TraveLuxe

Raise Your Glass


When it comes to culinary tours, some of the most popular revolve not around food, but rather drink. Those who love their wine, scotch (whiskey) and beer know that all are not created equal, and sometimes you have to travel a ways in search of the best glass or brew.

Wine

Traditionally, wine tours have been the most common type of drink-centric travel, with France, Italy and Napa leading the way. These days, you can find wine tours all over the? globe with some up and coming wine producers starting to steal the show. Today, Argentina, Chile, South Africa, Spain, Portugal, Australia and New Zealand are becoming increasingly popular with wine lovers.

Often, wine journeys will be combined with other activities. A theme that?s getting increasingly popular is wine and bike tours (bike first, then wine!). These tours allow participants to cycle through the exquisite wine regions and experience its delicious bounty.

Vinyard in Mendoza, Argentina

Vinyard in Mendoza, Argentina

Scotch

Unlike the growing number of wine destinations, if you want to visit the scotch distilleries, you will have to visit Scotland (note: you can find whiskey distilleries in other parts of the world though scotch whiskey is exclusive to Scotland). While routes vary, perhaps the most popular is the Whiskey Trail, which refers to the distilleries of Cardhu, Dallas Dhu, Glenfarclas, Glenfiddich, Glen Grant, Glenlivet and Strathisla. Tours are often divided by region – highlands, lowlands, Speyside, Islay and Cambletown, though several of these can be combined in a custom tour, depending on the length of your trip.? Many of the distillaries have on-site bed and breakfasts and eateries to make your trip as hassle free as possible. In between whiskey tasting, guests can enjoy a round of golf, tour the castles or hike the nearby hills.

Edinburgh Castle, Scotland

Edinburgh Castle, Scotland

Beer

Perhaps the easiest drink to center a trip around is beer. Head to Europe, and most of the best brew destinations are within a several hour train ride of one another. From Amsterdam to the Czech Republic, Germany, Belgium and England you can pick your cities and easily take rail europe from one to the next. Even Ireland, home of the famous Guinness, can be reached within approximately an hour by flight from London. Although Oktoberfest is by far the most popular beer festival, you can find them virtually all over the world. Check out this calender for a month by month break down.

Bruges, Belgium

Bruges, Belgium

Whatever your drink of choice, there are a large variety of tours out there. Even better, if you don?t find one that includes the beverage, destinations and activities you?d prefer, you can have a custom trip created. Does it get any better than having a vacation of food, drink and activities tailor made for you?