5 Train Experiences Worth Booking

1.Montserrat & Cogwheel Train, Gourmet Wine Tasting & Tapas/Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6,290 reviews · 7 to 8 hours (approx.) · from $81Our pick

Travel from Barcelona to Montserrat by air-conditioned bus and cogwheel train, tour the monastery and Basilica with an English-speaking guide, then choose wine tasting with tapas or a full lunch at a historic castle winery. Guides such as Thais, Toni, Mariana, and Laia are known for lively storytelling and clear organization.

“From start to finish, this experience was enjoyable, interesting and very well organized. On the bus ride to the mountain, one of the tour staff provided a brief history of Spain, Catalonia and Barcelona, during which we learned a lot and also laughed a bit. When we arrived in Montserrat and split into tour groups, we found our tour guide Mariana to be knowledgeable and charming. The history and culture of Montserrat is fascinating and the Basílica was so beautiful and full of historical significance. The visit to the winery and wine tasting was the perfect end to the experience. Mariana wowed us again with her knowledge of wine and…”

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2.Magic Train Tour and Port Wine Cellar with Tastings

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 730 reviews · 2 hours · from $24Best value

Meet at Porto Cathedral for a tourist-train circuit through the old center, with audio commentary in five languages. At Real Companhia Velha, founded in 1756, tour the oldest cellar area, watch a 15-minute film, and taste two Port wines. A Portuguese buffet lunch is available as an upgrade.

“A nice trip round Porto along with the wine cellars and port tasting a well worth trip”

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3.Montserrat with Winery, Lunch, and Train Options

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 525 reviews · 5 - 9 hours · from $63

Travel from Barcelona to Montserrat for a guided monastery visit, mountain views, and free time. Choose a shorter morning trip or add the cogwheel train, Catalan lunch, tapas, and wine tasting at Oller del Mas, a 10th-century castle winery. Guides such as Lesly, Laia, Elena, and Xavi have been praised for clear storytelling and good humor.

“Wow!! What a tour!! Laia was absolutely amazing as our tour guide!! Very knowledgeable and professional 😃 Montserrat was absolutely spectacular, so much history. And you gotta try the cheeses and produce from the local farmers!! The lunch was so good as well, everything was so fresh!! And let’s talk about the wine tour itself… I mean, who doesn’t like some amazing natural and organic wine! It was a great tour for our entire family 👍🏻”

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4.Pompeii Tour with Wine and Lunch by High Speed Train

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 485 reviews · from $239

Travel from Rome to Pompeii by high-speed train, private shuttle, and an English-speaking guide. Explore the ruins for 2.5 hours, then taste four Vesuvian wines over a farm-to-table lunch. Guides including Antonio, Felicia, Vincenzo, and Ida have earned praise for their warm, lively storytelling.

“Really great day trip! Taking the train was the way to go as it was so fast. The guide did a great job avoiding crowding. Did leave a few ppl behind a two times tho so maybe more stopping and head-counting is needed when doing long stretches of walking, espeically across roads and by exits. The lunch was fantastic! Great location and wine.”

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5.Régua: Wine tasting at a Quinta, traditional lunch, cruise, and train ride

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 79 reviews

Start in Régua with five Douro and Porto wines at the century-old Coimbra de Mattos estate. Then visit São Leonardo de Galafura, eat a generous traditional lunch at Quinta da Laceira, cruise to Pinhão, and return by train. Guides may include João or Katya, with Portuguese and English provided.

“The visite to the winery and the diner was amazing. However, we were left alone at Regua for the boat trip and it was an underwhelming experience. Not a a lot of explanation during the boat trip. The boat arrive 1/2h late and we missed the train back to Regua. We had to wait 2h for the next train. In theory our ticket was not valide by the ticket inspector was generous and let us go without have to buy another set of tickets. When we book a tour, we expect a fully guided experience. If it’s not the case, we will do it on our own for much less.”

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