Food is the edible history of a culture and a community, each morsel telling stories and creating memories. Bringing each destination deliciously to life, every Luxury Gold journey offers a menu of dining options like no other. This includes a wide range of culinary experiences, from exclusive dinners in Michelin-starred restaurants to street food walks with locals who know where to source the best delicacies in the city.

And on select Luxury Gold excursions, travelers are greeted with private chef cooking classes. Curated to not only introduce travelers to the flavors of a destination, these private cooking classes provide an experience you can take home to relive mouthwatering memories whenever you choose. To temp you further, take look at just some of the experiences you can look forward to as a guest of Luxury Gold.

To when your appetite, read more about Exceptional Dining

Roll Italian pasta in a Tuscan private cooking class

The wealthy Medici family helped fuel the Italian Renaissance, and though their bloodline no longer flows through Italy, travelers can still visit their rich properties. In Tuscany, you’ll visit one of the Medici family’s hunting lodges for a quintessential Italian experience: private chef cooking classes. Source fresh ingredients from the lodge’s garden and roll your own fresh pasta for lunch alongside a professional Italian chef for a decadent and delicious meal. 

Take a bit out of Tuscany and savour other classic Italian flavours in Rome, Florence and more on Ultimate Italy.

For lovers of Italian cuisine: 7 ways you’ll celebrate Tuscan food when you travel with Luxury Gold

Go beyond the tapas bars and learn Spanish culinary secrets

Spain’s cuisine is far from a monolith: between Barcelona and Madrid alone are a host of different styles and specialties. Andalusia, Spain’s southernmost agricultural region, is known for its gazpacho, oxtail, sherry and Iberian ham. In Seville, you’ll spend a day diving into the region’s flavors. A chef awaits your arrival at an Andalusian market, ready to walk you through the fresh meat and produce. When the market tour concludes, you’ll enjoy a private cooking class and learn how to make some of Spain’s hallmark plates, before savoring them for lunch.

Learn cooking techniques in Seville, plus dine at the Michelin-starred L’Antic Moli on Spain & Portugal in Style.

Pick up the cheque: Where to Find the Most Rare & Expensive Food in the World

Prepare lunch on a Vietnamese riverboat with a professional chef 

Every foodie has heard of the legendary banh mi. This world-famous Vietnamese street food is best experienced in the alleyways of Hoi An. It’s a palate pleasing event, but only an appetizer for what’s to come. You’ll board a traditional bamboo-basket boat and cruise to the Thanh Dong village. Once onboard, locals will host private chef cooking classes for you and your group, helping you prepare lunch as you learn about their local customs for cultivating and harvesting vegetables.   

Leave room for more mouthwatering experiences when you visit Vietnam with Luxury Gold, including a brunch cruise to Hanoi and a private concert dining experience at the home of singer Camille Huyen. 

Savor this on Spirit of Vietnam.

You may also enjoy reading: Hue is Where the Heart is: In conversation with artist Camille Huyen

Discover the nuances of Indian spices 

Private chef cooking classes are quite engaging, though there’s a case to be made that a food tasting tour is just as critical in learning how to cook international cuisine. In Delhi, you’ll have the opportunity to join a well-known chef, not in his kitchen, but in the streets of Old Delhi. You’ll hop between food stalls, watching how each Indian delicacy is prepared. The stallholders will give you tips and tricks for how to properly balance spices to create transformative tastes. 

Travel to India on a Luxury Gold small group journey and you’ll have far more than one afternoon to experience the country’s many flavors, including a sunset desert dinner with local musicians in Jaisalmer and lakeside banquet dinner in Udaipur.

Discover this on: Imperial Rajhastan

Bookmark for later: How Travel Concierge Viren Paints a Vivid Picture of India

Drink in a mixology class in Southern USA

In the deep south, a signature drink is just as important as a hearty meal. With so many delicious plates set before you, an afternoon at the Dunleith Historic Inn gives your stomach a break with a hands-on mixology class. Ideal for those who’ve already taken a few private cooking classes on other Luxury Gold tours, the bar manager at this pre-Civil War mansion will teach you how to stir up two seasonal cocktails. 

Sip that Mint Julep before settling into a three-course dinner, the head to New Orleans where Cajun and Creole flavors await on Southern Grace. 

You may be interested to read: High Notes: How Travel Concierge Ann Amplifies the Sounds of the South

Style sushi with a master in Tokyo

Sushi rolling is a revered 2,000-year-old Japanese art. A decade of practice is required to become a master sushi chef, but thankfully, this Luxury Gold tour expedites the process by providing private chef cooking classes in Japan. Join a master sushi chef for an in depth sushi rolling lesson. You’ll learn why the philosophy and precision required to perfect the technique is unlike any other culinary exercise on the planet.  

Sushi is just one of the many iconic Japanese meals you’ll enjoy on Majestic Japan with Luxury Gold. You’ll also have a Geisha lunch performance in Kyoto and sip sake at a private tasting with a local brewmaster in Oirase. 

Discover this on: Majestic Japan

You may enjoy: A journey of a lifetime: unearthing Majestic Japan, with Luxury Gold

Feel lucky with a hosted dinner in an Irish family’s home

No matter where we’re from, we all share memories of sitting around the family dinner table as dish after dish is prepared. In Ireland, you’ll have the opportunity to pause your restaurant reservations and instead welcome the invitation to dine at a homestead in Blarney. Unlike a private chef cooking class, you’ll sit back and let your hosts do the cooking for you, though you’re welcome to ask away any questions you have regarding Irish food and cooking techniques.

Enjoy many more experiences with locals, including dinner at a local gastropub in Dublin and a street art tour in Belfast on Ultimate Ireland.

Hungry for more: Indulge Your Inner Gourmet With These Luxury Food Experiences

To discover how you can see and taste the world in a whole new light, take a look at our worldwide collection of small group journeys.

To dream of Iberia is to dream of passion, culture and exceptional cuisine. To elicit the true essence of Spain and Portugal, there’s no one quite like your Luxury Gold Travel Concierge.

More than a local expert, they live and breathe your destination. Offering a personal, tailored service, combined with a black book of contacts known only to locals, they make our limited-edition journeys exceptional.

Here, Travel Concierge Dom shares his passion for Iberia, what makes Spain and Portugal so unique and tells us how to savor the best of this exceptional region.

For travel inspiration read our destination guides: Spain and Portugal

Why Iberia has my heart

“My love of travel, and of Iberia, started young when I would travel to Spain on family holidays,” Dom tells us. “As a kid I loved the differences, the foreignness, the desire to explore another culture. And at that age it involved making friends with the local kids, joining in crab fishing on the beach, for example. Despite not understanding the language at the time, I found I had a natural ability to assimilate, and I developed a yearning to know and experience more.

“As I got older, I became addicted to seeing other cultures and comparing them to mine. Iberia was a natural gravitation. It’s sunny, the people are great. I’m really interested in the history and the culture, and I really enjoy sharing this love with others. My love of travel grew, ultimately leading me to become a Luxury Gold Travel Concierge.”

 Discover Iberia on: Spain & Portugal in Style

 An exquisitely crafted itinerary

“The Spain & Portugal in Style itinerary is so well curated,” says Dom. “You go from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic, from Barcelona through Southern Spain and over to Lisbon. ‘You see the capital cities and all the big hitters, and there’s plenty of free time to appreciate what else each location has to offer as well.

“Harnessing the true passion of Iberia, a highlight for guests in Seville is a flamenco dance lesson and performance at the Christina Heeren Foundation. I’ve seen many flamenco shows but this is just another level of excellence. The dancing and the musicians, they are the top of their game, literally the best artists in the world.”

Read more about this exclusive flamenco experience: Discovering the Soul of Spain with Alexandra Hoffer in Seville

Spain and Portugal – alike yet unique

“The history of Spain and Portugal differs to the rest of Europe,” Dom explains. “These distinctive cultural influences, garnered from an eclectic peopling of Iberia, mean that today they have their own way of doing things. Both countries are very European, but at the same time there’s a unique look to their architecture, their food and so forth.

“Spain and Portugal then differ from each other, through influences from their respective explorations and empires. Portuguese also sounds very different to Spanish, and the people are often a bit more reserved, particularly compared to those in southern Spain.

“A key part of my role is to bring the history to life for guests, along with guiding them through the nuances and differences. I love sharing these stories as we travel between locations.

“As you cross the border and travel into Portugal, changes are subtle, such as seeing road signs in a different language. Then once you start to travel onwards through the countryside, the Atlantic influence reveals itself in the flora and fauna.”

You may also be interested to read: Connect With the Natural World Through These Exclusive Experiences

Iberian food culture – a perfect fit for small group travel

“On Spain & Portugal in Style we’ve got some outstanding restaurants, and many ways to enjoy food, from Michelin-starred dining to a cooking class,” Dom tells us. “Food in Iberia is such a big thing; the culture revolves around the cuisine and dining experience.

“I love how Luxury Gold guests really adopt the culinary culture of the places that we’re going to. Just like the Spanish and the Portuguese, we have long lunches and big sociable dinners.”

My foodie highlights – Spanish fine dining and local Portuguese fare

Credit: @lanticmoli on Instagram

“L’Antic Moli in southern Catalonia is definitely one of my highlights – Michelin-starred dining and a true Spanish cultural experience,” Dom says. “On my last tour we were there for three hours. Course after course of impeccable flavors and textures, and lots of talking; no one wanted to leave!

“In contrast, when we cross over into Portugal, we stop in a very small village called Serpa – the kind of place you wouldn’t know to go to. Here  as part of the itinerary, we experienced something very different in a local restaurant: Cante Alentejano polyphonic singing. The restaurant was rustic, with wooden tables and vegetables and meats brought out in big terracotta bowls, all accompanied by this wonderful authentic music. That is also one of my favorites and the contrasts just blow me away.”

Read more: Meet Michelin-star chef Vicent Guimerà of Spain’s L’Antic Molí restaurant

My favorite ingredients and dishes

“For me it’s all about the simple ingredients – the fresh Mediterranean salad for example is always a winner. I also recommend the tortilla (Spanish omelet) which I eat daily. In Spain you will find even the basic things are done in such a wonderful way. The Mediterranean diet is also of course very famous for its health benefits.

“My favorite Portuguese dish is a fish one, cod of course, the country’s specialty. There is a dish called ‘Bacalhau com natas’, a delicious combination of shredded cod with cream, sliced potatoes, onion and cheese, all baked in the oven, which is best washed down with vinho verde, green wine. And for dessert, the original, impeccable pastel de nata, custard tart. Yum!”

You may also enjoy reading: Cape expectations: how Travel Concierge Jameel makes South Africa sing

Savor seafood in Barcelona

“Both Spain and Portugal have some of the most incredible seafood in the world,” says Dom, “and a great place to indulge is Barcelona.

“I used to live in Barcelona, so I know it well, and I recommend guests head out the seaside neighborhood of Barceloneta. This old fishing village is now home to multi-million dollar yachts and some outstanding eateries.

“The 7 Portes restaurant, which is 186 years old, is the ideal place for old school Barcelona food. It is famed for its rice dishes and paellas, tapas and traditional cannelloni.

“One of my favorite seafood restaurants is called Botafumeiro which is also not far from our hotel. The dishes here include warm spider crab pie, a Botafumeiro-style Spiny-lobster and grilled Palamós shrimps.”

For more Barcelona dining recommendations: For Fine Dining in Spain, This City Sets the Gold Standard

Indulge in Gaudi

Of course, Spain & Portugal in Style about more than food. Visiting all the top sights, the tour starts on a cultural high. “Whilst there we visit Gaudi’s iconic Barcelona masterpiece La Sagrada Familia with THE best local specialist,” says Dom. This unique modern temple has been under construction since 1882 and is not actually yet finished.

“All I can hear is guests saying, wow, wow and everyone has really sore necks because you always looking up in wonder! We also visit Park Güell up on the hill where Gaudi’s architecture meets his inspiration – nature.

“There are so many more outstanding buildings from Gaudi in Barcelona. So, with their spare time I often advise guests to visit these – the Casa Mila, the Casa Vicens and many others.

“Continuing on an art theme of recommendations for guests, Picasso grew up in Barcelona and lived very close to the previously mentioned 7 Portes Gates restaurant. The Picasso Museum houses an extensive collection and is well worth a visit.”

Luxury Gold guests can in fact rest their sore necks from admiring Gaudi and all these art works by booking a ‘Bath butler’ at the five-star Ohla Eixample where we stay whilst in Barcelona. Coming back after a long day and finding the perfect bath waiting for you: salts, candles, relaxing herbal tea or a bottle of cava. Just one of the exceptional hotels that are a hallmark of every Luxury Gold journey.

You may also enjoy reading: Hiding in Plain Sight: Incredible Artworks You Can Discover at Luxury Gold Hotels

My hotel highlight – Evora’s Convento do Espinheiro

“Each of the hotels is fabulous, and has their own style, but the one that always amazes me the Convento do Espinheiro in Evora, Portugal,” says Dom. The stunning 15th century building and gardens was once a convent, with rooms featuring antique or 1950s-inspired furnishings.

“The cloisters and the chapel are still there, it’s quite remarkable. We have dinner in the Cellars where they used to make the wine and the olive oil. As well as the exceptional service, the uniqueness of staying in what used to be a convent is really special. You’d never think really to stay in in such a place.

Discover more of our exceptional hotels: 7 Luxury Gold hotels that have hosted royals, celebrities and more

Personalize your day in Madrid

A key feature on all Luxury Gold tours are the opportunities for guests to personalize their day with a choice of two experiences. These offer contrasting ways to explore and experience your destination, each carefully curated with the Luxury Gold guest in mind,

In Madrid guests have the option to visit the Prado Museum with an art historian, or to take a walking tour through Madrid’s Old Town.

“For art lovers, or just those with an interest in Spain and its history this is the one to take,” says Dom. “In European terms Italy and France are famed for their museums but Spain often gets overlooked. The Prado is a world class gallery, and you can learn about the history and story of Spain from these masterpieces. There are the Royal portraits from artists such as Velazquez and Goya. There are also many international artists on display, Titian and Bosch, for example. There’s even a copy of Mona Lisa from DaVinci’s workshop. Not a lot of people know that.”

“Then those who want to be a bit more active and see kind of the backstreets of Old Madrid and some kind of little secret corners there, the way to go would be The Walking tour. This is also the perfect opportunity to get churros, a highlight of any day!”

“In fact, on this day, people can do both experiences in Madrid if they want,” Dom adds. “This is one of the many benefits of our Spain and Portugal itinerary, and of small group journeys – the flexibility to adapt to how our guests may be feeling on any given day.”

You may also be interested to read: Why Spain Sets the Gold Standard for Art Museums

Visit Spain and Portugal or the ultimate luxury vacation with exceptional hotels and exquisite cuisine, on Spain & Portugal in Style, or choose from our worldwide collection of small group journeys.

Beauty, elegance, power and rhythm. Flamenco epitomises the heritage and passion of Spain and has become one of the icons of its culture. In Seville, guests of Luxury Gold are invited deep into the heart of this timeless art, with a flamenco class and performance at the acclaimed dance school, the Cristina Heeren Foundation.

Feel the passion behind the choreography on this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience as you meet students of the school. Discover the history of flamenco, learn some steps before enjoying an intimate, exhilarating performance by some of Spain’s finest Flamenco artists.

Discovering and training the best in the business and preserving this exquisite art form for future generations, Alexandra Hoffer, Director of the Cristina Heeren Foundation tells us more about this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Discover this on: Spain & Portugal in Style

Making the stars of the future

 “I call all my students my children. It’s amazing to have these people that were just 16 when you started working with them, and now you see them as big flamenco stars,” says Alexandra. “It’s very rewarding, we’ve made many artists. Around 70% of the top dancers are our ex-students. It’s wonderful to see how they evolve.”

Alexandra joined the Cristina Heeren Foundation when it opened in 1996. Named after its president, students study advanced guitar, singing and dance to the highest level. Through this, the foundation is also safeguarding the traditional of flamenco (inscribed in 2010 as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage) and contributing to the protection of Andalusia and Spain’s cultural heritage.

Flamenco has many modern influences, but Alexandra explains “What we teach is the classical tradition of flamenco. We think that in order to evolve, you need to have the basis. We are the only Flamenco school offing the three specialties together – singing, guitar and dancing. So, we have students studying different aspects and they’re together all the time.”

For travel inspiration: Spain destination guide

An exquisite art form and an expression of life

Credit: @fundacionflamencoheeren on Instagram

Flamenco is formed from a melting pot of music styles that evolved in Andalucía and were transmitted through generations. These styles include Jewish, Arab, Castilian, old Andalusian and gypsy music.

“Flamenco started in the very poor communities, as an expression of life,” Alexandra says. “It celebrates a newborn and a death. Somebody who went to jail, was married, somebody who’s going to work. So, there are many different styles of flamenco and each one of them represents and expresses a different time of your life.”

You may be interested to read: Why Spain Sets the Gold Standard for Art Museums

Enjoy a flamenco class with the professionals

Credit: @fundacionflamencoheeren on Instagram

Guests have the opportunity to learn some dance steps, under the expert eye of some of the school’s star pupils. “Flamenco is empowering, we find everyone who tries it loves it” says Alexandra. “In the flamenco class we teach guests different rhythms, and the how to move their hips, arms and feet. It’s a very sensual and enjoyable dance.

“Because you’re all learning, everyone is very supportive and applauds each other. Afterwards we share a glass of sangria and either myself or my companions are there to answer any questions. This is an exclusive opportunity to get to the heart of Flamenco from those who live and breathe it.

“Learning the steps and meeting the dancers also furnishes guests with a deeper knowledge and connection to the flamenco. This makes the show which comes next even more memorable.”

You may also enjoy reading: The timeless elegance of Japan: admire geisha in Kyoto

The best artists, so close you can feel them

Credit: @fundacionflamencoheeren on Instagram

As a grand finale, guests are treated to a thrilling and intimate performance, featuring the very best dancers and musicians. “For our show we have the best flamenco artists you will find” enthuses Alexandra. “As the director of the theater, I only select top professionals. Some of them are very young but are dancing with big companies. It’s really important for me that these are the very best.

“Our theatre is very intimate, and the proximity to the performers takes the appreciation of flamenco to a whole new level. When you go into a big flamenco theatre it’s wonderful, but something gets lost. In my theatre you’re right in amongst it, you can really feel the dancers, the singing and the guitarist. It makes a big difference to the experience.

The school’s performances are renowned amongst locals as well as visitors, a testament to the quality.  “I have one dancer and there’s huge crowd that love her,” Alexandra says. “So, they come all the time and see her because they say it’s amazing that to be able to see her up close and really enjoy her dance. You can see how she breathes and how she moves each single finger. It’s this proximity that makes it very special.”

Read next: Meet Michelin-star chef Vicent Guimerà of Spain’s L’Antic Molí restaurant

We MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®

Chosen with great care for their positive impact on our planet its people and wildlife, our MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences are aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This experience directly advances UN SDGs 4: Quality Education and 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. The school enables students access to cultural education, safeguarding the traditional flamenco dance and Spain’s cultural heritage.

The Cristina Heeren Foundation is also a recipient of a grant from our TreadRight Foundation. Through this the school is able to support four students per year who will benefit from an extra year of study to really mature as dancers.

“We see some artists, some students that are very good, but they still need one more year to keep on specializing” Alexandra explains. “Through the grant we are able to develop them further, keeping even more talent in training for the future and preserving this elite art form for generations to come.”

You may also be interested to read: Connect With the Natural World Through These Exclusive Experiences

To embrace the passion of Spain for yourself, learn steps in a flamenco class and enjoy this memorable performance, take a look at Spain & Portugal in Style