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Travel Tips

Feb 21
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Taste Facebook Connect

Introducing: Taste Vacations Connect

By Taste Vacations, Travel Tips No Comments

At Taste Vacations all of our private trips require a minimum number of travelers to make the tour a go. Some tours require two people, some four people, some six people, and so on. We realize many hopeful travelers are eager to go on a trip but cannot meet the minimums, so we want to do what we can to help those travelers connect and plan the vacation of their dreams. Introducing, Taste Vacations Connect!

Are you a solo traveler or couple looking for a group to travel with but don’t meet the minimum for a private tour with Taste Vacations? Chances are other like-minded travelers are also thinking about that same tour as you. We have created a space for you to connect and communicate via the Taste Vacations Connect Facebook group!

Here are reasons why we hope our community will enjoy connecting and enthusiastically use this new resource to help them plan their culinary travels:

Overcome Tour Minimums Together

Many of our tours have minimum participant requirements that can be challenging for individual travelers to meet on their own. By joining our Taste Vacations Connect Facebook group, you can team up with fellow enthusiasts to collectively reach the tour minimum and unlock the experience of a private luxury tour.

Connect with Like-Minded Travelers

The Facebook group provides a platform for potential travelers interested in our luxury food, wine, and beer tours to connect with others who share their passion for exploration and indulgence. You don’t need to be a connoisseur to enjoy our tours—you just need enthusiasm and an appetite for new experiences.

Perfect for Solo-Travelers

“I want to travel, but I don’t have anyone to go with” is a common sentiment we hear. People are ‘solo’ travelers for a variety of reasons and we believe it is a title to be enthusiastically celebrated. A group vacation provides a solitary travel experience in a safe and pre-planned format with other travelers who are there for the same reasons you are: to explore and enjoy. You also get more for your money when you have a small group because travel costs for groups are generally offered at better rates, and the tour company gets to pass on the savings to you.

Keeps Group Travel Small

For those of you travelers who love the idea of having someone else plan the itinerary (including special experiences you might not find on your own) and manage the logistics of a vacation so you don’t have to—BUT—you don’t want to have to travel a whole slew of people on a big group trip, the option to connect with like-minded people and craft your own small group experience is ideal for you. You get the benefit of a guided group tour but with just a few other travelers.

Plan Your Dream Tour

You can use the group to discuss tour dates, destinations, and preferences with other members. Once you’ve formed a group that meets the tour minimum, we’ll handle all the logistics to ensure your tour is a seamless and unforgettable experience.

Share Experiences and Tips

Our Facebook group isn’t just for planning future adventures – it’s also a space for past and current tour guests to share their experiences, ask questions, and offer recommendations. This community is here to support and inspire you.

Stay Engaged

The perfect place to leave reviews, share photos, and connect with our team directly.

We love working with potential Taste travelers seeking wine, beer, and food vacations and are invested in doing what we can to support everyone in getting out to savor the world. If you have been interested in a Taste Vacation tour, but have run into not meeting a minimum number of travelers, this group is made for you to connect and find other travelers in the same position.

Please join Taste Vacations Connect by requesting access to the Facebook group. and get the conversations and vacation planning started! Once you find travel companions and meet your tour minimum, let us know, and we’ll take care of the rest.

Jan 22
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Best foodie vacation

What Makes For The Best Foodie Vacation?

By Food, Taste Vacations, Travel Tips No Comments

Foodie vacations cater to those who seek food (and beverages!) as a central focus of their travel experience, hoping to immerse themselves in the culinary richness of different cultures and destinations they visit. The best foodie vacations often involve exploring destinations that are, of course, known for their culinary scene and diverse gastronomic offerings. But, with a little know-how, a foodie vacation can be had almost any destination! Here are some of the key elements to look for when planning a foodie vacation:

Cover the Local Cuisine

Destinations that allow you to explore a breadth of traditional dishes, street food, and regional specialties allow you the best shot at getting an authentic taste of the culinary culture.

Hands-on Learning

Cooking classes immerse you in the local scene by allowing you to learn how to prepare traditional dishes. Often finding a culinary workshop will allow you to learn a specific skill such as pasta making or chocolate crafting, and then you get to bring a bit of the local flair back home with you.

Local Markets

Another tangible experience is exploring local markets where you can sample fresh produce and local specialties and get to chat with the vendors. It’s a great way to experience the food of the region straight from the source. 

In-depth Foodie Vacation Visits

Finding opportunities to visit with local food producers or tour hidden gems provides insights into the traditions of an area not found by just visiting restaurants. 

Food & Beverage Pairing

If you enjoy wine or are a beer geek, consider destinations with these as an important part of the culture and economy. Participating in tours and tastings and getting to experience pairing food with local beverages, provides another special level of culinary immersion. 

Intimate & Extraordinary Meals

When you think you have found a good destination, look a bit deeper to see what unique and out-of-the-ordinary dining experiences might be available there. An extraordinary meal can be an event you’ll never forget (or will always want to go back for). 

Sharing Culinary Experiences

We are strong believers that getting to share the outstanding experience of foodie travel with other enthusiasts, makes the experience (and the food) even better. Joining a tour focused on this kind of travel offers a special kind of dynamic joy of shared camaraderie when you are all in the moment with a tasty or unique delicacy.

For a sampling of ideas of terrific destinations we believe offer the above, visit the Vacations page of this site.

Sep 26
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Italian etiquette

The Do’s and Don’ts of Italian Etiquette

By Food, Taste Vacations, Travel Tips No Comments

When traveling to Italy, it’s essential to understand and respect the local customs and etiquette. Italians take pride in their cultural traditions, and showing proper etiquette will not only make your trip more enjoyable but also earn you respect from the locals. Here are some do’s and don’ts of Italian etiquette to keep in mind:

Etiquette Do’s

  • DO ask for the check when you’re ready for it. Italian servers think it’s rude to rush you from the table, so it could be hours before they do.
  • DO learn basic Italian phrases: Learning a few basic Italian phrases, such as “buongiorno” (good morning), “grazie” (thank you), and “prego” (you’re welcome), will be greatly appreciated by the locals.
  • DO pay for bread. Yes, you do also have to pay for bread. This is the “pane e coperto” charge and is quite common in Italy.
  • DO think about tipping. There is no strict rule about tipping in Italy. Leaving a tip is a courteous gesture that shows the person who provided a service to you that you appreciate their help. As such, leaving a tip is entirely up to you, and, in many cases, it will not be expected, albeit appreciated. This doesn’t mean 20%+ like in the United States, but rounding up to the nearest Euro is appropriate.
  • DO dress modestly: Italians value style and dressing well. While casual attire is acceptable in most places, it’s essential to dress modestly when visiting churches or formal events.

Etiquette Don’ts

  • DON’T take your coffee or food “to-go.” Unlike some cultures, eating while walking is not common in Italy. Take the time to sit down and enjoy your meal at a café or restaurant. After all, when you’re on a Taste Vacation tour, you’re on vacation!
  • DON’T expect a quick meal: Italian dining is a leisurely experience. Don’t rush through your meal, as the main focus is on enjoying the food and company. A typical Italian lunch has an antipasto, a primo (soup, rice, or pasta), a secondo (meat or fish), contorno (vegetables), and a dolci (sweet) — all small portions, of course.
  • DON’T expect an early dinner. If you’re someone who often enjoys dinner at 5:30 PM or 6:00 PM, you might want to carry a snack with you. Most restaurants don’t even open until 8:00 PM.
  • DON’T talk loudly on public transportation: Italians prefer a quiet and peaceful atmosphere on public transportation, so avoid talking loudly, playing loud music or videos.
By following these do’s and don’ts of Italian etiquette, you’ll be able to immerse yourself in the rich culture and enjoy a more authentic experience during your Tuscany Wine & Food Taste Vacation. Buon viaggio! (Have a good trip!)
Jul 20
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The benefits of going on a group tour

“I Would Never Go on a Group Tour”

By Taste Vacations, Travel Tips No Comments

In 26 years of running group tours, Taste Vacations founder and owner Allan Wright has heard something along the lines of “I would never go on a group tour” countless times.

Generally, those comments come from experienced travelers who are proud of their ability to travel on their own. We certainly respect the decision to travel independently and agree doing so has many benefits.

But if one never travels on a group tour, one cannot really make a comparison with that mode of travel. In other words, you might not know what you are missing. Read on for Allan’s experience as a world traveler, having done much travel both ways, and his suggested benefits of a private group tour.

My First Group Tour: Dordogne

The first group tour I ever took was a bicycle tour in France back in 1995 – 28 years ago! I had already traveled throughout Europe and to Africa and Asia and I was very proud of being a savvy world traveler. But in 1995 I was living in Poland and, for the first time in my life, I had a job that provided me more money than time. With a friend, I signed up for a group tour biking through the Dordogne countryside of France … and had one of the best vacations of my life (and eventually this led to launching Zephyr Adventures).

Saving Time

Saving time is one of the key reasons to sign up for a group tour. Even with so many more resources available to do research and planning via the internet it can take a LOT of time to plan hotels, meals, and activities on a tour. All of that is planned for you on a group tour.

Logistics

It is also true that for active vacations, going with a tour operator solves many logistical problems that might not otherwise be easily solved. In my case back in 1995, I would simply never have done a multi-day biking tour in Dordogne or, for that matter, anywhere. Similarly, it is too challenging for most people to plan their own culinary tour well without being in a destination. Group travel thus make some tours and experiences possible you would otherwise never do.

Local Experience

Another huge benefit of a group tour is the local expertise you get. On a group tour you will have either a local guide or one who knows the area and this expertise can turn a good vacation into a great one or a great vacation into a stellar one. On all of our tours you’ll enjoy all aspects of the culinary experience – exceptional wine tastings and personal blending sessions, entertaining and educational cooking classes, behind-the-scenes brewery tours, and wine- or beer-paired meals. In fact, I am so thrilled with hiring local guides that when I am on a personal vacation, I will often hire a guide just for a day so I get the full local experience.

Group Bonding

Saving time, dealing with challenging logistics, and gaining local experience are the three reasons I most often hear from people – like our travelers – who know the benefits of a private group tour. But I don’t believe these three are the main reason travelers keep coming back on tours. Instead, I am confident it is the “group bonding” of sharing a memorable experience with others who have similar interests that make group tours so fun.

When people think “group tour”, they think of a busload of older folks seeing large European cities or national parks behind glass windows. And I won’t knock that travel for those who like it. But this ignores that group tours tend to have a much more focused niche and tend to attract others who are interested in that niche. All of our itineraries are available as a private tour and with only 2 to 16 people on a trip, we make it possible to experience a place’s culture and hospitality on a more personal level.

We are experts in organizing private tours to the best culinary locations around the world, which means you get to go on vacation to savor great food and sample the local wine and beer with your friends and family, on your chosen dates, to your chosen destination. Doing something you love in the company of others with whom you have much in common is a form of “group bonding” I like to call “human magic” (when a group creates more fun than one person could create on his or her own) and this makes organized tours so powerful.

Equally as amazing is the opportunity for you to host a group trip for your club or organization, or to collaborate to offer group tours specifically tailored for your business, clients, or followers.

We launched Taste Vacations because we love exploring the world’s best food, wine, and beer destinations and wanted to share our passion with others.  Our small Taste Vacations team has over 50 years of experience in the specialty tour industry and has the knowledge and experience needed to make your next vacation unforgettable. There are many benefits of a private group tour. See you on one soon?