When Davide, my driver from Leonardo da Vinci Airport, laughs and says, “This is Rome — they’re all great,” I know I’ve asked the right question.
He’s talking about bakeries — those irresistible neighbourhood gems that define the Italian capital’s mornings. Rome is full of them: modest façades concealing glass counters stacked with golden pizza bianca, crusty focaccia Romana, and glossy maritozzi oozing with cream.
For many travellers, bakeries are simply pit stops for a quick pastry and coffee. But for others — increasingly, for Gulf travellers — they’ve become the destination itself. This is the new world of bakery tourism: where food isn’t just part of the journey, it is the journey.
Bakery Tourism: Where Culture Meets Craving
At this year’s Arabian Travel Market in Dubai, culinary tourism was one of the hottest topics. Industry experts noted that food-led travel is now worth more than $1 billion globally — and it’s not slowing down.
Bakery tourism sits at the heart of this movement, connecting travellers to heritage through something as simple (and sacred) as bread. The bakery pilgrims, as The Guardian calls them, aren’t just searching for croissants or cupcakes; they’re chasing craftsmanship, nostalgia, and authenticity.
It’s easy to see why Rome is their paradise.
Antico Forno Roscioli: A Roman Classic
A few winding streets away from Campo de’ Fiori, I find myself standing beneath a bold red sign that simply reads Forno — Italian for “oven.” The air is thick with the scent of freshly baked dough. Inside, a neon-blue sign spells out Roscioli, marking one of the city’s most beloved bakeries and delis.
Antico Forno Roscioli, founded in 1972, is both a local institution and a pilgrimage site for food lovers from across the globe. It’s barely 8 a.m., yet the place is buzzing. Tourists and locals alike jostle gently for space as trays of paper-thin Roman pizza, sugar-dusted pastries, and artisanal sauces fill every inch of the counter.
A friendly woman behind the counter greets me with a cheerful “Buongiorno!” and gestures toward a pastry — golden brown, dusted with sugar, filled with ricotta and tart cherries. Beside it sits a small apple pie, perfectly round and aromatic. When I ask which is best, she smiles knowingly. “I love both.”
I take both, of course.
The Art (and Luxury) of the Bakery
Across the world, the bakery experience is evolving — and the Gulf has played a role in its rise.
Bahraini restaurateur Dona Murad, founder of Librae Bakery in New York City, understands this connection intimately. As a long-time bakery tourist herself, she and her husband — both in the culinary world — plan their travels entirely around food.
“One of the things I love most about bakeries,” she tells The Gulf Talk, “is that they represent one of the last forms of accessible luxury and art. It’s indulgence everyone can enjoy.”
At Librae Bakery, queues often stretch around the block. The pistachio rose croissant and the loomi (black lime) lemon-curd babka are cult favourites, drawing Gulf travellers who proudly support the first Bahraini-owned bakery in Manhattan.
Murad says their menu shifts with the seasons, not the trends. “One year we used strawberry sumac jam in a Linzer cookie, the next in a Danish,” she explains. “Our menu evolves the same way our customers do — with curiosity and care.”
Her personal favourites abroad? Bageriet Benji in Copenhagen and Fika Farina in Mallorca — both family-run bakeries with irresistible warmth and unforgettable flavours.
What Defines a Great Bakery?
If you ask Davide, it’s simple: “Any bakery in Rome.”
For Murad, it’s a place where atmosphere and quality converge — where the scent, sound, and sight of baking become part of the experience. And for travellers from the Gulf, perhaps it’s something even deeper: a connection between cultures, where one can taste tradition, creativity, and community all in a single bite.
Because a bakery isn’t just a shop — it’s a story of patience, skill, and love. Whether in Rome, Bahrain, or beyond, it’s proof that the simplest pleasures — bread, butter, sugar, time — can transcend borders and bring people together.
And in Rome, where every corner seems to hide a masterpiece fresh from the oven, the hunt for the best bakery might never truly end. But that’s exactly what makes it worth the journey.
