TRIPS

/

Top Trips for Wine and Liquor Lovers

Drink your way around the world by booking your place on one of these unique trips by Culture Trip – perfect for tasting local spirits and wines.
Gethin Morgan
16 May 2023
If you love the taste of a perfectly paired Tuscan red or can’t keep yourself away from a smoky mezcal, the best way to experience a new country and its culture is through a tour that truly embraces its local food and drink. From Italy to Mexico, these specially curated small-group adventures will appeal to all wine and liquor lovers – and food fanatics, too.
1 . Northern Italy, for Tuscan wine and rolling vineyards

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.

From£2456
Next available from8 Sep 2023
Secure your spot with a low deposit
View Trip
Chat to Us
2 . Mexico City, for ancient pulque and Aztec temples

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.

From£816
Next available from17 Aug 2023
Secure your spot with a low deposit
View Trip
Chat to Us
3 . Georgia, to learn about ancient winemaking techniques

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.

From£874
Next available from10 Jun 2023
Secure your spot with a low deposit
View Trip
Chat to Us
4 . South Africa, to experience the joy of a hop-on, hop-off wine tram

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?

From£2251
Next available from12 Aug 2023
Secure your spot with a low deposit
View Trip
Chat to Us
5 . Scotland, to taste some of the finest whisky on the planet

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.

From£1546
Next available from17 Jul 2023
Secure your spot with a low deposit
View Trip
Chat to Us
This is an updated version of an article originally written by Richard Collett.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel – and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Bespoke Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Bespoke Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm – and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.