WORLDWIDE · LUNCH EXPERIENCES
The good slots at the palace lunches below go weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Review of Abu Dhabi’s Grand Mosque, Qasr Al Watan, Etihad Towers, Louvre photo stop, lunch, transport, and practical tips from Dubai.
“It was really wonderful, well-organized trip. Abdul was great as guide!”
Combine Monet’s Giverny garden, a three-course mill lunch, and Versailles Palace on a full-day coach tour from Paris.
“Well organized considering the crowds and difficult navigation. Well informed guide and bus driver was superb. Easy to spend one day to do both sites. Recommend”
Tour Saint-Émilion and Médoc from Bordeaux with château visits, 15-plus tastings, a picnic lunch, and a small-group guide.
“Hannah was a great tour guide. She explained things very well and prepared us for the day and our whole trip to Bordeaux. Great time!!”
Review of Beijing’s $186 small-group tour to the Summer Palace and Mutianyu Great Wall, with lunch, transport, tips, and practical advice.
“This is a no frills, no nonsense day trip to a section of the Great Wall. There are no stopovers at gift shops, only one stop at a public toilet and a yummy lunch at a restaurant near the Great Wall entrance. Our tour guide Emma spoke good English and was very knowledgeable about the history of the Great Wall. There was never a dull moment from the pick up point to the 2 hour journey to the destination. It is highly recommended to take the cable car up to the number six tower, spend a couple of hours hiking from one tower to the other....certain sections of the wall…”
Pair Wiener Schnitzel with Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, including a 60-minute audio tour, palace entry, apple strudel, and flexible cancellation.
“We weren’t allowed in on time and had to wait around for twenty minutes with a confused group of people who didn’t know what was happening. Once we were let in we were allowed to separate and walk around the amazing palace at our own pace. The restaurant at the beginning of the day was a good touch !”
Review of the Mesa Verde full-day tour from Durango, with Cliff Palace, lunch, park fees, expert guiding, costs, tips, and drawbacks.
“Be prepared to listen Show respect for a different culture Enjoy yourself Our guide Bella was great massive amounts of information”
Review of Crete’s 5-hour quad safari, with mountain trails, monastery, olive mill, Cretan lunch, Malia Palace, and beach swim.
“We joined the Quod Safari tour with visits to the Monastery, Malia Palace, and lunch included, and it was truly a unique experience! Everything was perfectly organized from the very beginning: the guides were friendly, professional, and knowledgeable, always happy to answer any questions. The quod ride was super fun, adventurous but always completely safe, with spectacular landscapes along the way. The Monastery is a place of great spirituality and beauty, surrounded by peace and silence. Malia Palace really impressed us with its fascinating history and majestic architecture. Lunch was another highlight: authentic local cuisine, generous and flavorful portions, served in a charming location....”
Review of Beijing’s private Mutianyu Great Wall and Summer Palace day trip, with lunch, hotel pickup, cable car, toboggan, and practical tips.
“We had an amazing trip with our guide. She was very knowledgeable with the areas and we got wonderful photos and memories to last! We enjoyed the tour so much we ended up booking a second day for the city afterwards. Would recommend again.”
Review of a private Versailles tour with palace access, Marie-Antoinette’s estate, lunch, hotel pickup, expert guiding, and practical value advice.
“Zara made our day at Versailles everything it needed to be. We celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary on the day of our tour and she certainly made it a memorable milestone. She picked us up on time and began sharing her wealth of knowledge about Paris with us during the ride to Versailles. She is attentive, insightful, professional and just an all around nice person. She knew of excellent photo spots and always offered to take photos of us with beautiful backgrounds. The day was tailored to us and she ensured we were satisfied with her services throughout the day. We traversed the Palace, gardens, Grand Trianon, Petit Trianon and…”
Visit Chenonceau and Chambord, enjoy lunch at a private family château, and explore the Loire Valley in a small guided group.
“We had a lovely day with Chloe, a charming and very knowledgeable guide. We especially loved our lunch at the family Château. We were given lots of time to wander the properties on our own.”
Review of a small-group Saint-Émilion wine tour from Bordeaux, with village sightseeing, three château visits, tastings, and a picnic lunch.
“We had a great time on this tour, the guide was very knowledgeable and gave us a lot of information prior to arrival at the wineries. The van was comfortable, we stopped at St Emilion for a short visit and then went to 3 wineries. We had plenty of time on all wineries and had a picnic under the trees close to the vineyard. The wines were great and the staff at the wineries were very friendly.”
Compare Médoc and Saint-Émilion on a small-group wine day with three châteaux, seven tastings, lunch, and a village tour.
“We had a GREAT time with Estelle on our tour. She was very knowledgeable, friendly, and went out of her way to ensure that we all had an enjoyable day and a memorable experience. She went above and beyond to talk about not just the regions but the wines, and even pastries too! The best guide we have had on a tour! She also had a great relationship with the staff at each chateau, making it in turn a more personal experience. Five stars!”
Visit Florence’s Palazzo Vecchio with an audio guide or local guide, then add a Tuscan lunch in the old town.
“Mycket intressant att blicka in i högkulturens Borg.Bättre skyltning med tydliga bokstäver för rummen.”
Review of Bordeaux’s Saint-Émilion small-group tour, with two châteaux, five or six wines, picnic lunch, and practical booking advice.
“A lovely day spent exploring the beautiful town of Saint Emilion with a small group and a fantastic guide.”
Explore Knossos, taste Cretan wine and olive oil, and enjoy a village lunch on this small-group Crete tour with hotel pickup.
“Atonis was a fantastic guide. He was very informative and personable the entire day. Each stop was unique and worth-while. Crete is a gorgeous island to explore, this tour helped accomplish that and learn about the history of it.”
Pick a dynasty, a capital or a garden.
