WORLDWIDE CULTURAL AND CULINARY VACATIONS
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Grand Victoria Culinary Retreat

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Priced From
$1,298 USD *
(For One Person, Double Occupancy)
* Plus taxes. Tours sold on an availability basis.
4 days | 3 nights

Awaken Your Senses
with Gourmet Delights and Historical Traditions

Come experience the splendor of British Columbia's capital city. Cascading with flowers and laced with British propriety, Victoria offers endless attractions and exceeding beauty. Surround yourself with the glorious spectrum of colors in Butchart Gardens, enjoy a vanilla-and-fresh-strawberry "Canada Cone" as you stroll along the causeway, or revel in the splendor of the Olympic Mountains from the beach. Steeped in history, Victoria's vibrant past lends itself to colorful stories, time-honored traditions, and many historic sites including Craigdarroch Castle, Emily Carr's cozy childhood home, and Canada's oldest West Coast lighthouse on Fort Rodd Hill. In the quaint and unique Oak Bay, wander through many specialty shops presenting an array of tea, chocolate, antiques, art, china, books, and the world's tiniest store. Due to its mild Mediterranean-like climate, Southern Vancouver Island produces an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables as well as plant species (palms, eucalyptus, bananas) rarely found elsewhere in Canada. The region’s vast range in cooking styles has been inspired by traditional French and Italian techniques, by the flavors of Asian cooking, and by Native American methods, such as baking salmon on a cedar plank. This Victoria culinary retreat, while enhancing your cooking skills, will give you memories that won't soon be forgotten.
Itinerary Accommodations Map FAQ
VACATION HIGHLIGHTS
Please note: Tour inclusions can change depending upon seasonality and weather conditions.
Deluxe Hotel Accommodations
Hands-On Cooking Class with Chefs
Dinner or Lunch After Instruction
Grand Tour of Butchart Gardens
Knife & Fort Culinary Tour
Afternoon Tea at Fairmont Empress
While our tours are designed as soft adventure experiences, walking, climbing stairs, and in rare cases mild hiking may be required. If you have mobility issues, you should speak with one of our culinary travel specialists to determine if this tour is appropriate for your situation.
AVAILABLE DATES
Year-Round Based on Your Availability
SAMPLE ITINERARY
Please note: Actual itineraries are subject to change due to seasonality.
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Day 1
Arrival and Check-Inn
Situated in the heart of Victoria, Hotel Grand Pacific offers a unique blend of service and style inspired by warm and welcoming hospitality. The hotel is uniquely positioned to afford you easy access by foot to Victoria's tourist sites and international shopping.
Day 2
Knife & Fort Culinary Tour
Explore areas of Victoria that other tour companies do not. You will truly be taken off the beaten path to some of the city’s most delicious hidden gems. All of the tour stops are small Victoria-based businesses serving amazing food and beverages. Go where the locals go to get a good meal in their own neighborhoods away from the tourist centers. You will have a good time sharing a meal and having a drink! This tour is a fun and energetic experience where you will meet fellow food lovers, explore a new neighborhood, and get insider tips on the Victoria culinary scene.
Cooking Class with Gourmet Dinner or Lunch
The London Chef welcomes you to their kitchen that is designed to look and feel like you are cooking in your own home. Tailor-made to suit your needs, your private cooking class offers you a choice of styles and cuisines from classical French to rustic Mediterranean dishes, from refreshing Thai and Japanese to hearty Italian creations. After your cooking class is finished, you will move to the comfortable Dining Room to relax and enjoy your creations. The centerpiece of the Dining Room is a table built of five-hundred-year-old reclaimed fir, seating eighteen people and perfect for European-style communal dining.
Day 3
The Butchart Gardens Grand Tour
The Butchart Gardens dates back to 1904 when Jennie Butchart began to revitalize a former quarry site into its current magnificent landscape. Today, as one of Victoria's most famous and popular attractions, travelers from around the world visit the Butchart Gardens to stroll along intimate stone paths and streams lined with colorful arrays of flowers and trees. The Gardens maintain a year-round appeal by adjusting the floral displays to each the seasons. No matter the season of your cooking vacation, you will find dining at the Butchart Gardens as outstanding as the floral displays, whether in the convenient coffee shop, the Blue Poppy Restaurant, or the Dining Room Restaurant in the former Butchart family residence.
Afternoon Tea at Historical Fairmont Empress Hotel
Partake in Victoria's grandest tradition, Afternoon Tea in the majestic Tea Lobby of the Fairmont Empress Hotel. Preserving England's most beloved ritual for over a century, this landmark hotel has played host to famed celebrities, dignitaries and royalty alike. Antique tapestries, vintage furnishings, and soft enchanting piano music create an elegant atmosphere enhanced by the picturesque backdrop of the Inner Harbor. While you sip the Empress Hotel’s signature blend of tea, you will indulge in an elegant feast of fresh seasonal berries and cream, dainty finger sandwiches, and a tempting array of house-made pastries. Steeped in tradition, Afternoon Tea at the Empress is the epitome of Victorian class.
Day 4
Check-Out and Departure
Time flies when you’re having so much fun, but alas…it is time to check out and depart this delicious, “Edible Destination.” Should you desire an extended stay, please let your culinary travel specialist know prior to check-in. May your future travels come from sweet dreams, and create tasty memories!
Victoria, Canada
Winner
OUTSTANDING
CULINARY TRAVEL
Category
Member of ASTA Member of ATTA Member of GSTC