Europe is the ultimate destination for wine enthusiasts. Whether you’re exploring the wine regions of France or enjoying the breathtaking views of Italian vineyards while sipping a glass of vino, European wine tours offer an enchanting combination of wine exploration, stunning landscapes, and cultural encounters. Embarking on a small group trip with the world’s most reputable food and wine tour companies simplifies your wine-focused vacation and grants you greater access to European wine producers and growers.
The Best Europe Wine Tours for 2024
There are many food and wine tours in Europe, both land-based wine tours and wine-centric European river cruises, but the best wine tours in 2024 will take you to some of Europe’s top wine-producing countries like Tuscany, Germany, and France. Here are my most highly recommended European wine tours featuring famous wineries, top tourist attractions, and hidden gems.
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1. Tuscany to Cinque Terre: Wines, Villages, and Unforgettable Walks
G Adventures
Italy is known for its wines, and on G Adventures’ Tuscany to Cinque Terre: Wines, Villages, and Unforgettable Walks, you get to sample wine and visit a mix of villages and larger cities. The weeklong trip starts in Florence, where you’ll meet your guide and other travelers before setting out on a walking tour of the city to see Giotto’s Bell Tower and Palazzo Vecchio. Day three is when the real adventures begin, though, with a train ride to the village of Riomaggiore for a hike along the beautiful coastal path that link the Cinque Terre villages.
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After exploring Cinque Terre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, you’ll also visit medieval towns, enjoy wine tastings at family-owned wineries, and samples regional dishes. The wine tour ends in the Chianti Region, where the Tuscan countryside comes to life with morning hikes and afternoon winery visits.
- Length: 7 days
- Starting price: $1,799
- Average group size: 12 people
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2. Food and Wine in a French Chateau
Contiki
Younger travelers looking for a fun way to get into wine tours should consider Contiki’s Food and Wine in a French Chateau tour. The trip is a four-day “mini adventure” with just eight people. The culinary tour kicks off in the Beaujolais Wine Region, where you’ll stay in a stunning 16th-century chateau in the middle of a working vineyard. Day one includes time in the nearby village and a three-course dinner.
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No trip to France would be complete without a day all about food, which is exactly what happens on day two in Lyon. The day starts with a foodie walking tour, a trip to a local market, and a cooking class before heading back to the chateau for dinner and more wine. The final day is spent on a Beaujolais Nouveau wine tasting tour from various vineyards around the chateau before bidding adieu to France on day four.
- Length: 4 days
- Starting price: $725
- Average group size: 8 people
3. Rhine Connoisseur: Montreux to Brussels
Tauck
When you join the Rhine Connoisseur: Montreux to Brussels tour from Tauck, you’ll get both land and cruise-based experiences. The first three days of the trip are spent at a hotel near Lake Geneva. There you’ll visit the iconic Lavaux Vineyards, known for its terraced growing system. Other highlights include seeing the Matterhorn and walking across the PeakWalk by Tissot, the world’s only suspension bridge that connects two peaks.
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After boarding Tauck’s msEsprit river cruise ship, you’ll embark on a cruise to Strasbourg, where everyone can choose their own adventures ranging from from wine tours and tastings to bike tours. As you cruise down the Middle Rhine Valley, you’ll see plenty of historic castles and charming villages. In Dusseldorf, try a walking day tour or a craft beer tour; and in Antwerp, enjoy walking past the Gothic-style cathedral that took almost 170 years to build.
- Length: 11 days
- Starting price: $6,790
- Average group size: Up to 130 people
4. Danube Dreams for Wine Lovers
Avalon Waterways
The Danube Dreams For Wine Lovers from Avalon Waterways is an eight-day food and wine tour river cruise that features stops in four countries known for their wine regions: Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, and Germany. The trip starts in Budapest, where you’ll have the opportunity to either go on a hike or see the city’s wine cellars. Day three takes the group to Bratislava, Slovakia, where the city’s castle beckons you to explore its beautiful hallways and scenic overlooks.
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Other highlights of the river cruise include a full day in Vienna and visits to the iconic Vienna Opera House and St. Stephen’s Cathedral. In Durnstein-Wachau Valley, you’ll take a winery tour that illuminates the spot’s 900-year history of winemaking. The wine theme continues onboard the ship with wine tasting experiences hosted by the onboard Master of Wine.
- Length: 8 days
- Starting price: $2,899
- Average group size: Up to 166 people
5. Chateaux, Rivers, and Wine Tour
Viking River Cruises
Step aboard a Viking River Cruises departure with the Chateaux, Rivers, and Wine river cruise tour. The trip starts in Bordeaux, France, where you’ll tour the city and see highlights like the Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux and Place des Quinconces. The first winery visit takes place in Sauternes, where you’ll visit a chateau to learn how the sweet wine is made.
Along with plenty of vineyard visits throughout the trip, you’ll get hands on with some of France’s most famous food and drinks. Activities include learning about hunting for truffles in Dordogne, blending your own cognac in Cognac, tasting oysters in Cap Ferret, and visiting a local market with the Viking chef to learn about the regional cuisines of France.
- Length: 8 days
- Starting price: $2,599
- Group size: Up to 190 people
6. Rhine River Cruise: Food and Wine Tour
Adventures by Disney
Over the course of a week on the Rhine River Cruise: Food and Wine tour with Adventures by Disney, you’ll visit four countries and have plenty of fun. The adults-only Disney trip opens in Basel, Switzerland, where you’ll start with a Swiss cheese and wine reception on day one of the river cruise. The European wine tour then moves to Breisach, Germany, to sample Riesling wine in Riquewihr.
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Other highlights of the food and wine-themed cruise include a private wine tasting in Cave Historique Des Hospices, which was once a hospital that dates back to 1395; a wine tasting at the Adolf Störzel vineyards, a favorite in the Rudesheim region; and a canal cruise through the vibrant city of Amsterdam.
- Length: 8 days
- Starting price: $6,199
- Average group size: Up to 158 people
7. Beyond the Vineyards: Sample Northern Portugal and Spain Tour
Road Scholar
Portugal and Spain have some impressive under-the-radar wine regions that are on par with Europe’s big hitters like France, Italy, and Germany. With the Beyond the Vineyards: Sample Northern Portugal and Spain wine tour from Road Scholar, you’ll be able to visit some of these hidden gem wine regions and see historic sites over the course of two weeks. The trip starts in Porto, Portugal, with an orientation session and a city tour that includes a stop at Porto’s Cais da Ribeira, the beautiful riverfront path that’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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Highlights of this European wine tour include a wine tasting in the terraced valleys of Pinhao, the chance to sample sparkling wine in Aveiro, and tasting Albarino wines in the Rias Baixas wine region. History buffs will also enjoy the walking tour of Segovia (also a UNESCO World Heritage Site), where you’ll see the Roman Aqueduct and the Alcazar.
- Length: 15 days
- Starting price: $4,699
- Average group size: Up to 24 people
8. Tailor Made Italy: A Foodie Adventure
Abercrombie & Kent
Families in search of a private adventure to Italy will enjoy the Abercrombie & Kent Tailor Made Italy: A Foodie Adventure. The 10-day tour starts in Rome, where you’ll taste your way through the city, make your own pizza, and try local wines. Then the food and wine tour continues to Florence for a wine tasting near the Duomo and a visit to the Podere le Ripi winery for a wine pairing lunch.
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Wine figures heavily into this private European tour, but there’s also plenty of time spent seeing the major sights. You’ll visit both Michelangelo’s David at the Accademia Gallery in Florence and the 12th-century Duomo di Parma in Parma. You’ll also learn how to make pasta and pizza from local chefs.
- Length: 10 days
- Starting price: $18,795
- Group size: Just your family
9. Italy’s Treasures Art, Food, and Wine of Italy
Collette
Celebrate Italian culture with the Italy’s Treasures Art, Food & Wine of Italy tour from Collette. The 12-day guided food and wine tour starts in Stresa, Italy, where you’ll enjoy a welcome dinner and beautiful views of Lake Maggiore and the surrounding mountains. While in Stresa, you’ll also visit a local cheese maker and try some specialties while sampling local wine. Then take the train to Cinque Terre to visit terraced wineries or shop along the cobblestone streets.
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This tour in Italy continues to Tuscany to see the marble quarries used for for Michelangelo’s statue of David. You’ll also venture to Chianti to try local wine and learn how to make an authentic Tuscan lunch. The trip ends in Venice with a glass-blowing demonstration, a visit to St. Mark’s Square, and a walking food tour to sample local meats, cheeses, and wine.
- Length: 12 days
- Starting price: $3,144
- Average group size: Up to 44 people
