FOO


for unique tasting experiences in unusual locations (Malbec Trail of Palermo, from £86).


Booking those add-ons means


boosting commission, of course, so don’t stop there. In California, a number of providers offer day tours around the Napa Valley. Funway Holidays has an excursion on the restored, Pullman-suite Wine Train, where a four-course meal is served against a backdrop of rolling vineyards, quaint farmhouses and blooming valleys, with prices from £67 per person. Combining the Napa Valley with the Sonoma Valley – known as the birthplace of Californian wine, and home to some of the country’s oldest vineyards – Attraction World’s Redwoods & Wine Country Escape takes in three wineries, which range from a family-owned boutique to a large-scale production plant. For the best experience,


ASK THE EXPERT


Louise Heatley, head of product and contracting, Great Rail Journeys Tours that


include visits to vineyards and wine tastings are always popular. As our tours attract a lot of single travellers, wine tastings are a great way for these customers to relax and get to know each other. And wine regions are ubiquitous with beautiful scenery, making them some of our most picturesque tours.


78 travelweekly.co.uk 14 September 2017


Funway’s product manager Malcolm Davies recommends visiting in autumn when it’s harvest season and the cabernet, chardonnay and pinot grapes are in production. “Encourage clients to pre-book,” he adds. “Popular wineries can reach maximum capacity during busy times.” Closer to home there’s plenty going on too, but for something


a little different suggest Croatia. The Dalmatian Coast lays claim to some of the country’s best produce, and TravelCube’s Dubrovnik, Korcula and Peljesac Tour delves into the heart of it, meandering through the picturesque vineyards and rocky slopes of the Peljesac peninsula before moving on to the island of Korcula, birthplace of explorer Marco Polo, in a day-long trip from the capital with wine tasting included (from £51). Even more offbeat is Slovakia,


worth recommending to those after an alternative, with a budding wine scene peeping out from medieval castles and historic villages. Do Something Different’s Small Carpathian Wine Tour from Bratislava takes in its highlights, not least the Red Stone Castle, an ancient fortress and home to historic wine cellars that provide an insight into the viticulture of yesteryear (from £124).


LEFT: Urban Adventures’ Malbec Trail of Palermo


w STAY: WAKE UP TO WINELANDS If you’ve got more hardcore connoisseurs on your hands though, suggest lingering on


Win a case of wine with Fred Olsen Cruise Lines new all-inclusive dri nks upgrade. comp.travelweekly. co.uk/FredWine


TOP TIP


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