Day 1
After a short Eurotunnel crossing and drive down to Champagne, settle into your hotel in the heart of the city. Reims, the capital of Champagne, is yours to explore.
The European Wine Adventure
26 days
The ultimate journey. Embark on an epic odyssey across France, Italy and Spain and discover the intimate secrets of the world’s greatest wine regions, exploring an endless range of wine, food and culture along the way. The ultimate wine lover's fantasy! 3 countries, 10 wine regions, tasting up to 150 wines!
Trip Highlights
Experience the changing beautiful and diverse landscape of Europe driving at your leisure through France, Italy and Spain
Start your adventure with a pop by tasting a wonderful variety of champagnes, visiting small boutique and world famous producers
Savour a hearty tasting lunch at a family wine estate in the Bourgogne vineyards
Discover the famous wine regions of Chianti, Barolo and Rioja with private chauffeured wine tours
From the tapas scene of Rioja to the home pasta in Tuscany taste a wonderful variety of regional flavours as you re-fuel en route
from $5,620 per person
This is a guide price based on 2 people travelling together and sharing a room.
This is based on a self-drive around Europe.
Enquire online now
Trip details
Day 2
Start your adventure with a pop and a tour of the famous vineyards and châteaux along the scenic Route du Champagnes. Along the way, you’ll delight in local delicacies with a champagne tasting lunch, followed by a visit to a small prestigious family estate where you’ll be invited to explore the cellars, taste their wines and share in their passion.
Day 3
Travel east towards Alsace and discover the beautiful city of Strasbourg with a great deal of architectural and historical heritage to admire.
Day 4
Your Alsace wine tasting tour continues following the famous Alsace Route du Vin, passing through Pinot Blanc, Sylvaner, Riesling, Muscat and Pinot Gris wine producing regions. Your English-speaking guide will chauffeur you to four wineries during the day.
Day 5
Next is Beaune, upon arrival you’ll find your hotel is perfectly placed to explore this charmingly chocolate box town. And, depending on what time you arrive, you may get the chance to start your trip with your first Burgundy wine tasting.
Day 6
After breakfast you’ll be whisked off to the famed Côte de Beaune to sample some of the finest white wines in the world. Then it’s on to an extensive Burgundy wine tasting lunch at a local family estate, before returning to Beaune for an afternoon tasting of 6 emblematic wines. After a morning exploring beguiling Beaune, you’ll make your way south, to Italy!
Day 7
Enjoy the scenic drive as you cross the stunning countryside into Italy, meandering down into Piedmont. After arriving in this spectacular medieval village, visit a local wine estate close to your hotel, where you will enjoy a personal tour of the cellars with a wine tasting to savour before dinner.
Day 8
Your Piedmont wine tasting experience continues with a visit to a wine cellar followed by two tastings in the morning. Enjoy an aperitif on a panoramic terrace, followed by a local lunch in an authentic Italian restaurant. In the afternoon, experience a fantastic tasting at a vineyard in Barolo, sipping as the sun goes down.
Day 9
The Piedmont town of Alba is just 10 minutes away by car and Asti is also nearby – visit the local markets to grab a picnic lunch before you leave. Next up, it’s time for Tuscany!
Day 10
After settling into your hotel in Florence or Siena, you’re whisked off to an authentic local Enoteca for your first taste of Tuscan wines alongside local canapés. The perfect pre-dinner Tuscany wine tasting.
Day 11
After breakfast it’s time to start your chauffeured Tuscany wine tour. Just sit back and relax as your guide leads the way across stunning scenery en route to the cellars of a local winery to discover the secrets of Tuscan viticulture. This is followed by a lunch with local delicacies, and then on to another Tuscan wine tasting.
Day 12
The day is yours to explore the city before heading home; the Renaissance-era sights and delights of Florence or the Gothic architecture of the world’s most unique piazzas like the Piazza dal Campo in Siena – depending where you choose to stay.
Day 13
It’s a longer (but stunning) drive back through France into Avignon. Why not have lunch on the French Riviera along the way? Then arrive in the late afternoon in the arty medieval city of Avignon for a well deserved aperitif.
Day 14
On your first day in the city, take the chance to explore Avignon’s picturesque squares, shops and galleries and see artists, actors, mimes and musicians plying their trade around the spectacular Palais des Papes. Then it’s on to a pre-dinner tasting where you’ll enjoy a range of the region’s most prestigious wines alongside a selection of local delicacies.
Day 15
After breakfast there’s no time to waste as you meet your English-speaking guide and head off for your first Provencal wine tasting. Here you’ll learn secrets old and new as you compare the winemaking techniques of yesterday and today. Enjoy tasting at three Rhone Valley wine appellations.
Day 16
On your final morning in Avignon you’re free to explore the cobbled streets of this walled city and the impressive Palais des Pape. Then a drive through Nimes and Montpellier before arriving in another medieval town, Carcassonne. Welcomed with a smile and a complimentary bottle of wine you’ll soak up the atmosphere of this fairytale city.
Day 17
After breakfast, meet your English-speaking guide and spend the morning visiting the bakers, the butchers, the cheese makers, the sausage curers and the vegetable growers in and around Carcassonne. After choosing your ingredients head back to a beautiful 18th century townhouse to prepare a fabulous lunch using the products you’ve sourced and learn a little of the food traditions of the region. Over lunch you’ll taste some delicious handmade wines from vignerons that are dedicated to producing quality wines from their tiny vineyards and learn a little about food and wine matching – or perhaps you’d prefer to go on a wine tour around the Minervois wine region?
Day 18
Take the chance to get under the skin of Carcassonne – the fortified town is home to La Cité, one of the most remarkable medieval sights in the world and a deserving UNESCO World Heritage site.
Day 19
Next, it’s a drive down to Spain and the world famous wine capital of La Rioja. Once settled at the hotel your Rioja wine experience begins with a visit to a prestigious winery.
Day 20
Your Rioja wine tasting tour continues with private wine experience around Rioja with your English speaking guide who will chauffeur you for the day. You will visit a winery before visiting an ancient vineyard that dates to the 14th century. This is followed by a typical Riojan tapas lunch. You will visit a wine estate in the afternoon before returning to the hotel.
Day 21
Next is the grand daddy of wine regions… Bordeaux! As soon as you arrive you’re welcomed with a unique Bordeaux wine tasting experience at a wine gallery in the heart of this beautiful city. Alongside a selection of cheese and charcuterie canapés you’ll sample three local Cru Classés – the perfect start to your Bordeaux wine tasting trip.
Day 22
The second day of your Bordeaux wine tasting trip is devoted to the majestic Médoc. Along with your English-speaking guide you’ll follow the famous Route des Châteaux, stopping for tastings at three prestigious classified growth châteaux along the way.
Day 23
Your Bordeaux wine tasting trip continues with a day of tours around the delightful village of Saint-Émilion and its surrounding vineyards. Throughout the day your guide will take you for tastings at two Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé Châteaux, as well as a tour to discover the fascinating history of Saint-Émilion itself.
Day 24
The last day is yours to explore beautiful Bordeaux before travelling up to your final destination – the Loire Valley and settling into a private 18th century château… a chance to relax!
Day 25
Your Loire Valley wine tasting tour begins with a private guided wine tour into the heart of the Loire. Along the way you’ll visit vineyards and meet wine makers only too happy to share their secrets over several glasses of their creations.
Day 26
On the final day of your trip there’s just time to soak up the final delights of Saumur before bringing your whirlwind tour to an end. With a car full of wine it’s time to head home! Maybe you’ll fancy a nice glass of wine when you get in?
All of the holidays we create are completely tailor-made to you
This sample itinerary is intended to give you a flavour of what we can do.
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“Thanks for taking the time and trouble to call. You really have set the standard by which we compare all other companies!! Thank you so much for organising a fantastic itinerary with such an interesting and varied range of stop-overs. We are already starting to think about next year’s trip to France so would welcome any suggestions.”
Hilary Alder
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