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What kind of people do your wine tours cater for?
Our wine tours are designed for those looking for high end, chauffeured luxurious routes. We offer private and corporate gourmet wine tours for individuals and groups. Our tours are also perfect for honeymooners. Cellar Tours vacations combine pampering with great wine, gourmet and regional cuisine, art, architecture, history, culture and scenery. They will suit people of all ages, as they are not strenuous or physically demanding. Wine lovers, "foodies", and history buffs will all find something there for them. Days normally begin between 9-10am. There will be free time most days. Alternative activities are often planned for those opting to skip a winery visit, for example.
Are flights included in the cost of the wine tour?
Our wine tours are "land only", which means that your flight arrangements are not made by us. There
are a number of reasons for this. People may choose to go on one of our wine tours as a part of their
greater European holiday, for example. People also have different travel preferences, economy,
business, and so on. Additionally, there are so many discounts, last minute offers and specials
on the internet that the customer has greater flexibility organizing his or her own flights.
We are in a position to recommend travel agents in The United States and Europe to organize your
flight arrangements, if necessary.
How much spending money should I bring?
To each their own! Spain, Portugal and Italy have some great shopping such as: leather, ceramics, tiles, designer clothes (Spanish designers include Agatha Ruiz de la Prada, Jesus del Pozo, Antonio Pernas, Devota y Lomba, and Angel Schlesser, just to begin) and local arts and crafts. As our trips are wine and food oriented, you may also want to buy special wines, rare olive oils, truffles, saffron, etc. You should at least bring enough money to have a light meal on the occasions you have free time and to take care of your personal expenses. The currency in Spain, Portugal and Italy is the Euro. Contact your bank or financial server to check what the exchange rate is before coming. Our tours are sold in euros.
What documents do I need to bring?
The principal document you'll need is your passport. We advise you make copies of your passport
and leave it with someone back home in case of loss. If you will be travelling on your own by car
before or after our wine tour, you must have a valid driver's license to rent a car. Note that automatic
cars are more difficult to come by than stick shifts in Europe, and tend to be a bit more expensive.
You will receive a detailed itinerary of the route, by email, fax, or post before arriving. Upon arrival
you will receive a keepsake, full color itinerary with maps, shopping recommendations, backgrounds
on the wine regions and gastronomy, points of interest, recommended itineraries for your free time,
etc.
What methods of payment do you accept?
We accept payment by Visa, American Express, Mastercard and Bank Transfer.
What does the single supplement cover?
The single supplement is applied when only one person will occupy a hotel room.
What insurance do I need, what's included?
From the moment we meet you to the end of our gourmet wine tour, you are covered by: the bus company, the wineries, the hotels, in addition to our accident insurance. However, we require that you take out your own medical insurance and recommend that you take on trip cancellation insurance.
What is Cellar Tours cancellation policy?
If you cancel a confirmed service with Cellar Tours, we will provide a refund (less 500 Euro administration fee) up to 30 days before start of trip. After that point, a refund shall not be made.
What will the weather be like?
Northern Spain and Portugal are similar to California's Bay Area: Breezy with sunny spells, sometimes rainy. Central Spain and Portugal have a continental climate, similar to New York (extremely hot in summers, icy in winters, ideal in spring and fall). Southern Spain and Portugal are pleasantly warm to extremely hot throughout the year. Northern Italy enjoys a balmy climate in spring and fall, is very humid in summer and can be very chilly and snowy in winter. We organize our food and wine tours year round, but spring and fall clearly enjoy the best weather conditions.
What is the pace of the wine tour like?
We have reasonable starts between 9-10am. There are no excessively early mornings. We will take in 2-4 wine orientated activities per day, and will have free time either in the afternoon or the evening. We aim to balance a fascinating itinerary with just enough personal time for the guests to explore on their own, go for walks, shopping, etc.
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