The Crème de la Crème of Culinary Travel!
From paella in Valencia, the champagnes of Champagne, the olive oils of Tuscany, to the cabernets of Napa Valley, there are opportunities to eat, drink, and travel worldwide. It’s just a matter of selecting the where in the world you want to cook, and just how much you want to get your apron dirty. Here are a few ideas...
Culinary Delights of Andalusia
Andalusia boasts culinary meccas like
Granada, Córdoba, Málaga and Jaén, but it also has some little known gems like
Iznájar is a small hilltop Moorish village overlooking a romantic
turquoise-coloured lake. Active Gourmet Holidays bases their Culinary Delights
of Andalusia in Finca Las Encinas, a 150-year old Andalusian farmhouse with
breathtaking views and surrounding olive trees. Andalusian food is characterized
by its vibrant colors, rich aromas, and full 
of sensual and complex flavor—
and,
of course, olive oil. Day trips include Moorish castles, olive oil and sherry
tasting, and the unforgettable Alhambra Palace and garden. Evenings are reserved
for hands-on cooking demonstrations—followed by dinner. Active Gourmet HolidaysBarging in Burgundy
Glide along the beautiful, intimate waterways of Central France--from the well known scenic Burgundy Canal and the pretty Nivernais Canal, to the celebrated Côte D'Or (Golden Coast) of southern Burgundy, Canal du Centre, and the River Saône on a luxury barge. Winding past hidden medieval villages, wooded valleys, and gentle plains, you’ll always eat and drink well on these cruises, but the Barge Company offers some enticing ‘Barge and Cook’ or ‘Wine Connoisseur’ cruises that will send guests home with souvenirs like excellent, little known French wines from small wineries en route and the recipes and knowledge to recreate some of the delicacies served on board. The Barge Company
Pubbing through Britain
Enjoy a pub tour to the best of British and Irish pubs, carefully chosen with their clients tastes in mind. If you want to visit the most historic hostelries, visit the pubs by canoe, kayak, car or coach, or taste the most unusual brews available, they will put you on the pub crawl of a lifetime. In Dublin, the British Connection can arrange a tour of music and literary events in pubs. The British Connection
Cucina Toscana
The Tuscan countryside is gorgeous and the food is second to none. Palio Tours offers a week-long Tuscan cooking experience (you can add on a couple days in Florence or Rome). It includes 3 lessons (and the chance to eat the fruits of your labor), a visit to an olive farm, and day trips to Chianti towns like Radda and Castellina or some of the southern Tuscan neighbors like Pienza and Montepulciano. Palio Tours
France for Discerning Oenophiles
Imagine gazing over 1000 barrels of a renowned First Growth wine . . . tasting by
candlelight in vaulted 12th century cellars . . . staying
at a private Classified Growth chateau as their exclusive guests. These are the kinds
of experiences that can spark the trip of a
lifetime for wine lovers. French Wine Explorers Bordeaux tours give you the
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to taste at some of the world's most famous
chateaux, including First Growths like Chateaux Margaux, Latour or Lafite
Rothschild. At these exclusive estates you'll be welcomed for private VIP tours
and tastings. Learn from insiders about the people, power and politics that have
shaped Bordeaux's past and continue to influence it today. Along the way, you'll
enjoy first-class accommodations, and sumptuous meals prepared by the region's
best chefs at fabulous Michelin-starred restaurants. French Wine ExplorersDiscover the Cradle of Paella
Led by Gerry Dawes, a well-known writer and expert in Spanish food and wine, Epicurean Ways trips through Valencia and Alicante give travelers the chance to meet the chefs and pastry makers responsible for the region’s renaissance. These regions of Spain have been called the “land of 1000 rice dishes”, but paella is not the only thing on the menu. Guests discover both traditional and avant garde cuisine, and the traditional sweet dessert mistela wines made from moscatel grapes and Fondillón, a monastrell-based vino rancio (a purposely oxidized, slightly sweet wine)–once nearly extinct. Winery visits, cooking classes and a saffron demonstration are all included. Epicurean Ways
French Culinary Adventures
Julia Childs discovered her lifelong passion for cooking in France, and she wasn’t the first—or the last—chef to be inspired by the French palate. Owned by a French native, Enchanted France LLC will help plan the ultimate epicurean escape in France. If you want cooking classes from a master chef in Provence (or in a Paris apartment), a private guide for a Loire Valley Châteaux and Wine Tasting, or a Champagne Escapade, Enchanted France can arrange it for a real insider’s eating experience. Enchanted France
Calistoga Sip & Cycle
This is a dream trip for the active wine lover. On Saturday, try cycling the Calistoga area, 20 miles of easy and flat terrain, visiting small family wineries like Chateau Montelena, Vincent Arroyo and Frank Family Vineyards. Afterwards, sooth away tired muscles with a mud bath with eucalyptus steam and blanket wrap followed by a 30-minute massage. On Sunday, you’ll head over to Sonoma County for a 17-mile loop in the Dry Creek and Alexander Valleys. Quiet, peaceful, virtually traffic free; this enchanting loop takes you by wineries like Lambert Bridge, Quivira, Dry Creek, and Preston. You don’t even need to bring a bike or helmet—they’re provided.
Getaway Adventures