What winery tours are, what they are not, and what to consider if you do plan to go.

When we were planning our trip we heard anything from “I would never do that,” or “really? you’re going on a cruise?” or “why?” Maybe it’s all the bad publicity cruises have had through the years but there might be a reason for their 90% retention rate. Yes, 90%.

After having the most amazing trip on Oceania, we learned that even though it was organized by the Food and Wine Trails, we were unaware of how the hosting was handled. Sometimes you’ll see advertisements of food and wine tours at wineries when you’re visiting for a tasting or in publications like Sonoma Magazine, our ultimate guide to the Sonoma Valley.

How alluring can it be to see this type of trip though! Be honest. Exotic destinations, food and wine seminars, tours, and your favorite wineries onboard was just too tempting to pass up.

For those who might be intrigued with the idea of traveling on a Food and Wine tour but have no idea of what they’re like, keep reading. 

La Reserve by Wine Spectator Restaurant onboard. This is a 7-course wine pairing dinner to learn about food, wine and pairing.

these tours are not with the same group the entire time. 

The idea behind a wine tour is to have an intimate setting with your host, not to be on a schedule where you feel herded. The cost for the food and wine tours was at a premium and since we like to venture on our own anyway, we had the freedom to do so.

Is this you?

We have talked about how La Spezia in Italy can be like Santa Rosa, CA: the gateway to wine country, (well sort of). La Spezia in the Tuscan region is the gateway to the Italian Riviera, Pisa, Florence or Tuscany. Here is where you can find a bus, boat, or car to take you. You can plan to find a local guide here but either way, La Spezia is a great launching pad to start. 

It was in La Spezia where our bus picked up our guide. Part of understanding how to cruise is just by doing it the first time.

wine tours are not just for old people

Well, if you’re over 21 that is.

All the wines were included with the hosted dinners, welcome reception, tasting seminars, and farewell toast. It was fun to meet the group while having a glass of wine.

We had a blast meeting people from all over the states.

One of the premium tours from Food and Wine Trails was a tasting at a premium winery in Tuscany which is known for its consistent 90+ rating and top wines around the world.

Another tour we had heard of from MacLean Hartford of Hartford wines, was in Slovenia. He said it was amazing where they were taken to the countryside and had an amazing Slovenian dinner. He’s 26.

The tasting seminars, reception and dinner were nice but we didn’t capitalize on the exclusive experiences. After hearing about them, (especially from a 26-year old), we will most likely consider next time.

If you don’t do the tours, just know that the overall experience was still the most fun we ever had on a trip.

Tours are not boring.

If you truly have an interest in traveling with a hosted tour, experience them as much as you can. We just wanted to go to the destinations and experience a cruise for the first time but if you decide to go, think in terms of how you can grow in the knowledge your hosts provide and take advantage. 

We didn’t book our reservation because they were hosting the tours, we were a part of this tour because of the theme of the cruise. 

What these tours are. 

Although naive about booking our first cruise we were mesmerized by the destinations and the relativity of a food and wine tour. The tours made the difference even on the Hop On Hop Off buses that technically, were tours.

On a Hop On Hop Off Bus in Montenegro where the weather was perfect!

Tours are Awe-inspiring

The tour guides translated for us, escorted us, referred to us places to eat, and patiently endured anywhere from 4 to 40 of us on buses and trains.

I would have never thought I’d want to do experience tours ever again until this trip.

Allowing someone to help guide us, tell us which train to take, where to eat, and where the cleanest restrooms were was incredibly helpful. You may think that you’d prefer discovering these on your own like I did but when you’re going from town to town, the last thing you want to figure out is where the restrooms are.

Some of the most memorable times on the entire trip were the times we were being led.

Tours are Refreshing

Before I left, I was stressed from being at home for nearly 2 years but to think we wouldn’t make it onboard was the most difficult. On the day we flew, we had to be vaccinated and test negative to ensure we could board the ship. I showed little patience even with myself. I was tired, out of energy, and just felt out of shape. Can you relate?

But we made it!

I came home thoroughly refreshed, mentally, spiritually and physically.

tours can have a Lasting Experience on you

We traveled from city to city for a few weeks so we never said our trip went too fast like we normally do. The idea of not having to figure out our plans from day to day was actually pleasant too.

I realized the tours I had been on years ago were on a different kind of vacation and were not proportionate to this type of trip to determine an opinion of them. This time, the tours were part of what made the trip a lasting experience. 

In Croatia, the view from the bus was enchanting. It was the only time we got to see the Dalmatian Coast from land on this trip driving into the Konavle Valley from Dubrovnik. No hiking needed.

We didn’t yet realize on the bus what we were embarking on. On meeting the wine growers with our tour guide, she translated for us how the owners returned to their homes after a 5-year war to rebuild. The Konavle Valley is practically all new although kept to its original rustic appeal.

Today wine growers welcome tourists who come via a people mover train (found throughout Europe) in the most peaceful setting.

The family boutique wineries offered some of the best wines I’ve had.

The families were gracious too. Their persistent efforts to rebuild showed through their hospitality. The visit was one of the most beautiful tours we did emotionally. 

They had a lasting experience on me. 

tours are Informational

A trip that takes you to 7 countries and 19 cities or towns can teach you a lot in a short amount of time. 

We experienced how we can stay in Cannes and take a train to the countryside in the South of France to play golf and visit the many small towns.

Uber is available in the area for quick 20-30 minute trips like we did from Nice to Monaco. Nice, Cannes, Aix-en-Provence and St. Tropez are easily drivable by car and even by train such as from Cannes to Grasse like we did on our second disembarkment in Cannes. 

As much as you read and are advised, (like how we were advised to rent a car), we decided to take the train from Marseille to Aix-en-Provence.

Well, we were trying to get to see the Farmer’s market in Ax, held typically on Sundays, by train. However, we didn’t know that the trains were exceptionally slow on the weekends so we missed getting to Ax. However, the extraordinary farmer’s market was in Nice (not Aix), that day on a tour. So much for that.

The serendipity was that we were advised to hang out in Marseille for the day before heading into Cannes the next day. If you ask me, Marseille was not a bad way to settle in place of Ax-en-Provence for the day.

Here are things to consider when going on a tour, cruise, city-to-city type of vacation.

1. Go for the wine but look for the overall experience.

   I’ve been to a few wine locations and you’d think that I’d choose the wine tasting instead of the island excursion. When on vacation, we like to just go wherever our travels take us. We were invited to get on a boat right in front of us, to who knows where, while thinking of where the wine tasting was. We decided to get on the boat and have never looked back.

2. Packing light is not just a virtue; not just necessary, but for more reasons than you think you know.

   Packing ultralight if you decide to visit is necessary. No one knows the weather and what to wear like the folks who live there.

   The idea of “When In Rome,” gets completely defined when you shop for linen, flowy dresses and purses with big thick straps you NEED. Who’s going to know you’re on a tour when you’re dressed like a local too?

   The smallest of carry-ons for three weeks is all we really needed. Buying local will no longer be just for happenstance but shopping during the trip will be budgeted as part of future trips. A Food and Wine Tour all throughout the Mediterranean sure did solidify this for our next trip!

3. Do local for locals sake.

   It’s tough times all around. Right now, Italians are opening their doors and serving dinners in their homes for tourists to experience Italian home cooking. Take advantage of that! 

   One of the best tours on the entire trip was when we were approached by a taxi driver in Naples. He worked hard to get us to go with him and of course he worked hard the entire time. We were so glad we took him up on his offer.

4. Think strategy for future travels to stay flexible.

   Now that you’ve been taught how to get around by a local, revisit the same location the next day or next year. Don’t want to do a tour? Ask yourself if this will be the only trip you will ever take in your lifetime. If you think it is, maybe it should be.

5. Do the tours even if you like to travel on your own.

   The times I spent on tours in the past were done when there were less days to explore and we weren’t jumping from one location to another. I felt like I missed out being on a bus even though I experienced many stops in one day. 

   However, when you’re on a cruise longer than 7 days, it’s the best way to enjoy your destinations to have fun. Regardless if you’re going for 3 days or 20 days or more; my opinion of tours has forever changed. There are just too many types of tours that fit so many different lifestyles to choose from. If it wasn’t like this before, times have changed.

6. YouTube is your friend.

   There are a lot of YouTube videos of people traveling on their own but keep in mind, they’re tour guides just the same. They want to share with you what they are seeing, what their experiencing, and how to travel there. But like all photos on a trip, the videos don’t do it justice. Although informative, it’s nothing like being there in person. 

   However, videos on YouTube helped us learn a little about these destinations and right now, there are videos with just about any destination you can think of from around the world.

Maybe we’re learning how to cruise like the vast number of people who cruise all the time. Towards the end of the trip we heard someone say how they would do their cruise differently next time. That was us too.  

What are your experiences with tours? 

What do you think they are and what they are not? Please share.