Custom Tours
Custom tours in Italy's wine regions are available for groups of 2-30. Whether you have an anniversary to celebrate, a class of wine students, or a company incentive program, we can design a tour for you. We are available to organize a custom tour tailored to meet your specific interests, dates, and type of accommodation. Contact us for more information. Small groups, of course, have more flexibility and options in terms of hotels, restaurants, and wineries and benefit from more personalized service.

Our boutique tour operarors offer gourmet wine tours throughout Italy (and now Spain) for wine enthusiasts of all levels. The company was founded in 1999 by an Italian/ American couple.

The gentleman is a native Italian from a village in Piedmont near the wine town of Gavi. For 10 years he has planned and led tours across Italy.
His wife is a journalist who writes about wine, food, and travel for Tastes of Italia, Gastronomica, and other publications.


ABOUT THEIR SERVICE
They guarantee the utmost attention and service. As a boutique tour operator specializing in educational wine tours, they emphasize personal contact with the people directly responsible for the wine. Clients will have the opportunity to talk in-depth with the Italian winemakers, winery owners, and the children who carry on their work and traditions. That personal contact is what makes their tours so memorable and provides lasting insight into Italian wine.


WHERE THEY GO
They specialize in the wine regions of Italy. Tuscany, Piedmont (between the Riviera and the Alps), and Veneto (near Venice) are popular destinations. In addition, their tours explore the up-and-coming regions of southern Italy, particularly Sicily, the coastal zone of Tuscany called the Maremma, and Friuli, the pinnacle of white wines, near the Austrian/Slovenian border.


WINERIES THEY VISIT
Each tour contains a carefully-selected cross-section of wineries. Some are historically important, like the impressive Castello di Brolio where Chianti was 'invented' in the 1800's. Others are radical innovators, like Elio Altare, who re-wrote the rules surrounding Barolo. Some are large cutting-edge operations, like Castello Banfi, while others are small family-run farms. And, of course, there are world-famous names, like those behind Sassicaia and Ornellaia.

Itineraries can be structured around specific vineyards that clients request. This is useful for wine shops, wine clubs, educators, and collectors who might have relations with certain wine producers or who have an interest in particular wineries.


OTHER ACTIVITIES
In collaboration with our tour operators, we work closely with clients to create a program that is in keeping with their interests.
Some clients prefer wine-intensive tours. Others prefer to fold in some cultural, historic, and culinary activities. These might include:

- tours of historic towns like Florence or Palermo
- a hands-on cooking lesson
- tasting at a artisan cheese factory or olive oil press
- truffle hunting demo
- medieval festival & fairs


BIKE TOURS
With our tour operators, we offer custom bike tours for groups of 4 or more in Tuscany, Piedmont, and other parts of Italy. Our two sample itineraries can be booked as special departures for your biking group, or can be modified to suit your interests.

All offer scenic back roads, challenging hills, and great Italian cooking - a true biker's paradise. Our sample itineraries offer morning rides of 25-35 miles on rolling terrain, and shuttle by van to the vineyards in the afternoon. More bike-intensive tours are also available. To program a customized bike tour, e-mail us at info@winetourseurope.com or call directly, 604-788-2618. (See red box below - Chianti Classico by Bike and Pedal Piemonte).






ACCOMMODATIONS
Our tour operators have relations with many charming hotels in the wine regions. These include contryside villas and renovated palaces in quaint wine towns - all with great service and character. In addition, we can provide top-level accommodations in the majkor cities within the wine regions, such as Florence, Siena, Verona, and Palermo.





GOURMET WINE DINNERS
As a wine tour company, our specialized tour operators are very attentive to food and wine pairings. The restaurants they select emphasize gourmet regional cuisine and top wine producers from the area.





TRANSPORTATION
Small groups (up to 8) travel in an air-conditioned minivan. Larger groups use either a mini-bus or two mini-vans (the latter are more practical on winding country roads).



GUIDES
Whenever possible, one or both company owners guide the custom tours. Additional guides are professionals who are native Italians (often from the region visited), fluent in English, and well-versed in wine.





PRICE
Together with our esteemed tour operators, we offer reasonably-priced tours. The final price depends on a number of variables. These include:

- Number of participants
- Accommodations (3, 4, or 5-star hotels)
- Menu (3-course vs. 4-course meals)
- Meals (breakfast & dinner is standard)
- Special tastings (e.g., old vintages, vertical tastings)
- Special activities (e.g., cooking lessons)


PLANNING YOUR TOUR
Planning ahead provides the best results. The further in advance a custom tour is discussed, the more options are available in accommodations and program. For further information, visit our Contact Us page.