Wine country · CITY TOURS
Good city tours with a winery stop fill up weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Start beside Porto Cathedral with a city train ride, then tour Real Companhia Velha, Portugal’s oldest port cellar, and taste two wines. Finish with a one-hour Douro cruise. You can split the train and boat over two days, which helps you avoid rushing.
“Very full experience to get the most from the city within 4-5 hours.”
Spend about five hours visiting four Old Mission Peninsula wineries by premium shuttle from Traverse City. Guides such as Scott, Todd, Andy, and Jonathan keep the day moving, while you sample local wines, buy small snacks, and enjoy views of Grand Traverse Bay. Tastings cost extra.
“It was a barrel of fun - or maybe a cask! We stopped at four wineries and all were well worth a visit.”
Ride from downtown Traverse City in a luxury GMC Yukon, Suburban, or Cadillac Escalade to four Old Mission Peninsula wineries. Guides such as Mike, Cody, Clover, and Tracy adjust the route to the group, with bay views, wine tastings, and about four to five hours on the road.
“Jason was our tour guide. It turned out that it was just my wife and I which led to a very personal experience. Jason was friendly and informative. Highly recommend this tour.”
Spend about five hours visiting three Leelanau Peninsula wineries in an air-conditioned Magic Shuttle Bus. Your driver handles winery appointments, you buy tastings separately, and you can bring snacks for the ride. Expect scenic views, changing stops, and a public group of up to 14 people.
“Carol, our tour guide, was excellent!! The whole tour was first class and we will definitely be doing it again. Thank you for a wonderful experience!”
Spend about four hours visiting three Old Mission Peninsula wineries by air-conditioned limo-style bus. Guides such as Scott, Todd, Pete, and Andy share local background, suggest pours, and time the route for sunset. Wine flights and glasses cost extra, and stops can change.
“We came to celebrate my daughter's 25th bday. We was lucky to have Mr. Frizzle as our driver. He was funny, attentive and gave us a great lesson about the vineyards and surrounding areas. He made the trip a great experience. I would do this trip again if I could guarantee we get him again.”
Meet at Chateau de Bellet for a 90-minute English-language tour led by a friendly guide such as Julia. Walk through the vines, visit the modern cellar, hear how Bellet wine is made, then taste three local wines, white, rosé, and red, in a former chapel.
“Guide in english was informative, got to know some bit about the vineyard's history, the terroir and the products produced at the vineyard. The whole process from start to end product was explained step by step throughout the tour. The wine tasting at the end in the cellar of an old chappel was the highlight of the tour.”
Walk downhill through Porto with guides such as Nuno, David, or João, stopping at São Bento station, the cathedral, old neighborhoods, and the lower Dom Luís I Bridge. Finish in Gaia with a visit to a port producer and a tasting of three ports. Expect history, stairs, views, and a small group.
“A great experience with Nuno for a city walking tour and port wine tastings. He was very informative and great energy.”
Spend about 6.5 hours visiting three Santa Ynez Valley wineries with a host such as Cary, Anthony, Kris, or Steve. Tastings, a seven-choice deli picnic, bottled water, hotel pickup, and transport for up to 18 people are included. Winery choices vary by day.
“Steve was an excellent guide for the day! Very knowledgeable and personable. I enjoyed the pace of the day and variety of wineries.”
Spend 4 to 5 hours exploring Ica, from the rebuilt Lord of Luren sanctuary and Cachiche’s witch legends to an artisanal winery. Taste piscos, wines, and sweets, then ride a tubular vehicle and sandboard across Huacachina’s desert dunes before returning to Ica’s Plaza de Armas.
“Un viaje de mucha adrenalina de compartir cultura de probar tradiciones nos encantó... nos falto tiempo pero seguro volvería para traer a mi hijo.gracias chicos”
Ride from downtown Traverse City in a GMC Yukon or similar luxury SUV with guides such as Mike, Joe, Jason, Tracy, or Andie. Visit four Old Mission Peninsula wineries in 4.5 hours, with wine samples included, flexible stop choices, and no party bus.
“Such a memorable winery tour! Mike’s tip to move to Sunday made it peaceful and personal. Beautiful views, excellent wines, and the perfect way to celebrate together.”
Explore Istanbul’s wine culture with an English-speaking guide such as Andrea, an award-winning Turkish wine author. Over 3.5 hours, walk from Galatasaray through Cihangir and Karaköy, stopping at three wine bars for red, white, rosé, and orange wines.
“Great tour that will introduce to Turkish wines. During the tour we visited three centrally located wine bars and tasted a wide array of Turkish wines…red, white, rose and even orange wine. Andrea, our host, was very knowledgeable about Turkish wines and should great enthusiasm about wine culture in Turkey. Highly recommend!”
Spend about three hours visiting a Kansas City brewery, winery, and distillery with Barley Bus Tours. Your guide, possibly Adam, Jeff, Johnny, or Russ, handles the driving, shares local history, and leads tastings at all three stops.
“Learned some history and had fantastic samples. Adam was an excellent guide. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a fun way to spend the day.”
Spend eight hours with Bush and Beach, combining Auckland landmarks, Devonport, Mt. Victoria, and Westhaven Marina with three Kumeu wine tastings, lunch at Soljans Estate, and a Muriwai Beach gannet stop. Guides such as Alex, Jason, Meredith, and Wayne are noted for lively local commentary.
“This tour can be divided into two parts: the morning city tour and the afternoon wine tour. Both guides, Jason and Alex, were great. The tour is operated by Bush and a beach tours here in Auckland and the company has an excellent reputation. From the moment we were picked up in the morning, we knew we were in excellent hands. The city tour was very well paved with great stops and great information presented. The afternoon tour to the three vineyards was loads of fun and informative. The three vineyards were excellent. It was a great day out!”
Spend three hours walking from Porto’s historic center to the Ribeira area, viewing the Cathedral surroundings and São Bento Station’s famous tile panels before visiting 19th-century Port wine producers. Your English-speaking guide explains production, aging, and tasting notes, followed by four samples.
“It was a wonderful tour. Our guide was very knowledgeable and friendly.”
Visit Quinta da Regaleira at your own pace with an adult entry ticket, skip-the-ticket-line access, and app-based audio tours for the estate and Sintra. You’ll follow stories about the romantic-era estate, then walk from Volta do Duche toward the Palace of Seteais using offline maps and narration.
“Le parc a besoin d’être mieux présenté car en fait ce sont des chemin labyrinthique et on a vite fait de perdre ses repères et l’organisation de son parcours. Le puit vaut le détour.”
Keep browsing
Pick a wine country, a cellar or a table under the vines.
