Wine country · DINING EXPERIENCES
Good estate dining experiences fill up weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Start at 6pm with a small-group tour of Fonseca’s cellars, where you learn how Port travels from the Douro Valley to the bottle. Taste Bin 27 and Siroco during a live Fado performance, then add a three-course Portuguese dinner at WOW Porto.
“Tour guide was so informative. Fado show with port tasting in the dark was incredible.”
Leave Florence at 2:45 pm for Siena and the Chianti hills. You’ll have free time in Siena, visit wine estates, taste Tuscan wines and olive oil, and enjoy a four-course dinner. Guides such as Ana, Lisa, Frederick, Diego, and Marti have led departures, though the exact guide varies.
“Very disappointed with the tour. Maybe I should have booked a different one. The tour guide was very nice, but didn’t have to do much. She led us from the bus into Siena, and then told us to meet back in 2 hours. The wine experience was poor at best. The staff showed a total lack of interest - didn’t walk us thru the meals and wine. Very little commentary from them. They missed a great opportunity as their place is beautiful. But the execution was awful. I’ve had great luck with Viator but this one was clearly the worst.”
Travel from Florence by air-conditioned minivan or coach to a Tuscan wine estate. Tour the winery, taste local wines and farm products, then share a candlelit dinner among the vines. Hosts such as Aurora, Marta, and Luca add local stories, while bad-weather dinners move indoors.
“Had a wonderful evening. Tour included a short stop in a beautiful town before heading to the winery. Lovely dinner in outside at a beautifully set table with a tasting of wine with each course.”
Travel from Florence by Mercedes minivan to Siena and San Gimignano, then enjoy a wine tasting and Tuscan meal at a Chianti winery. You get a guided Siena walk, free time in San Gimignano, and the option to add Pisa. Guides may include Sabrina, Rubina, Brando, or Francesca.
“Siena and San Gimignano are must-see stops as part of your Italy experience. This trips had three parts. The driver was helpful and pointed out interesting sites along the journey. Part One: Siena. Siena is a remarkable city; home of the Palio. Our guide was not a great story teller. If not for our previous knowledge of the city, the Palio, and the neighborhoods, we would not have learned what makes Siena so special. She did not bring excitement about the spectacle of the Palio horse race. Siena is must-see, but a better tour guide is needed. Part Two: San Gimignano. We were left to explore on our own, which…”
Leave Florence with an English-speaking guide for two Chianti winery visits, estate tours, tastings, and a generous Tuscan dinner paired with estate wines. You may also stop in Greve. Guides such as Chiara, Filippa, Anna, and Gabriel have led recent departures.
“It was amazing. the fact that we were by bus made it great to just drink without being afraid to drive after. The only thing is the guide rushed a little bit right after we got the last glass of wine at the last vineyard, so we didn't have time to enjoy it as mich as the other wines before. I would still redo the activity if I come back to Italy”
Meet your sommelier at Tenuta Torciano, a short drive from San Gimignano, for a guided tasting of Tuscan wines and olive oils followed by a traditional lunch or dinner. Expect several wines, local dishes, and clear explanations from hosts such as Lorenzo, Marco, Mari, or Pietro.
“Amazing setting with excellent sommelier, delicious food and great wine selection for tasting. The drivers who picked us up/dropped off were very friendly. Totally delighted with this experience.”
Meet at Siena train station at 6:00 PM for a five-hour evening in Chianti. A driver-guide takes you to a Tuscan farm for wine tasting, a winery walk, chapel visit, sunset aperitivo, and a four-course dinner with roast meats, vegetables, dessert, wine, and water. Guides may speak English, Italian, or Spanish.
“amazing, would really recommend this if you want good food, amazing wine and excellent staff who will teach you alot about the wine and how to taste it. thank you so much for the wonderful evening”
At family-run Morgado do Quintão, guides such as Marco or Anna lead a relaxed vineyard visit before a three-course Algarvian meal with three wines. Expect old Negramole vines, a 2,000-year-old olive tree, shared tables, and no working winery visit yet.
“We loved meeting Teresa and enjoying a lovely meal experience. The food and wine were great. It was a highlight of our Portugal trip!”
Travel from Santiago to Alyan Family Wines in Santa Rita for a slow guided visit through the vineyard, varietal garden, cellar, tanks, and barrel room. Taste three or four Family Ambassador wines in different settings, enjoy cheese and ham, then finish with an informal dinner as the sun sets.
“Experiência maravilhosa. Guia excelente, grupo de tamanho confortável, vinhos deliciosos, jantar muito bom. A presença dos donos da vinícola é uma feliz alegria também. Recomendo.”
Travel about 35 minutes from Bodrum to Karnas Vineyards for a four-course dinner built around local produce, olive oil, cheese, lamb, vegetables, and homemade ice cream. Owner-led cellar stories, three paired wine pours, sunset views, and hotel pickup make this a relaxed evening away from the coast.
“I truly enjoyed the winery. The staff was very knowledgeable about the wines and how to pair them. We walked out with several bottles!”
Meet Giorgio and the family at Vigna il Castagno near Martina Franca for a vineyard walk, sunset meal, and wine tasting. Over about three hours, enjoy five starters, handmade orecchiette, bombette, dessert, and local rosoli at a shared table.
“One of the nicest experience we had in a holiday! The dinner in a vineyard, the sunset, the atmosphere were absolutely stunning! The staff is wonderful and the company of other tourists from all over the world made the evening a real pleasure. We will definitely come back!”
Start at Etna Urban Winery near Catania for an evening walk through vineyards, dry-stone buildings, woodland, and olive trees. Visit an 18th-century palmento, then taste four Etna wines with chef Leonardo’s Sicilian dishes. The small group is capped at 15, and children receive a treasure map.
“Very nice experience, highly recommended. A nice story was told where it became clear where their wine comes from, saw a lot and took a walk over the vineyard, beautiful. The food afterwards was also really delicious. One of our highlights of the holiday was definitely this wine tasting. Again an absolute must!Auto-translated”
Walk through Catania’s urban vineyards, explore a 1790 family palmento with original wine-making equipment, then enjoy four Etna wines paired with chef Leonardo’s tapas and a main course. English-speaking guides, including Angela and Vera, lead this 3.5-hour experience.
“This tour was so amazing!! Angela was a great guide and kept us very entertained the whole time. The tasting and pairings were great and everything was beyond fabulous. A great value for the cost, very worth it!”
From Florence, visit two Tuscan wineries for cellar tours, wine tastings, olive oil, cured meats, and dinner among the vines. You will also have an hour in Greve in Chianti. Guides may include Jackie, Lucy, Nico, Stefano, or Gennora, depending on the departure.
“Stefano, our guide, and Diego, our driver were excellent. The wine tastings and dinner were really good.”
Spend three hours at a family-run winery near Alghero, walking independently through the vineyard and cellar before a seasonal Sardinian lunch or dinner. Host Yvana and her team serve local wine, pasta, meats, cheeses, vegetables, desserts, and alternatives for vegetarian, gluten-free, or lactose-free diets.
“Mieux expliquer en quoi consiste la visite du vignoble. Pas besoin d’arriver à l’avance”
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