In the glass · CHEESE
This is the shortlist you would send a friend: 15 cheese & wine tastings worth the money, each with its price, its traveller verdict and the one thing to know before you commit.
Spend one hour on a covered, fully electric Amsterdam canal boat with an English-speaking skipper and hostess. See the Skinny Bridge, Golden Bend, Anne Frank House, Old Harbor, and Jordaan. Choose the basic cruise or add unlimited Dutch cheese, wine, beer, and soda.
“Great cheese & wine, as much as you like, great host.”
Join an English-speaking local guide such as Oscar, Julie, or Arthur for three hours and eight Montmartre food stops. Sample pastries, chocolate, cheese, charcuterie, and wine while walking from Blanche to Sacré Coeur, Place du Tertre, and Le Moulin Rouge.
“We loved our food and tour of Montmarte with Pierre-Edouard. We learned a ton about the neighborhood, saw beautiful spots and tasted the most delicious cheese, wine, chocolate and pastries. I would highly recommend this tour!”
Cruise Amsterdam’s UNESCO-listed canals for one hour in a covered boat holding up to 26 people. Expect candlelight, blankets, English commentary, and views of Jordaan, the Golden Bend, Seven Bridges, and the Anne Frank House. Add Dutch cheese and unlimited wine, beer, and soda for a livelier ride.
“Absolutely amazing experience, best hour ever. Unlimited drinks was great value for money and the hour was the perfect length of time if anything not long enough!! Shout out to gigi we loved him he was so fun and informative about Amsterdam. I’d recommend this to everyone!!!”
Cruise Amsterdam’s historic canals for 75 minutes from Damrak Pier 5, with Dutch cheese, snacks, and unlimited wine, beer, or soft drinks. An English-speaking captain and host point out the Canal Belt, Anne Frank House, houseboats, and Magere Brug. Seating is arranged in advance, so book your whole group together.
“The tour was a last minute booking after we lost pur flight. It was our 25 year anniversary and I wanted to treat my wife to something nice. This was amazing. Beautiful, romantic, Anna and Alexa, our tour waitresses were amazing. They were friendly, informative, even gave us a bottle of wine as a present for our anniversary. The tour itself, was relaxing, enjoyable, beautiful. The Canals of the Netherlands are such a trip down a part of history that we don’t get to experience often. What a beautiful city. Thank you for making this tour so good.”
At Quevedo in Vila Nova de Gaia, you’ll taste three 40ml pours: Crusted, 10-Year-Old Tawny, and 2009 White Colheita Port. Each comes with a different cheese pairing. Guides such as Miguel, Bruna, Fernando, and Inês explain Port, the Douro Valley, and the family-run producer in a relaxed one-hour session.
“Really good tasting - very informative and both the port and cheese were excellent. For anyone who doesn’t like strong cheeses, this is perfect and the pairings were obviously well thought out. Would highly recommend.”
Spend about three and a half hours exploring Montmartre with a private English-speaking guide such as Matthieu, Rita, or Baptiste. Shop for a picnic as you taste French cheese, bread, pastries, crêpes, macarons, chocolate, cured meats, wine, and a secret dish.
“We thoroughly enjoyed our walking tour with Rita. We learned so much about the food of France and had a delicious experience on top of it! I would definitely recommend this tour without reserve”
Walk Le Marais with a guide such as Olivia, Etienne, Gabriel, or Pinky, stopping for 10 or more sweet and savory tastings. Expect croissants, bread, cheese, wine, croque monsieur, falafel, macarons, chocolate, and a mystery dish, plus neighborhood history.
“A wonderful mix of Le Marais history and delicious savory and sweet food. Our guide, Kevan, is a local, so he has in-depth knowledge. He's very personable, too, making for a fun time. We really loved that it was a small group tour.”
Meet at the LOVERS café by Amsterdam Central Station for a 90-minute night cruise through the Canal Belt. Enjoy Dutch cheeses, bread, charcuterie, and your choice of wine or mineral water while the captain shares city facts. Expect friendly service, music, and illuminated bridges, but limited wheelchair access.
“This cruise was great fun, unlimited wine with some cheese and bread. Lovely informative tour for an hour and a half included. A very enjoyable evening 😍”
Spend a full day tasting Yarra Valley specialties with Go West Tours. Meet family-run producers, sample wine at Rochford, cheese at Coldstream Dairy, gin and pizza at Stag Lane, then finish with coffee and chocolate in Healesville and at the Chocolaterie. Guides such as Mel, Michael, and Chris bring local stories to the ride.
“Very lovely day with Jacqui exploring the Yara Valley. Good mixture of wine and food tasting. If you're debating between this and other tours, I highly recommend this tour!”
Board at Damrak 16 for a 75-minute evening cruise through Amsterdam’s canal ring. You’ll sit at a table in a glass-enclosed boat, enjoy Dutch cheese with wine, beer, or soft drinks, and pass sights such as Magere Brug and Reguliersgracht. Commentary can vary, so book it more for atmosphere than a full history lesson.
“Brilliant experience - the boat set-up was much more romantic / personal than others I’ve seen where you’re sat in a big circle with everyone, really nice to get your own table. The host was really funny and informative, always kept our glasses topped up - great value for money!”
Cruise Hamburg Harbor for 90 minutes with three glasses of red or white wine, 150 grams of regional cheese, crackers, and live German commentary. You will pass the docks, St. Michael’s Church, Elbphilharmonie, HafenCity, and possibly Speicherstadt, depending on the tide.
“Einfach alles war so super! Guter Wein, nette Unterhaltung, einfach ein wirklich schöner Abend. Kann ich wirklich sehr weiter empfehlen”
You’ll cruise Amsterdam’s UNESCO-listed canals, the IJ, and the Amstel for 90 minutes aboard Blue Boat Company. Expect lit bridges, canal houses, Westerkerk, Centraal Station, the Skinny Bridge, and an onboard audio guide. Add a snack box or wine and cheese, but check the dock address carefully.
“The views from the boat were fabulous. The experience would have been better if there had been someone to explain the areas where we were traveling and some of the history. The wine and cheese selection were marginal.”
Spend about four hours with Francesco and his family at Primaluce, a working farm above Sorrento. Walk among the vines, lemon trees, olives, and animals, then make pizza, watch mozzarella being spun, and taste farm products, wine, and limoncello in English.
“This experience was exceptional! The family that owns the farm is so lovely and warm. We have a 16 month old and they did anything they could to include her and make our experience more relaxing. We had such an amazing time and felt like we were part of the family by the end. We learned so much about how the farm runs, making wine, pizza and cheese. The sense of humor and sweeping views of the city are unmatched.”
At Tempus Vini in central Sofia, host Kalin guides you through five Bulgarian wines, local cheeses, and the country’s winemaking past. Expect native grape varieties, orange wine, reds, and regional stories in a cozy shop, with a larger multimedia room used for bigger groups.
“I really enjoyed learning the history of wine in Bulgaria, it elevated the experience a lot. I loved that there was a varied selection of wines and cheeses, so there was something that everyone liked. Overall, it was a fantastic experience that I would highly recommend!”
Meet at the Old Amsterdam Cheese Store for a 45-minute English tasting led by hosts such as Aris, Rik, or Roberta. Sample five Gouda cheeses, including Old Amsterdam, with red, white, and port wines, then use your 20% shop discount.
“Great experience! Aris was amazing - really friendly, had a brilliant hour and a half there. Definitely recommend!”
Cellar doors, tasting rooms and the long lunches in between.
