and roast in the oven for 10-12 minutes.
Step three: Whilst your nuts are roasting, place your honey and almond butter into a saucepan and melt over a low heat until combined.
Step four: Combine your mixed seeds and pinch of salt in a large bowl.
Step five: Once your nuts are toasted and your honey and almond butter combined, mix all your ingredients together in a large bowl.
Step six: Put your mixture into a baking dish lined with baking paper, press down your mixture until even and pop into the fridge for around 30 minutes or until firm.
Your bars are then ready to cut up and enjoy!
Notes
Once your nut bars have firmed up in the fridge you may may wish to add some chocolate on top. To do so I’d suggest simply melting around 40g of dark chocolate in the microwave or in a small saucepan and drizzling over your nut mixture. Allow to set before cutting up into bars.
No baking required for this super simple peanut butter cookie recipe. It’s gluten-free, refined sugar-free and requires just four simple ingredients: Peanut butter, honey, gluten-free plain flour and vanilla extract.
Ingredients
Smooth peanut butter (185g)
Honey (170g)
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Gluten-free plain flour (300g)
Recipe
Step one: Place the smooth peanut butter and honey into a microwaveable bowl and microwave for 30 second increments until the two are combined, stirring after each 30 seconds.
Step two: Once the peanut butter and honey are combined, add in the vanilla extract before mixing in the gluten-free plain flour. A thick mixture will start to form.
Step three: Once all of your ingredients are well combined, mould your mixture into small dough balls and gently flatten onto a tray. Mould the cookies to the size and thickness of your choosing before placing in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Your cookies will then be ready to enjoy or freeze.
Notes
I used plain gluten-free flour, but you could switch this for other flours such as oat flour if preferred.
Gluten Free Me 