Trieste, Italy

This tour matchmakes a city drive with a trip to the fairytale Miramare Castle. First off, you’ll explore the palace-peppered streets and canals of Trieste from the comfort of the coach. At Trieste Cathedral, you’ll get the chance to hop out and have a peek inside. Byzantine mosaics glitter on its domes and iron chandeliers dangle from the cavernous ceiling. After a half-hour or so, we’ll drive on to Miramare Castle. Overlooking the sea, it was once the 19th-century home of Archduke Maximilian of Hasburg, who later became Emperor of Mexico. Highlights include Maximilian’s chambers, the throne room and the music room, plus the surrounding flower-filled gardens.

This day out pairs a sightseeing tour of Trieste with a taste of the olive oil and wine produced in the area. From the port, you’ll take a short stroll into the heart of Trieste, through the cobbled, café-lined squares this part of Italy does best. After you’ve got a feel for the city’s piazzas and cathedrals, you’ll hop onboard a bus for a drive through the Carso district. This region of picturesque highland extends across the border into Slovenia, and is separated from the sea by huge white cliffs. Thanks to its position on the globe, the area has a microclimate that lets plant and animal life thrive, creating a lovely contrast to the ruggedness of its coastline. Later on, you’ll visit a nearby factory that uses locally-sourced produce to bottle their own wines and olive oils, which you’ll get to sample alongside some tasty breads and cheeses.