10 Food & Drink Experiences Around the World Worth Booking

1.The Only Locally Owned Non-Touristy Food Tour by Spade & Palacio

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 701 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $73Our pick

Spend about three hours with a local guide such as Chris, Marie, or Rodrigo, tasting through Jean-Talon Market, Little Italy, and Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie. Expect market samples, progressive coffee, Salvadorian food, bean-to-bar chocolate, neighborhood stories, and a small group of no more than 10 people.

“Chris was knowledgeable/super personal. The walk wasn’t difficult. All the food selections were tasty and got to taste a few items because of the season. Very much enjoyed it If you are planning on buying at the market… bring a bag so you are prepared. Nice to see a different part of Montreal!”

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2.Holyrood Distillery Whisky and Gin Tour & Tasting

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 533 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $37

Spend about an hour at Holyrood Distillery with a guide such as Diego, Brice, Courtney, or Neil, learning how its experimental whisky and gin are made. You’ll see the working distillery, sample several drinks, and finish near the tasting bar and shop.

“It was interesting to see the process. The goods were creative in the way that the distillery made so many variations with the base product. David was a friendly and informative guide.”

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3.Dijon: La Cave du Palais Burgundy Wine Tasting Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 400 reviews · 1h 30m · from $64

Spend 90 minutes in La Cave du Palais, a vaulted cellar in Dijon’s Hotel du Palais. A French and English speaking guide leads you through six Burgundy wines, from regional bottles to Grand Cru, while explaining terroir, climates, appellations, and aging.

“The discussions that took place. The wines were varied and great. Small group.”

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4.Seoul Night Palace & Market Food Tour with Vehicle

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 275 reviews · from $79

Start at Hyehwa Station and walk to Changgyeonggung Palace, then ride between the palace, Gwangjang Market, and Jogyesa Temple. Expect Korean pancakes, makgeolli, raw beef, live octopus, a twisted donut, and plenty of cultural stories from guides such as Mia, Janice, Ron, and Bruce.

“We had such a great time! I’ve never been on a tour with so many different activities. The Palace at night is beautiful then we got to see an incredible light show over the pond. On to a very bustling night market for dinner and tried many traditiRead more”

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5.Sintra, Pena Palace & Wine Tasting Small-Group Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 252 reviews · 9 hours (approx.) · from $81

Spend a full day beyond Lisbon with a guide such as Mauro, Nuno, Filipe, or Carole. Visit Pena Palace gardens, Sintra, Cabo da Roca, Cascais, and the Colares wine cellar. Expect a comfortable minivan, free time, three tastings, some uphill walking, and plenty of driving.

“Very fun tour, and it was a nice small group (only one pair of people aside from the two of us) so we could be very flexible to adjust the time in each place and it was easy to move along the group. Our guide was very knowledgeable and interesting, and passionate about ensuring we all had a great time. Each stop was uniquely enjoyable. Very worth it and I'd recommend anyone try this tour as well! Be prepared for a moderate amount of walking, including uphill and stairs. Much of the tour is outside, so be prepared for the weather as well.”

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6.Sintra Private Day Trip with Pena Palace & Wine Tasting

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 226 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $302

Spend eight hours in a private air-conditioned van exploring Sintra with an English-speaking local guide. Visit Pena Palace, taste a Travesseiro pastry, stop at Cabo da Roca, and tour a Colares winery. Lunch costs extra, and the packed route includes scenic drive-bys through Guincho and Cascais.

“We had an amazing time on our tour with Jorge! I had mentioned to the tour company that I would be travelling with my 80 year-old grandmother who has a walker, and they made us feel 100% welcomed and that we had nothing to worry about at all. It worked out that my family was the only group on the tour, so we were able to go at our own pace. Jorge was extremely patient and helpful with my grandmother and provided great tips/information on where to take the best pictures and the history of Portugal and all the sites were were visiting. He advised on whether the walk would…”

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7.Sintra, Pena Palace & Wine Tasting Small-Group Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 156 reviews · 9 hours · from $93

Spend nine hours with a local guide such as Matteo, Mauro, Dyego, or Andre, visiting Pena Palace’s exterior and gardens, Sintra, Cabo da Roca, Cascais, and a Colares wine estate. The eight-seat minivan keeps the day personal, though the palace walk is currently steep and moderately difficult.

“Due to damage from the storm we were unable to visit Pena Palace, which was replaced by Queluz Palace. Obviously initially we were disappointed but our guide Helio did he’s best to ensure that we were as enthusiastic about this visit as we were for Pena. Overall, It was quite an enjoyable day. The guide is a well informed but most importantly passionate person which for us was what made the day fun and not just another tour.”

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8.Holyrood Distillery ‘Journey to Whisky’ Tour & Tasting

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 126 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $43

Tour Holyrood Distillery in central Edinburgh with guides such as Brice, Dave, Henry, or Finn. See how new make spirit changes with time, learn about the building’s brewing past, and taste four samples. The focus is whisky-making rather than a broad flight of finished bottles.

“Henry gave a really good indepth tour, balanced perfectly for his audience. Even though I have done other distillery tours I learnt so many new things. The tour was well paced and the tasting samples were well tutored.”

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9.From Parma: Parmigiano Reggiano Farm Tour & Tasting with Transfer

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 113 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $89

Ride from the NH Parma hotel to a working caseificio, where guides such as Loris, Sergio, and Matteo explain each stage from milk to aged wheel. See shaping, salting, testing, and fire branding, then taste two ages of Parmigiano-Reggiano with regional pairings.

“Very fun tour, full of interesting facts about the parmigiano reggiano. We got to follow the entire process from alfalfa, via cow to aged cheese, all guided by a very knowledgeable host.”

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10.Taman sari water castle, sultan palace & local food tasting

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 11 reviews · from $32Best value

Meet your English-speaking guide at Alun Alun Yogyakarta for a private walk through the Sultan Palace and Taman Sari Water Castle. Afterward, taste gudeg in Wijilan. Guide Fedora is noted for clear English, cultural insight, and careful food explanations.

“Got a good tour of the water castle and sultans palace. Fedora was a great guide and spoke good English. She could answer all of our questions about the palaces and Indonesian culture. The food was also well explained and she made sure to take us to a place that was good for Western tummies.”

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