The title of European Region of Gastronomy 2019 has been awarded to the South Aegean in Greece and the Transylvanian town of Sibiu in Romania, the international jury announced on 29 September.

The title is awarded each year by the IGCAT (International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism) with the support of European institutions. The award aims to stimulate gastronomic innovation and sustainable tourism. As noted on its website, it is ‘a stimulus to link food, hospitality, tourism, culture, health and sustainability to support economic, cultural, social and environmental development’. Both regions will host a programme of gastronomy-related events throughout 2019 that will showcase regional culture and innovation.

This is the second significant award for Sibiu, which was also the European Capital of Culture in 2007. The city was founded during the peak of Saxon influence, and under the Habsburgs it served as the seat of the Austrian governors of Transylvania. These days it attracts tourists with a charming bohemian ambience and is said to have more festivals than any other town in Romania. The city’s mayor Astrid Fodor said that Sibiu will offer visitors the best and healthiest foods, with ingredients sourced from local farms, and try to promote traditional foods like smoked meats, country cheeses and stews.

Plaka,a typical Cyclades village, Southern Aegean, Greece.