Summer Special: 5 Ice Creams That Are Worth Travelling The World For

There are two kinds of summer people: the ones chasing sunsets, and the ones chasing the perfect dessert to beat the heat. And if you fall into the latter category, read along. This summer, leave behind your same old bowls for something different—because these countries are serving up ice cream in many forms.

Across the world, every culture has its own way of beating the heat, most often in the form of something cold, creamy, and rejuvenating. From silky gelatos churned fresh, to rubber-thick Turkish ice cream, these are the desserts you (must) plan your entire trip around. And before you default back to your average scoop of vanilla or cookies and cream, consider Googling one or all of these, and you’re sure to be half convinced to book that flight immediately.

Because let’s be honest, there’s something wildly romantic about discovering a place through its desserts. A cone eaten while wandering cobbled streets, a cup savoured in the middle of a bustling market, a flavour so good it becomes tied to a memory you’ll keep going back to. Sounds like heaven if you ask me.

So if your summer plans are still up in the air, consider this your sign: pick a destination, follow the scoops, and let your sweet tooth guide the way.

Mochi, Japan 

Perhaps the most portable ice cream in the world, mochi is like a tiny package of pure happiness.

Traditionally made from glutinous rice (mochigome), mochi dates back over a thousand years and has been associated with rituals and seasonal festivals in Japan. One well-known example is Mochitsuki, a dish of steamed rice pounded into a smooth, elastic dough. Mochi originally evolved from daifuku, a traditional Japanese sweet stuffed with red bean paste. The frozen version became popular in the late 20th century and spread to countries like the United States.

The appeal lies in its contrast. The outer layer is delicately chewy and slightly sweet, while the inside is cold, creamy, and smooth. It’s compact, mess-free, and perfectly portioned, making it a unique eating experience in itself.

On biting, the dessert is pillow-soft, chewy, and extremely sweet, coming in as many flavours as one would like to imagine. The most widely-loved ones include matcha, red bean, strawberry, chocolate, and mango, green tea, and black sesame, while today’s crazier ones include cheesecake, hojicha caramel, and pandan coconut.

Gelato, Italy

In Italy, gelato is an art form of its own, as one of the many products of the Renaissance. Figures like Bernardo Buontalenti and Cosimo Ruggieri are often credited with developing early versions of the dessert for the Medici court. However, gelato as we know it today took shape much later, evolving into a craft of its own.

A common question that looms when gelato is mentioned is what sets it apart from regular ice cream, and the answer lies in how it’s made. It’s churned more slowly, which means less air is incorporated, resulting in a denser, silkier texture. It also typically contains less fat, allowing flavours to come through more clearly. Whether it’s the nuttiness of pistachio, the sharpness of lemon, or the deep richness of dark chocolate. Served slightly warmer than ice cream, gelato feels softer, smoother, and more intense with every bite.

In Italy, you’ll find gelaterias tucked into busy piazzas and quiet neighbourhood streets alike, each with its own loyal following. And while the display cases piled high with colourful swirls may look tempting, locals will tell you the best gelato is often stored in covered steel tins, where the focus is solely on taste. On your next trip to the Italian coast, be sure to try one too many of these.

I-tim kati, Thailand

On a hot day in Thailand, few things hit quite like i-tim kati—the country’s beloved coconut ice cream that’s as much a street food as a dessert. The name itself is simple: i-tim (ice cream) and kati (coconut milk).

Rooted in Thailand’s long-standing use of coconut in both sweet and savoury cooking, i-tim kati is traditionally made with rich coconut milk, giving it a naturally creamy texture without dairy. The flavour is light, slightly nutty, and minimally sweet, making it perfect for Thailand’s tropical climate. Historically, it’s been sold by street vendors who churn or store it in metal canisters packed with ice and salt, keeping it cold as they move through busy markets and neighbourhoods.​

What really sets it apart, though, is how it’s served. Instead of using a cone or cup, i-tim kati is often filled into a soft bun or scooped into a hollowed-out coconut shell. It’s then topped with an assortment of toppings. Think roasted peanuts, sticky rice, sweet corn, palm seeds, or even jelly. It’s interactive, customisable, and built around many flavours, all at once. While modern versions now appear in numerous cafés across Thailand, with additions like espresso, salted coconut caramel, mango, or brûléed banana, nothing, of course, beats the experience of the original, streetside delicacy.

Dondurma, Turkey

If there’s one ice cream that actually turns dessert into a full performance, it’s dondurma.

Originating from the Kahramanmaraş region in Turkey, this isn’t your typical scoop-and-go ice cream. It’s stretchy, chewy, and famously resistant to melting, thanks to two key ingredients used in preparation. Salep (a flour made from wild orchid tubers) and mastic (a natural resin that adds elasticity and a subtle pine-like aroma).

Historically, dondurma dates back centuries, evolving from Ottoman-era techniques that used mountain snow and natural thickeners to create a more durable frozen dessert. The addition of salep changed everything. It gave the ice cream its signature density and that almost playful, elastic texture you won’t find anywhere else. It’s why vendors can flip, stretch, and even bounce it without it falling apart.

And no description of dondurma would really be complete without describing the serving ritual. If you’ve ever bought dondurma from a street vendor, you’ll know it’s rarely a quick transaction. Using long metal paddles, vendors twist, tease, and playfully pull the cone away just as you’re about to grab it. The chase is really all part of the experience.

Flavour-wise, dondurma tends to stick to classics like vanilla, pistachio, and chocolate, but the real star of the show is the texture. Thick, slightly chewy, and slow to melt, it’s designed for warmer climates where regular ice cream wouldn’t stand a chance.

Kulfi, India

Long before ice cream machines and soft-serves became the norm, India had already perfected its own version of a frozen dessert: kulfi, a desi version of ice cream, if you will.

​Its origins trace back to the Mughal era, around the 16th century, when royal kitchens began experimenting with thickened milk, sugar, and flavours like saffron and pistachio. Without modern refrigeration, the mixture was poured into metal moulds and frozen using a mixture of ice and salt. This technique allowed it to set into its signature dense, slow-melting form.

Unlike regular ice cream, kulfi isn’t churned. That means there’s no extra air or fluff. It’s just a rich, almost fudgy texture that comes from simmering milk down for hours until it thickens naturally. The result is intensely creamy, slightly grainy in the best way, flavoured with anything and everything you love. Saffron, rose, pistachio, almonds, tutti-fruiti, butterscotch, chocolate, paan, cardamom, and seasonal fruits are commonly loved flavours.

What makes kulfi special is not just the taste but the experience surrounding it. The sound of a kulfiwala on a summer evening, pulling the metal mould from an insulated matka and quickly slicing it onto a stick or plate. It’s nostalgic, unpretentious, and tied to everyday life as much as it is to history, which is exactly why we love it so much.

Read more: Ditch The Fridge Magnet! Bring Back These Edible Souvenirs This Vacation

Also read: Summer Is The Best Time To Enjoy These Mango Desserts In Delhi NCR