Cheese Trips · WINE AND CHEESE TASTINGS
The good ones pour four or five glasses against six or seven cheeses and explain each pair before you taste it. These 15 are compared on how much is actually poured, how many cheeses land on the board and whether anything more solid arrives with them.
Spend an hour aboard Flagship Amsterdam’s covered electric saloon boat, passing the Skinny Bridge, Golden Bend, Anne Frank House, Old Harbor, and Jordaan. Your English-speaking skipper and hostess share local stories, while the upgraded option adds unlimited Dutch cheese, wine, beer, and soda.
“The tour guide person was knowledgeable and extremely entertaining!”
Spend three hours walking from Blanche Metro to Sacré Coeur with an English-speaking foodie guide such as Oscar, Julie, Arthur, or Marie. Visit eight local stops for pastries, chocolate, cheese, charcuterie, and French wine while learning about Montmartre’s artists, cafés, vineyards, and food traditions.
“Éliminé was a fantastic guide. She told us about the neighborhood as she led us from one culinary delight to the next. She also described the foods and wines very well, helping us understand their uniqueness.”
Cruise Amsterdam’s UNESCO-listed canals for one hour aboard a covered boat limited to 26 people. Your English-speaking skipper and host guide you past the Jordaan, Prinsengracht, the Golden Bend, Seven Bridges, and the Magere Brug. Add Dutch cheese and either two drinks or unlimited wine, beer, and soda.
“Best canal cruise in Amsterdam. Done a few but this one was just extraordinary. Thanks Starboard 🙏🏻”
Join Stromma at Damrak Pier 5 for a 75-minute cruise through Amsterdam’s Canal Belt. A local captain and English-speaking host serve Dutch cheeses, snacks, wine, beer, or soft drinks while you pass the Anne Frank House, Skinny Bridge, houseboats, and historic canal homes.
“The Cheese and Wine Canal Cruise was a great experience! Our guide was equally hilarious and informative. We took this tour towards the end of our trip and I’m so glad we did! There are so many sights we missed while walking and biking. Seeing the historic buildings from the canals and learning about each canal house from our guide was a great way to end our wonderful time in Amsterdam! Also, the wine and cheese were spectacular! The service was fantastic. 10/10 recommend!”
At Quevedo in Vila Nova de Gaia, taste three 40 ml Ports with carefully matched cheeses: Crusted, 10-Year-Old Tawny, and 2009 White Colheita. Guides such as Miguel, Inês, Bruna, and Fernando explain Port, the Douro Valley, and the family wine house in a small group of up to eight.
“100% recommend! The kindest people and one of the Most informative wine tastings I’ve been to. Also the cheese wine combination is amazing.”
Spend about three and a half hours with a private English-speaking guide in Montmartre, tasting French cheese, bread, pastries, crêpes, macarons, chocolates, cured meats, wine, and a secret dish. Guides such as Mathieu, Rita, and Baptiste tailor the walk to your interests.
“Mattheiu was awesome! He is a local who grew up in the area and was able to share the history and his pride exuded as we walked through the village. The cheeses and bread were incredible!”
Walk Le Marais with a guide such as Gabriel, Olivia, Etienne, or Pinky while tasting French pastries, bread, cheese, wine, falafel, croque monsieur, macarons, chocolates, and a mystery dish. The small group, usually capped at 12, mixes food with neighborhood history over about three and a half hours.
“Pinky was a fantastic guide! We learned about the Le Marais district and how it became one of the chicest neighborhoods in Paris. Everything that we ate was delicious (we tried the best falafel I’ve ever had) and got to enjoy some “digestive walks” in between. Definitely recommend this tour.”
Set off from the LOVERS café by Amsterdam Central Station for a 1.5-hour night cruise through the Canal Belt. Expect illuminated bridges, Golden Age houses, houseboats, Dutch cheeses, bread, and a choice of wine. The English-speaking crew adds music, city facts, and plenty of friendly service.
“After reading the reviews I was a tad worried about the quality of the canal cruise .. but we had the best time!! There was more than enough cheeses, bread, grapes etc … didn’t even manage to finish it! And our lovely lady who was serving everyone on the boat was super attentive and we had more than enough wine. Saw some great sights and it was a wonderful Amsterdam experience… will definitely be booking again when we visit next. Well worth the money! Thank you to all the staff 😊”
Spend about nine hours tasting across the Yarra Valley with Go West Tours. You’ll visit Rochford Wines, Coldstream Dairy, Stag Lane Farm Distillery, Healesville and the Chocolaterie, with transport, Wi-Fi, food and tastings included. Guides vary, with Mel, Michael, Chris and Alex among those who have led recent trips.
“Great day exploring the Yarra Valley with a fun, informative driver. Would recommend to family and friends”
Settle into a glass-enclosed boat at Damrak 16 for a 75-minute evening cruise through Amsterdam’s Canal Belt. Wine, beer, soft drinks, Dutch cheese, WiFi, and a restroom are included. Expect romantic views, attentive service, and commentary that may be brief on some departures.
“We arrived at the dock in dure need of restrooms and the captain showed us where to go before we'd even checked in for our cruise! The guide was knowledge and funny, which provided for an incredibly enjoyable experience! And the wine steward was prompt with keeping our glasses full.”
Spend 90 minutes cruising Hamburg Harbor with a German-speaking guide, three glasses of red or white wine, and 150 grams of regional cheese with crackers. You’ll see St. Michael’s Church, Elbphilharmonie, HafenCity, docks, and possibly Speicherstadt, depending on the tide.
“Great experience. Wine and cheese was lovely and plentiful. The crew were helpful and attentive. Commentary was German only but didn't detract from the trip, this is explained before booking.”
Cruise Amsterdam’s UNESCO-listed canals, the IJ, and the Amstel for 90 minutes aboard a Blue Boat Company vessel. Expect candlelit views, an audio guide in up to 20 languages, and optional snacks, soft drinks, or wine and cheese. Confirm the departure point carefully before setting out.
“Meeting point is easy to find. Very informative and beautiful in the evening, cruise very much enjoyed”
Meet Francesco and his family at Primaluce, a working farm in the Sorrento hills. Tour the vines, olive trees, and lemon grove, then make pizza, watch mozzarella being spun, and taste farm wine, oil, limoncello, and a full lunch. The tour runs about four hours in English.
“Excellent trip run by the whole family. Funny tour of the farm looking at wine making, lemon harvesting and olive oil production. Then onto pizza making. After eating the pizzas we learnt about cheese and how it is made. All helped with copious amounts of locally produced wine. Great for all ages.”
At Tempus Vini in central Sofia, host Kalin guides you through five Bulgarian wines, local cheeses, and the country’s long winemaking story. Expect a relaxed tasting of unusual grapes, regional styles, and boutique bottles, with occasional sessions led by another member of the shop team.
“Excellent night out meeting a number of people from different countries and backgrounds. We were rushed and found the venue difficult to find, perhaps if we had been informed it was a shop we would have arrived earlier. Four wines and three cheeses had been chosen for tasting, all delicious. The activity lasted about two hours and we were able to go on and enjoy the rest of our evening.”
Meet at the Old Amsterdam Cheese Store for a 45-minute English tasting led by a lively cheese host. Sample five Gouda cheeses with red, white, and port wines, learn how cheese is made and aged, then use your 20% shop discount.
“It was really good. Enough cheese and nice wine. Everything well explained. And at the end we got a discount and a free chutney.”
Pick a dairy, a cellar, a boat or a bench with a bowl of curd on it.
