12 Wine Tastings Worldwide Worth Flying For

1.Architectural Rioja Small Group Wine Tour with Lunch from Bilbao

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 128 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $296Our pick

From Bilbao, join a group of up to seven for an 8-hour Rioja tour with guides such as Marina, Sara, Jon, or Irene. Visit the bold wineries of Marqués de Riscal and Ysios, taste local wines, enjoy tapas in Laguardia, and ride through the Sierra de Cantabria with all transport arranged.

“Our small group with Marina was fantastic! She had so much information and was excited to share it with us. The wineries and architecture were amazing! Great tour and guide!”

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2.Alicante: Old Winery with Tastings & Gaudí’s style of Church

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 91 reviews · 3 hours · from $69

Travel from Alicante to Novelda with an English-speaking guide such as Yevgen or Stas. Visit a winery founded in 1707, see its fermentation, barrel, and bottling rooms, then taste white, rosé, and red wines with snacks. The outing also includes Mola Castle and a striking Gaudí-style church, with hotel pickup and return.

“Great tour. Yevgen was a great guide. Extremely friendly, giving a great service and experience. Very knowledgeable about the process & area, giving great pieces of information as you go. Would certainly recommend to anyone thinking of doing the tour.”

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3.Rioja Architecture and Wine Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 58 reviews · 8 hours · from $288

Spend eight hours with guide Marina exploring Rioja Alavesa from Bilbao. See the bold architecture of Marques de Riscal and Ysios, taste several Rioja wines, walk medieval Laguardia, and enjoy three traditional pintxos with wine. If a winery is full, the tour may substitute Javier San Pedro, a boutique cellar with mountain views.

“Wonderful tour with good company and Marina was the best tourguide!”

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4.Alicante: Old Winery with Tastings & Gaudí’s style of Church

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 37 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $64

Travel from Alicante to Novelda with a guide such as Yevgen or Stas for a three-hour visit to a winery founded in 1707. Tour the vineyard, old house, and production rooms, then taste white, rosé, and red wine with small snacks. The outing also includes Santa Magdalena Church, built in Gaudí’s style, and Mola Castle.

“The trip went really smoothly, safely and on schedule. Our driver was very friendly, calm and had great knowledge. The winery was beautiful, big and interesting. Our winery guide seemed to be in a hurry - we would have loved to hear more about the wines we were tasting and to ask some questions. The red wine was served cold. The driver also took us to see the nearby church, Santa Magdalena, which was a nice extra to the trip. Overall a great and fun experience. Thank you.”

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5.Marques de Riscal and Ysios Architecture Wine Tour w/Lunch, SS

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 29 reviews · 9 hours (approx.) · from $347

Travel from San Sebastian into Rioja for two striking winery visits, five wine tastings, a medieval Laguardia photo stop, and a three-course lunch with wine. Your English-speaking guide, possibly Anton, handles the long drive and explains Basque culture, wine, and architecture in a group capped at eight.

“Anton was great from get go. We had an awesome wine making tour and tasting at Marques del Riscal with its amazing architecture! We were another one of a kind architecture at Ysios winery. We then finished the tour with Basque fare for lunch!”

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6.Podgorica Car Trip – Architecture, History, Wine tasting, Churches, Doclea city

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 20 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $106

Travel by air-conditioned car with guide Milija or another local guide to Doclea, Montenegro’s largest Orthodox church, Dajbabe Monastery, a wine cellar inside a former military air base, Niagara Waterfall, and Podgorica’s old town. Free hotel pickup, wine tasting, and a private format make this a handy introduction to the capital.

“Super guide, très intéressé par la culture du pays qui adore partager son savoir et a beaucoup de petites anecdotes sur l'histoire du pays. Il est capable de s'adapter aux clients et leurs envies, tout comme il l'a fait pour nous en se libérant le lendemain de notre visite afin de nous guider lors d'une nouvelle visite qui n'était pas prevue.”

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7.2-Day Tour: Gaudi & Sagrada Familia + Montserrat & Winery

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 11 reviews · 2 days (approx.) · from $724

Spend two days with a private guide exploring Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter, Park Güell, and Sagrada Familia, then travel by car to Montserrat and the Penedès wine country. Lunch, taxis, skip-the-line tickets, coffee at Els 4 Gats, and cava tastings are included. Guides such as Andy, Pedro, Fred, and Paolo are praised for flexible, personal service.

“My guide, Fred, was very friendly & knowledgeable. He spoke several languages including Catalunya which made entries to places very easy. He chose wonderful places for snacks & lunch. It was a wonderful experience!”

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8.Gaudi, Modernisme And Spanish Wine

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $62Best value

Spend about three hours exploring Barcelona’s Modernisme with guide Juliana of Volarte Tours. Meet at Apple Passeig de Gràcia at 4 p.m., learn about Plaça de Catalunya, Casa Batlló, Casa Amatller, and Sagrada Família, then enjoy a complimentary glass of wine. The small group is limited to 12, while monument admission is not included.

“I’ve been living in Barcelona for one year, so I’m not exactly a tourist but I knew so few about Barcelona that I decided to go for this tour recommended by one of my friend. I really enjoyed the experience !! I’m now looking at Barcelona with new eyes and understand the influence of modernists on this beautiful city. Thanks again Juliana, we had a fantastic afternoon with you. See you soon for the Gotic tour !!!”

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9.Napier Shore Excursion: Wine & Art Deco Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 6 reviews · from $102

Start at Napier Port at 7:30 am for a four-hour guided tour of the city’s Art Deco buildings and earthquake story. You’ll visit either Mission Estate or Church Road Winery for a tasting, then finish with three beers or ciders at a local Ale House. Groups are capped at 20 people.

“FABULOUS TOUR ! Our guide was awesome ! Only 4 of us on the tour. Napier is a fabulous town. Our Guide was wonderful and explained everything in the town. We went to a couple of wineries and Beer Tasting at Speights Brewery. Read more”

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10.Gaudi Tapas & Wine Tasting Small Group Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · from $90

Spend three hours with an English or Spanish-speaking guide exploring Passeig de Gracia and Eixample, with exterior views of Casa Batllo and Casa Mila, six traditional tapas, and three drinks. Small groups of up to eight keep the walk personal. Guides such as Giovanna add clear architectural context and practical local dining advice.

“Excellent option to find hidden gems in Barcelona and learn about one of the “must visit” neighborhoods. I only had 3 days with no time to research where to go for dinner or which places to walk around. The tour offered a great solution to both problems. I did not have to think about food (which BTW was simply delicious and abundant) while we walked through the Eixample neighborhood learning about its history and notable buildings. Highly recommended.”

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11.Napier Cruise Excursion Art Deco Tour and Wine Tasting

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3 reviews · from $111

Spend 3.5 hours seeing Napier through a local guide’s eyes. Visit the Ātea a Rangi Star Compass, pass Art Deco buildings and street murals, explore Ahuriri fishing village, then taste Hawke’s Bay wine with a New Zealand platter in an iconic Art Deco building. Private minivan transport and return to the port are included.

“Nice sized group to travel with. Guide took us to various parts of Napier so we could see the area from different vantage points / living areas. Shared personal experience of the area and made the trip very enjoyable. Learnt a lot about a great place without feeling rushed or bombarded with inane details, I.e. not script led.”

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12.Santa Fe: Architectural Walking Tour & Wine Tasting

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews · 3 hours

Sandy leads a three-hour small-group walk through Santa Fe’s Canyon Road district, explaining Pueblo, Spanish Territorial, and Northern New Mexico styles, the historic acequia watercourse, and local culture before a Gruet wine tasting.

“Sandy was extremely knowledgeable about the history and background of the various sites we visited. She was very engaging, charming and relatable. I would highly recommend her tour to anyone interested in learning more about Santa Fe and its storied history/past.”

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