AROUND THE WORLD · WINE TOURS
Every trip has one free day too few. These 7 wine tastings justify the slot, priced and timed so you can decide in minutes and get back to the fun part.
Spend 90 minutes in Porto’s Pink Palace, an eleven-room rosé museum with audio guides in four languages, five tastings, creative photo sets, a giant pink ball pit, and a Hollywood-style Cadillac. You can choose a non-alcoholic option, too.
“It was really nice the experience, just the wine tasting was to quick one after another so you would still feel the taste from the previous wine.”
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.”
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.”
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…”
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.”
Start with a reserved winery lunch, then visit up to four Marlborough cellar doors in an air-conditioned vehicle. Guides such as Bill, Toni, Vic, and Kevin share local wine stories, arrange tastings, and return you to central Blenheim after four relaxed hours.
“Our guide, Bill, was knowledgeable, friendly, and had a terrific sense of humor. At the end of our tour he dropped us at two different destinations and that door to door service was greatly appreciated. The lunch we had at the first vineyard was delicious. At each vineyard we visited each host provided interesting details about their vineyard's history and the make-up of each wine. Interesting stories were given how the wines got their names and in each presenter you could see their enthusiasm for the products they were serving. The wines were delectable. Highly recommend this tour.”
Spend 7 to 8 hours with a local English-speaking driver-guide exploring Knossos, the Lasithi Plateau, family workshops, old windmills, village cafes, and a traditional taverna. Spyros, Stavros, Dimitrios, Mike, and other guides are praised for personal stories and flexible pacing. Zeus Cave is currently closed.
“On June 5th, 2025 we had the pleasure of attending the “Knossos Palace Zeus Cave Olive Oil Mill & Wine” Private Tour. We were picked up at our hotel by our tour guide, Spyros and although we were excited for our adventure we could not have imagined the amazing experience that we would receive from Spyros. We had wonderful conversations that were rich with history and his special touch and insight as a citizen of Crete. Not only did we learn a lot our journey was filled with laughter and attention to details. We had ample time in every location and nothing was rushed! This tour and specifically Spyros did…”
A named palace, a kind of ticket, or a whole country of them.
