Culinary & Wine Tasting Tours & Trips 2020

• It’s true – Japanese people take incredible pride in their cuisine. Explore a country where food is taken seriously, all the way from the station tonkatsu restaurant to a high-end sushi establishment.
• Travel by Shinkansen to the Japanese Alps and taste succulent wagyu beef in the 17th-century Edo period town of Takayama – the definition of a melt-in-your-mouth moment.
• Snack on awesome and adventurous street food in the unofficial culinary capital of Osaka and master the skill behind making the famous takoyaki (octopus and pickled ginger in batter).
• Discover the traditions, culture and history behind tea in Kyoto during a private ceremony with a long-time practitioner of this art with your small group.
• Venture into mountainous Koya-san, spending the night in a monastery and discovering shojin ryori – a traditional plant-based Buddhist meal with over 800 years of history.

Bologna: Explore one of the most food-centric cities in Italy, where Bolognese sauce was invented.

Sistine Chapel: Marvel at Michelangelo's incredible fresco work on the ceiling that has been newly restored to showcase the vibrant colors.

Orvieto: Step into the mysteries and culinary traditions of this ancient walled city that rises above the surrounding landscape.

Florence: Fall in love with the capital of beautiful Tuscany, the birthplace of the Renaissance.

• Enjoy the Roman Forum, Largo Argentina  and the Circus Maximus.
• Enjoy the  tiny cobblestone streets and music-filled trattorias
• Visit culminates in the Sistine Chapel, renowned for its Renaissance art
• Visit the Baptistery with its renowned Gates of Paradise doors.

• Visit two of Spain's most acclaimed museums on a guided tour of the Prado in Madrid and Guggenheim in Bilbao.
• Visit the highlights of Spain’s historic capital, Toledo, which is famed for its Moorish, Jewish and Christian heritage.
• Explore the Ribera del Duero and Rioja wine regions with guided tours and tastings.
• Sample the pintxos of the Basque Country on a tasting tour of San Sebastián.

Isle of Capri: Enjoy the breathtaking sights and the scenic views of sparkling lapis and turquoise-hued waters on the Isle of Capri.

Pompeii: See this perfectly preserved ancient Roman city, which was buried in the ash of Mount Vesuvius nearly two thousand years ago.

Gondola Ride in Venice: Explore the incredible Venetian architecture as you wander through its romantic canals.

The Vatican, with the Sistine Chapel & St Peter’s Basilica: Tour the world's largest church and Michelangelo's magnificent Sistine Chapel frescoes in the Holy See.

Roman Colosseum & the Forum: Visit the impressive ruins of the centers of ancient Roman life.

• Visit the world-renowned Guggenheim Museum.
• Experience traditional Basque culture with lunch at a secretive gastronomic society.
• Drive and hike through the verdant vineyards of La Rioja.
• Taste a variety of Rioja wines and indulge in delicious Basque pintxos.
• Cross the border into France and explore more of the Basque coastline.

• Discover a world of Thai food beyond the obvious (and delicious!) pad thai and green curry – from boat noodles in Ayutthaya to khao soi in Chiang Mai, and everything in between.
• Let your group leader guide you through the best local hawker stalls and food markets of the country’s bustling capital, Bangkok.
• Whip up Northern Thai khan tok specialities just outside of Chiang Mai, and experience Thai life from a local's perspective with a village homestay.
• Encounter the eye-opening and surprising world of Thai food markets, filled with unpredictable tastes and found in unexpected places – on a river or set up on a railway track!
• Cook Central Thai regional dishes and feast on your creations while you float down the river on a cruise.

• It's delicious, diverse and hands-on. You’ll learn the secrets of ceviche, make your own Pisco sour, learn a few Andean cooking tips with a foodie in Cusco and eat empanadas straight from the wood-fired oven
• Pay a visit to a cacao farm and get involved in the whole process from planting to the final product. Enjoy a farm-cooked dinner and stay overnight on the family's plantation.
• Indulge in an optional tour and tasting at one of the Sacred Valley's first craft breweries. Whet your whistle with a pint of the fruity local IPA, the citrus tinged American pale ale, the caramel malts of the Ayrampo Roja red ale or the hearty chocolate notes of the imperial porter.
• Discover the breadth of Peruvian cuisine in all its rich and colourful history, from the rustic ‘pachamanca’ tradition to Lima’s world-class urban street food scene
• No trip to Peru is complete without seeing Machu Picchu, so you’ll spend a day exploring this magical metropolis of the Incas

• Discover the wide world of bread that forms an essential part of every Moroccan meal, hollowed out khobz filled with boiled eggs will be your new favourite breakfast!
• Get a real insight into Moroccan food with a home-cooked dinner in the Blue City, Chefchaouen. Prepared with seasonal ingredients – enjoy a dish that’s bursting with flavour and made with love.
• Soak up what could be the quintessential smell of Morocco as you watch ras el hanout, a rich and complex blend of delicious spices, being freshly ground in a Marrakech souk.
• Indulge in mechoui (slow roasted lamb), that’s deliciously falling-apart after being cooked in a pit beneath the floor – all while looking over market stalls in the incredible Djemma el Fna.
• Take a guided 'tasting trail' through Fes and enjoy a cooking demonstration – learn how to create one of the city's signature dishes, bastilla, a salty and sweet pastry parcel.

• Embrace the tastes of four of China's most important food regions – from the imperial cuisine of Beijing, to the Muslim-influenced food of Xi'an, the spicy Sichuan flavours of Chengdu and the international melting pot of Shanghai.
• Nothing beats the flavour of Peking Duck in the city where this iconic dish was born, so treat yourself to a feast with your group in Beijing.
• Savour the spicy flavours of Sichuan, like the fiery, tingling, tongue-numbing sensation of the famous Sichuan Pepper at Chengu’s spice market.
• Get a hands-on experience with everyone’s favourite Chinese specialties – dumplings – as you learn to make them in Shanghai, China's unofficial dumpling capital.
• Hand pick a variety of fresh seafood from a famous local fish market and have several regional dishes prepared on the spot for tasting.

• Get a true taste of some of India's finest culinary traditions – Mughal, Rajasthani, and the Portuguese-tinged flavours of Goa – while feasting in local restaurants, rural homes and heritage buildings.
• Some of India’s best food is found at a street side stall. Get in touch with an amazing array of authentic food on eye-opening and adventurous cuisine crawls around Delhi, Udaipur and Mumbai.
• Bask in the ivory glow of the iconic Taj Mahal in Agra, followed by a Mughlai cooking demonstration and lunch in a local home with your small group.
• Take a day to visit local farming communities in Rajasthan’s Mewar region, visiting working vegetable and spice farms to learning about these coveted building blocks of Indian cuisine.
• See the rich tapestry of India’s culture and history on display, passing by the Hindu and Jain influences in Udaipur, chai wallahs in local markets, and staying at a heritage property in Bijaipur.

• This trip takes you to the source of some of the nation's most iconic foods, from delicious tacos to spicy mole and beyond
• In Oaxaca you'll enter the heart of pre-Hispanic cuisine; taste chiles, chocolate, mezcal and the surprisingly delicious chapulines (grasshoppers)
• It may not be edible, but a Lucha Libre (theatrical 'freestyle wrestling') match in Puebla is an entertaining and memorable cultural experience
• Take a guided ‘taco crawl’ through Mexico City’s bustling markets
• A Pacific Ocean boating expedition followed by a coastal cuisine masterclass on one of Mexico's stunning beaches is the perfect way to wrap up your culinary adventure

• Discover Istanbul, a city brimming with delectable dishes! The options can be dizzying, but your expert local guide will have you headed straight for the local hot spots.
• Forage in the fields on the outskirts of Bodrum and learn how to make gozleme like a pro – using regional produce and traditional techniques.
• Experience the warmth of Turkish hospitality as a local family takes you into their beautiful home nestled in the hills of Ortahisar, a small town famous for its friendly inhabitants.
• Get a feel for life in ancient times by exploring the beautifully preserved city of Ephesus. Your local guide will walk you through the remarkable ruins and bring its colourful 1500-year history to life.
• Enjoy a cooking class under the tutelage of renowned chef Nuray, as you’re welcomed into her enchanting cave house to experience some delicious Central Anatolian cuisine.

• In the small town of Janche, meet with local village women for a cooking class focused on making local flaky pastries – considered a specialty of the region.
• Have a hands-on experience when you meet a local beekeeper for a honey tasting – you’ll be definitely getting the buzz in this master class.
• Discover the wine scene in North Macedonia and how, since ancient times, these fertile lands have produced renowned grapes. You’ll sample the finest drops with a celebrated local expert.
• Learn about a world of hams and cheeses in a centuries-old smokehouse, and discover the ancient processes of making olive oil at a local farm outside of Kotor.
• Throughout your culinary escapade, explore the undulating countryside, stunning landscapes and hidden towns of the Balkans – you’ll gain a true sense of this region with your small group.

• Go market to table during an immersive cooking class with a local chef in Phnom Penh
• Get an insight into Cambodian cuisine with a visit to famous pepper plantations outside of Kampot, and taste the best pepper in the world
• A homestay in the village of Banteay Chhmar puts you right in the heart of rural life in Cambodia
• Eat for a cause with dinner at a Phnom Penh restaurant that not only serves delicious modern Cambodian cooking, but helps the local youth too
• Learn about local crab and have it cooked up fresh while you look out across the Gulf of Thailand at the Kep Crab market