- Wine Tour Destinations
However weird and wonderful your query might be, we would be happy to help ! Just give us a call on +44 (0) 1920 46 86 66 or e-mail info@grapeescapes.net. See below for some of our most commonly asked questions…
The majority of our tours can start on any day, run mid-week and weekends throughout the year, and any closure dates can be found in the “at a glance” section of the individual tour page. The only exceptions are our Premium tours, which run on specific dates each year.
Can you arrange private tours?
We can indeed arrange private tours! Our Exclusive range always includes private tours, and we are also able to tailor-make private itineraries from scratch.
Can I visit my favourite winery?
Almost certainly! As the largest specialist European wine tour operator, we have great relationships with many of the regions’ top wineries and we are delighted to arrange visits for our clients. Our Exclusive tours offer you the freedom to let us know your favourite estates or alternatively, we can tailor-make an itinerary for you. Please note that there are a handful of very exclusive estates that never receive visitors and we will advise you at the time of enquiry if your favourite estate is one of these.
How do I know which tour is for me?
We pride ourselves on offering a wide range of wine tours to suit all tastes and budgets. Our tours are spread across various different ranges (Essential, Premium, Exclusive, Hidden Gems, Wine and Beyond, Tailor-made, Groups and Corporates) and you can browse them on the Your Grape Escape page. Alternatively, just give us a call or send us an e-mail to let us know what you are looking for. We are always delighted to hear from you and help you to find your perfect wine tour!
Do you offer discounts?
We do indeed! The prices which you will see on our web site are realistic guide prices based on travel in standard season (usually April to the end of October). Low season discounts often apply for travel from November to March and sometimes in late July and August. We are also often able to offer sizeable discounts for groups of four people and over! Just let us know when you are looking to travel and we can confirm the definitive price for you.
Can you arrange a tour for my group?
We have been arranging group tours for over 12 years, and these are always completely tailored to your requirements. We have organised birthday trips, hen and stag weekends and trips for many other groups. From wine clubs to rotary clubs, from sports and social clubs to car clubs and even weddings, we have the contacts to ensure that the whole of your group have an enjoyable break. Feel free to browse some sample itineraries on our Groups page.
Do you organise day tours?
As one of the largest specialist tour operators in each of our featured destinations, we benefit from exceptional prices from our partner hotels, therefore it is always more cost-effective to book your tour as part of a Grape Escapes package. If you have already booked your accommodation however, it is certainly worth getting in touch with us, as we are sometimes able to arrange day tours, subject to specific availabilities.
What if what I want isn’t on your web site?
Around half of our trips are totally bespoke, so please get in touch by phone or e-mail and we would be thrilled to provide inspiration and put together a tailor-made trip for your perfect wine tour.
What are your group sizes?
If you are looking for a scheduled tour as part of a small group, our Premium tours include several days spent with around five to ten Grape Escapes guests. Alternatively, we work alongside local tour partners on our Essential breaks, where day tours usually take place as part of a small group of a maximum of eight people. Group sizes will vary from package to package, however you can always expect small groups of like-minded people as opposed to big tourist groups on large coaches.
What type of person books a Grape Escape?
In a nutshell, anyone who loves wine! There is no specific age range for Grape Escapes tours – our youngest adult customers had just turned 18 when they went on their tour and the oldest Grape Escapes guest was 94! Grape Escapes customers come from all walks of life and this is what makes our tours so wonderfully friendly and convivial.
Can you help if something goes wrong on my trip?
All Grape Escapes guests have access to our English-speaking Duty Manager, who is on hand 24 hours a day to help in the unlikely event that you encounter any issues on your trip.
Can you arrange my travel?
Our standard package prices do not include travel to the region, however we are more than happy to make your arrangements for you. We can arrange travel by ferry, Eurotunnel, Eurostar and we are also have an ATOL license for flight bookings. Please contact us for the relevant supplements.
I have found a package cheaper online. Can you help?
We are so confident that not only do we offer high quality tours, but that we offer the best value on all of our packages. We therefore guarantee that you will not find a comparable tour package price cheaper anywhere on the internet and if you do, we will refund 100% of the difference. See our lowest price guarantee page for further information.
Where can I read reviews of your trips?
As a package tour operator, we are not allowed a Trip Advisor page, as it is reserved for single service providers only. By typing our name into a Google search, you will be able to find a number of unbiased reviews of Grape Escapes under our company information on Google reviews.
Can I visit more than one wine region on my holiday?
The majority of our packages are three or four days in duration, however we have found that a large number of our guests, particularly those arriving from outside of Europe, would like to visit more than one region on a single holiday. And discovering a larger number of destinations and tasting a wider variety of wines across one single trip sounds perfect to us! The team at Grape Escapes have travelled extensively in Europe, not just in the wine regions and can therefore recommend and arrange tailor-made tour extensions to other regions / cities, for example Paris in France or Bilbao in Spain. These types of itineraries are usually completely tailor-made, however we feature some amazing sample itineraries on our Multi-regions page to provide inspiration. Check out our 15 day Grand European wine tour. With 78 wines to be tasted, it’s not for the faint hearted!
Do you have a brochure?
We offer such a large number of different packages that featuring them all in one brochure would be like the Yellow Pages. However, we do have a standard brochure which introduces those who are not already familiar with Grape Escapes to the regions which we feature and the types of tours that we arrange. You can find a PDF version here and for groups, we also offer a groups brochure here. If you would like a hard copy of the brochure, please contact us with you name and address.
Can I travel last minute?
Particularly during peak season (April to October), we strongly recommend booking as far in advance as possible, as the hotels and tours tend to get booked up very quickly. However, we are sometimes able to arrange last minute breaks, and we advise contacting us by e-mail or phone as soon as possible to discuss your requirements so that we can look into the options for you.
Can you cater for my allergies and dietary requirements?
We are very used to arranging meals for guests with specific dietary requirements and allergies, and there will be a space on your booking form to let us know about them.
It’s my partner’s birthday during our Grape Escapes trip. Can you help to make it special?
Of course, “special” is our middle name! We are always able to arrange special touches, such as a room upgrade or a bottle of wine in your room at the hotel, or perhaps tastings of a particular wine which holds sentimental value. Please feel free to liaise with one of our tour experts, who will be more than happy to provide inspiration in abundance!
How can I keep up to date with new tours and special offers?
To keep in touch with Grape Escapes and stay in the loop about new tours, destinations and special offers, you may like to follow us on Instagram, give us a “like” on Facebook, or sign up for our newsletter.
Can we take our children on the tours?
In general, we are unable to welcome children on our Premium and Essential tours; however we regularly arrange family wine tours, which include child-friendly activities, and these are always completely private and tailor-made.
Can I bring my dog?
We have welcomed many furry friends on our trips, however please bear in mind that tastings won’t be allowed! Dogs are not permitted on our small group tours, however you will certainly be able to bring your pooch on a private tour. Just contact us and we will advise you of the options accordingly.
Could you hire a car for me?
Although out wine tours always include transport to and from the various wineries, travel to and from the region on your arrival and departure days is not included. If you would like to hire a car, please feel free to use our car hire engine for a competitive quote.
How will Brexit affect my holiday?
We put together some handy post Brexit travel information here.
Do I need a Visa?
EU citizens do not need a Visa to travel within other EU countries. If you are travelling from a Non-EU country, the following web site provides detailed Visa advice, searchable by country.
Is my driving licence valid in France/Italy/Spain/Portugal?
If you hold a non-EU driving license, you may need an International Driving Permit or a translation of your own driving license. We advise guests to contact their specific car hire provider for advice as requirements vary from company to company.
How do I book a trip with you?
To secure your booking with Grape Escapes, we require you to complete a booking form which we will send to you by e-mail or post. We then require a deposit of £100 per person(or 20% if the price of your trip exceeds £500 per person). Your remaining balance will then be due 60 days prior to travel. You can also book online by clicking the “book now” button on the individual tour page. Please note that the online booking system does not guarantee your booking with us. Due to the tailor-made and complex nature of our wine tours, we are unable to offer on-line availability checks. Therefore, a member of our sales team will be in touch within one business day to confirm that your trip is available and assist you in securing your booking. We will also confirm the price for you, minus any applicable discounts as this is not automatically deducted on-line.
What happens if I don’t know how many people will be travelling?
No problem at all! We can secure your booking with your current guests and add any additional guests at a later stage, subject to specific availabilities.
Do you have an ATOL license?
Grape Escapes is ATOL registered (member number 10831). Many of the flights and flight-inclusive holidays on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. But ATOL protection does not apply to all holiday and travel services listed on this website. All trips not covered by our ATOL license are covered by our ABTA bond instead.
Are you a member of ABTA?
As a member of ABTA (member number Y5416), Grape Escapes has provided a Bond to meet the requirements of the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992. See our Financial Protection page for detailed information.
Do I need to organise my own travel insurance?
We require all Grape Escapes customers to have adequate travel insurance before travelling with us. A suitable insurance policy should provide adequate cover for medical expenses arising through illness or accident prior to or during the holiday and loss of holiday monies through cancellation and curtailment of the holiday for insurable reasons.
What happens if I need to cancel my booking?
If you need to cancel your booking, you must contact us as soon as possible, initially by phone when we will advise you of any cancellation charges and then you should confirm your intention in writing. We will not treat a booking as cancelled until we receive your written confirmation. Costs are incurred by us from the time we process your booking and thus we cannot give full refunds of payments made. If some members of your group cancel, those cancelling are subject to these charges and we reserve the right to change the price for remaining members of the group based on the revised group size. See section 10 of our terms and conditions for details of the cancellation charges and additional information.
Can I change my travel dates?
If, after our confirming your booking, you wish to change your travel arrangements in any way, for example your chosen departure date or accommodation, we will do our utmost to make these changes but it may not always be possible. Any request for changes must be made in writing by the person who made the booking or your travel agent. You will be asked to pay an administration charge of at least £30, and any further cost we incur in making this alteration. You should be aware that these costs could increase as the departure dates gets nearer and you should contact us as soon as possible. See section 9 of our terms and conditions for details of the cancellation charges and additional information.
Around half of our trips are completely bespoke. Our expert team would be delighted to discuss your requirements and create your perfect trip.
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