The 11 Cheesiest Events and Attractions Around the World

This cheesy destination in South Korea’s North Jeolla Province must be seen to be believed. The theme park boasts giant cheese-shaped buildings, a dairy petting farm, an on-site hotel, and a playground complete with a Swiss-style toboggan ride. You can get your fill of Korean cheese at one of the park’s eateries, or have a hands-on experience in a cheese- or pizza-making class.

There’s no shortage of show dairies to explore in Switzerland, but Appenzell’s is probably the most famous. Offering interactive tours, cheese tastings, and a glimpse of a working production floor, it also features a kids’ playground and on-site restaurant serving all manner of cheesy Swiss staples. Thanks to the factory’s short distance from Zurich, it’s easily ticked off on a full-day tour.

Taking place every April in Stellenbosch, this festival offers a jam-packed schedule of tasty entertainment, in keeping with the artisanal offerings of the wider Cape Winelands. Live bands, cheesemaking demos, and pop-up petting zoos provide an immersive backdrop for the festival’s main event: a showcase of Cape-made produce, from cheeses and chutneys to wine and gin.

Every Spring Bank Holiday, a wheel of Double Gloucester cheese is rolled down a steep, uneven hill in South West England, hotly pursued by dozens of brave participants who tumble, roll, and smash their own way down the course, with the first over the line winning the cheese. This bizarre ritual has become a much-loved attraction, with thousands attending every year to watch the chaos unfold and take part in the post-race festivities in one of England's best places for cheese lovers.

Every two years, the tiny Italian town of Bra in Piedmont transforms into an artisanal cheese paradise. Organized by the Bra-based Slow Food movement, the festival welcomes farmers, cheesemongers, and other cheese enthusiasts to showcase and sample traditionally made formaggio from around the world. Bra’s culinary claim to fame doesn’t end there though; there’s also the Bra sausage—a veal sausage best eaten raw⁠—and the Bra Earth Market, which promotes sustainability through food stands, kid-friendly workshops, and exhibitions.

Brazil’s cheese industry is booming—in the last few years, Brazilian cheeses have swept up international awards, with Queijo Tulha among the most famous of the nation’s exports. The home of that cheese, Atalaia Farm (Fazenda Atalaia) in Amparo, offers historical tours, breakfast and lunch menus, and year-round access to its on-site store. If you’d rather stay closer to the city, several culinary tours visit dairies and farms on the outskirts of Sao Paulo.

The tiny town of Kolan on the Croatian island of Pag is the perfect place to combine coastal adventure with cheese tasting. Every year on the last Friday of August, the Kolan Cheese Festival celebrates the island’s creations with PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) status, which have become one of the country’s most sought-after edible exports. The area is home to several traditional dairies, some of which can be visited on culinary tours of Pag.

Dating back to the late 19th century, Allansford’s Cheese World offers a glimpse of Australia’s agricultural heritage through a museum exhibition of farming machinery and cheesemaking implements, before bringing visitors bang up-to-date in its cheese-tasting cellar. The convenient location of the site, which has a café as well, makes it possible to visit on a Great Ocean Road tour or as part of a trip to nearby Warrnambool.

Fuerteventura is best known for its idyllic island beaches and water sports, but it also boasts a rich history of making goat cheese. In the town of Antigua, Majorero Cheese Museum is home to a traditional windmill, cactus garden, and engaging exhibition that educates visitors on the island’s geology, Indigenous goats, and cheesemaking practices. Ten minutes’ drive south, the Cabrera Perez House of Cheese (La Casa del Queso Cabrera Perez) offers cheesemaking workshops and goat petting opportunities galore.

A fromage destination for the whole family, Alkmarr’s Kaasmuseum tells the story of Dutch cheese, from the cow to a freshly-cut piece of Edam or Gouda, through interactive displays, artwork, and tasty samples. Every Friday between April and October, a cheese market takes place just outside on Waagplein square, making it easy to double the cheesy fun.

It would be remiss of this roundup not to include a French destination, and where more iconic than the village of Camembert? This locale in Normandy has a quaint museum presenting the history of its namesake cheese through videos, displays, and tastings. The region is also known for its cider, with some tours combining a visit to the Camembert House with nearby working orchards.