/
There’s a good chance you were picturing the Italian countryside before this page even loaded. Few European destinations cause as much salivation as Italy and, on this nine-day Northern Italy Rail Trip, your thirst will be quenched and your appetite satisfied. We’ll start with pizza and an Aperol spritz in Rome and end with a Negroni in ever-trendy Milan, but the city-hopping adventure you’ll embark on in between is a feast for winos and foodies alike. Trace the subtle difference in wine culture from the capital to Florence, Bologna and Lake Como, and enjoy tastings of olive oil, Parma ham and much more. The highlight? Without doubt our tour of Podere La Marronaia, an organic farm and winery just outside the glorious Tuscan town of San Gimignano, where we’ll sip on a selection of wines and feast on a truffle-infused four-course lunch.
Take a juicy glug of Mexico’s colourful capital, starting with a tour of its most impressive landmarks – from the hilltop Castillo de Chalputepec to the Monumento a la Revolución. After getting your bearings in the city centre, we’ll be striking out north, to the ruined Aztec metropolis of Teotihuacan. Walk the impressive Avenue of the Dead, climb to the peak of the Pyramid of the Sun, and delve into the artefacts compiled in the museum – all before ending the day as the Aztecs may have done, with a sip of pulque, a milky liquor made from the fermented sap of the maguey plant. If that’s not to your taste, we’ll have plenty of time to sip on mezcal cocktails at a lucha libre match, shot tequila in authentic local joints and sink cervezas alongside tacos at Mercado de San Juan.
While not globally famous, true experts will know that Georgia is considered the first region on Earth to have produced wine, and is therefore known as the ‘cradle of wine’. Join us high in the Caucasus mountains for nine days of outdoorsy adventure, ancient history and exceptional wine. Ancient techniques are still used here, using large egg-shaped clay vessels called qvevri that are buried underground. You’ll get to learn about this process first hand with a master craftsman on day four. You’ll also head to a local family home for traditional home-baked bread and local delicacy churchkhela, before tucking into a classic Georgian lunch, accompanied by wine and conducted by a toastmaster. You’ll also sample a distinctive array of wines the following day, on a tasting at a local winery in Tbilisi.
Yep, that’s right. Even wine casuals are familiar with the grapes of South Africa, but not enough people are aware of the quirky attraction set in the middle of its world-renowned Stellenbosch region. You’ll get to experience this adorable little locomotive for yourself on our 11-day itinerary in South Africa, which starts with Cape Town and Table Mountain and ends with spotting the Big Five at a luxury game reserve. In between you’ll spend some time in the Cape Winelands, staying at a glorious country lodge and spending a day vineyard-hopping thanks to the Franschhoek wine tram – can you think of a better way to spend an afternoon?
Swap wine for whisky on our seven-day Rail Trip in the Scottish Highlands and Edinburgh. After starting with a journey on the famous Caledonian Sleeper train from London to Fort William, and before embarking on a scenic trip on the even-more-iconic Jacobite steam train, you’ll go for a hearty tasting at Ben Nevis Distillery. The banks of the River Lochy are quite the spot for a wee dram or two, and the soul-warming kick will be a welcome balm against the cold Scottish winds. If you prefer your booze a little less strong, you’ll love our time spent in Edinburgh, one of the greatest pub cities on Earth.