AROUND THE WORLD · WINE TOURS
Every trip has one free day too few. These 15 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…”
Spend about five hours touring Marlborough vineyards with guides such as Bruce, Mike, or Sue. Visit up to five cellar doors, taste sauvignon blanc and other varieties, stop for a vineyard lunch, and finish with gourmet chocolate. Blenheim accommodation pickup, tastings, water, and transport are included.
“Bruce was an excellent guide and a patient just. He drove to pick us up and was informative at every stop.”
Join Jade Tours for a five-hour small-group outing from Blenheim, led by guides such as Mike, Sue, Bruce, or Lucinda. Visit five cellar doors, from boutique family wineries to famous labels, taste local wines, walk among the vines, stop for lunch at your own cost, and finish with handmade chocolate.
“Lucinda was a fabulous guide for our winery tour today. We managed to taste wine at 5 vineyards and finish with a chocolate tasting. Perfect day, perfect guide, perfect fellow travellers - shame about the weather 🌧️”
Spend six hours touring Marlborough wineries with guides such as Chris or Bill, tasting Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, reserve wines, and late-harvest styles. Pickup and drop-off from Blenheim accommodation, standard tastings, and a small group of up to 11 are included. Lunch is extra.
“Our flight from the night before was cancelled which made our 10:00 wine tour impossible but the tour operator insured us that all would work out and it did. We ended up meeting the 12:00 tour at Allen Scott vineyard with the other tour meRead more”
Travel from Bucharest to Sinaia in a private vehicle with an English-speaking guide, visit Peles and Cantacuzino Castles, see Sinaia Monastery, and taste three Romanian wines with cheese and traditional snacks. Guides may include Alex, Cristi, Dan, Dianna, or another multilingual guide.
“The day trip to Peele's Castle, Dracula's Castle, and the Black Church was WONDERFUL!!! Our private guide was a wonderful tour guide and made the trip extra special. We had our two children with us and it was the perfect day trip.”
Ride a small air-conditioned van through Marlborough with guides such as Bruce, Ray, Steve, Lisa, or Jim. Visit several wineries, taste sauvignon blanc, pinot noir, riesling, sparkling wine, and more, then enjoy a two-course lunch with vineyard views.
“Lisa was a knowledgeable and great guide. She went above and beyond. She also insured that everyone made it back safely to their accommodation. The transportation was optimal.”
Spend four hours with an English-speaking food guide in Budapest’s Palace District. Begin with three Hungarian wines, cheese, and charcuterie, then visit a family bakery, courtyard bar, neighborhood bistro, and historic coffeehouse for goulash, pálinka, pastries, and more.
“Wonderful experience. Wine tasting, appetizers, and history of Hungarian wines at their shop and then walking tour with food and wine stops in the Palace district with a dinner stop and then a dessert/coffee stop. Fantastic!”
Enter Buenos Aires’ Palacio Barolo after dark for a 90-minute bilingual tour through Art Nouveau and Art Deco halls inspired by Dante’s Divine Comedy. Ride 14 floors, climb eight narrow stairway levels to the lighthouse, then finish with a glass of Argentine red or white wine and city views.
“It was an amazing place to see and very unique to see the city up top inside the light turret. The guide was very informative and was excellent at explaining in both Spanish and English for the group. I would recommend an evening tour as you get excellent reviews. But be prepared to walk up 8 narrow flights of stairs to reach the top. It's worth it, but the stairs only wind round and it's not too strenuous. However, keep your head down if tall until you reach the top. It's a good example of art deco style.”
Visit Knossos with time to explore, then ride through the Cretan countryside for wine and extra virgin olive oil tastings. Guides such as George and Antonis add local context, while a traditional tavern lunch with wine and raki completes this six-hour small-group outing.
“This tour was one of the highlights of our trip to Crete! Our guide, George, was friendly, funny, and incredibly knowledgeable about local culture, wine and olive oil production. We started at the Knossos Palace, where we enjoyed exploring the ancient ruins at our own pace with a self-guided tour. Next, we visited a local winery and olive oil producer, which was fantastic. The tastings were delicious and George shared great insight into the traditional methods that are still used today in Crete. A real standout was lunch in a local village where we experienced authentic Cretan meal. Everything about the day felt genuine and well paced. We highly recommend…”
A named palace, a kind of ticket, or a whole country of them.
