Travelling with Celiac Disease
- Oct 26, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: Jan 10
Ever since I was little, I dreamed of going to Europe. I couldn’t wait to experience the sights, history, culture, architecture, languages, and food! I imagined sitting near the Eiffel Tower, or walking the streets of Munich, or taking a gondola ride in Venice. In Spring 2025, I had the opportunity to embark on a group study program to six European countries, studying the sustainability of various cities through a geographical and urban studies lens. I was thrilled to finally get to travel and live out my dreams! But what I didn’t imagine as a little girl was having to navigate a trip to Europe with celiac disease.
Just over a year ago, I was diagnosed with celiac disease. An autoimmune disease where, if gluten (a protein in wheat, rye, and barley) is consumed, the immune system attacks the small intestine. The villi in the small intestine are responsible for nutrient absorption, so if gluten continues to be consumed, the villi can become damaged, causing health problems like malnutrition, infertility, the development of other autoimmune disorders, and even cancer[1]. Not to mention an influx of symptoms like bloating, back pain, headaches, nausea, and more.
As excited as I was to go on this journey, I was nervous about navigating different languages, as well as terminology for gluten-free (GF) food, or even just finding any at all. To prepare, I spoke to other travellers I knew with celiac disease, found celiac blogs for travelling, downloaded an app to help find restaurants with GF options, and printed off cards in different languages for each country that explained my dietary restrictions. I was also able to pack some non-perishable, GF snacks in my luggage, just in case!
Gluten-Free Food/Options in Paris: 2/5 Stars
We began our trip in Paris, France. Maybe it was because this was the first place I had to navigate in Europe, or the area we stayed in, but I was let down by the GF options. I ate a lot of salads in Paris; often, the only option. Fortunately, the grocery stores all had GF snacks. Though I did find a dedicated GF bakery and was able to have a croissant for the first time since my diagnosis!
Gluten-Free Food/Options in Geneva: 2.5/5 Stars
Next was Geneva, Switzerland. Unfortunately, we were only in Geneva for two nights, and it was incredibly expensive, so I did not try many choices. While I was there, I did get to try amazing GF soufflé pancakes!
Gluten-Free Food/Options in Freiburg & Munich: 1.5/5 Stars & 3/5 Stars
In Germany, we visited two cities: Freiburg and Munich. Freiburg was a smaller city and did not have many GF options. However, I did get a GF ice cream cone! Unfortunately, I accidentally ate gluten at one of the restaurants and got very sick. Munich had better options, but fewer than I thought.
Gluten-Free Food/Options in Budapest: 4/5 Stars
Budapest far exceeded my expectations! There were many GF options across the city. I even got to have a GF burger from McDonald’s!
Gluten-Free Food/Options in Vienna: 3.5/5 Stars
In Vienna, Austria, I was able to enjoy a burger, toast, more McDonald's, and my favourite, pierogies!
Gluten-Free Food/Options in Bolzano, Bologna, & Venice: 5/5 Stars, 4/5 Stars, & 4/5 Stars
I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of GF options in Italy. I was worried I would have to eat a salad while watching my friends enjoy their pizza or pasta, but at every restaurant we went to, I was able to get GF pasta, pizza, or other dishes! Bolzano was a smaller Italian city in the mountains, and I had the best GF pasta, pizza, bread, and bratwurst I've ever had there. Everything was so delicious, and it was amazing to be able to eat with my friends! Bologna also had very good GF options, although I did get sick once from something I ate that had gluten. Venice also had a variety of GF options that were super tasty! I would highly recommend Italy for people with celiac disease.
Gluten-Free Food/Options in Athens, Mykonos, & Santorini: 5/5 Stars, 4/5 Stars, & 4/5 Stars
Greece offered many types of appetizing food, though I ate a lot of GF pita, souvlaki, and tzatziki! The food was super refreshing, and I was able to try GF foods you can't often find. Athens had more touristy spots like the Hard Rock Cafe, as well as some local GF digs. Athens was a solid 4/5 stars for me. Mykonos had the best pita wrap I've ever had, GF or not! 5/5 stars. Santorini did not disappoint either, with delicious tzatziki and more GF pita. I would give it 4/5 stars.
In conclusion, I greatly enjoyed my trip! I would highly recommend travelling or doing a group study program to anyone, especially those with celiac disease. Be adventurous with your palette and don’t let your dietary restrictions stop you from having an amazing experience!
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