I spend most of the year traveling, and there’s one thing I always try to do on the first day of a trip

Most of the tours I’ve booked include four to six stops, and each place showcases something different.

On a recent tour in Reykjavik, Iceland, I tried fermented shark and the iconic Icelandic hotdogs, which are topped with three different sauces, raw onions, and fried onions.

In Savannah, Georgia, I tried everything from fried pork chops to a scoop of ice cream from the local parlor.

While sampling in Budapest, Hungary, I munched on multiple types of strudel plus a sharable charcuterie board filled with local meats and cheeses.

Even if I ate out at a nice restaurant for every meal (which would be much more expensive), I don’t think I’d get such a broad taste of the local cuisine.

The tours usually give a glimpse into the city’s history

Learning a new-to-you city can be a challenge. I like that all of the food tours I’ve booked have been walking tours (as opposed to using buses or trolleys).

They give me a chance to explore the streets on foot and ask the guides about the easiest ways to get around.

In Budapest, my guide even gave me a few spare tram tickets. And in Reykjavik, we helpfully learned that the city’s famous Rainbow Road is never too far away from anything — making it a great North Star.

I already think food tours are a good value, but it’s also easy to find discounts

I genuinely think $100 or so for multiple dishes, a history lesson, and a tour of a city is a pretty great deal. But I’m still always looking for ways to save money on vacations.

It’s easy to skim through different food-tour options on platforms like TripAdvisor or Viator, but I’ve found better prices by booking directly with the company.

I also always scour social media for discounts. In Reykjavik, I found an active 10%-off code on Facebook.