Do you have any tips on being vegan while traveling in another country? I'm visiting Portugal and Spain this summer, have never been out of the u.s. and basically only know English. Have done a bit of research on typically plant based common menu options, found many vegan/vegan friendly restaurants in the bigger cities we're visiting, and planning to use translation app when buying groceries, but anything I'm missing? (Or any special vegan treats i could find in Europe and not the u.s., for that matter?)
I’ve found the HappyCow app to be invaluable when travelling, never been to a US or European city that doesn’t have plenty of options listed. Even if you’re somewhere a bit more rural, you can always opt for renting an apartment you can cook in, which tends to be cheaper than a hotel anyway.
As for generally navigating veganism there, do learn some key phrases, how to reserve a table, how to order, learn the translations of milk, cheese, meat etc. and all your pleasantries. In the big cities people tend to respond to you in English anyway when they hear your accent but they appreciate the effort and can overcome any communication barriers.
As for treats, find a supermarket or a health market (there are a few European versions of these) and just try what they’ve got - they often tell you they’re vegan on the packaging in English. HappyCow will show you local restaurants, and many will offer veganised versions of local food which you should definitely try. Search by vegetarian and vegan friendly as opposed to exclusively vegan, then you’ll get a larger range. There are loads of options in Lisbon and Madrid but can’t speak for anywhere else.
The difficulty you may encounter that you may expect less is tea and coffee rather than food. You can always go to a chain of course but I’m still always surprised that plant milks aren’t as widely available in some European cities as they are in the UK and US, so know how to ask for them or just order it black if you don’t mind it that way. You can get plant milk in plenty of cafes but you can’t just expect it to be a available everywhere like you can here in the UK and many parts of the US.
I can’t emphasise enough how worthwhile it is to spend some time studying the languages though, you obviously can’t learn it in a short space but it’s definitely polite and so worthwhile to get a few basics down. Just don’t arrive knowing no Spanish or Portuguese as it is generally considered quite rude and people may be less likely to help you out with your ordering. Have a good time!
