Gourmet England: Foodie Treasures of London
Sep
10
to Sep 15

Gourmet England: Foodie Treasures of London

CLICK HERE FOR THE BOOKING FORM

TRAVEL TO LONDON WITH ANNE & LILI, SEPTEMBER 10-15, 2025
ALL INQUIRIES, TRIP BOOKING AND PAYMENT ARE HANDLED THROUGH
INSIDER'S TRAVEL. TRIP RESERVATIONS ARE AVAILABLE NOW - USE THIS BOOKING FORM TO SECURE YOU SPOT! 

Join us in London for an East End food tour, gin making class, sommelier-led honey and wine tasting, market shopping, historic tours and theater! Read on for the day-by-day plan. It's packed with delicious food and history - plus free time to explore on your own. Join us!

Insider's Travel has put together a culinary tour of London specifically with Red Stick Spice Company in mind. Join us to enjoy a culinary introduction to London and its mix of flavors from all over the world. London’s food scene is a vibrant mix of history, culture, and cutting-edge creativity. From bustling markets and cozy pubs to innovative restaurants and quaint tea rooms, every corner of this city offers a taste of something unique and unforgettable. There will be opportunities to explore some of London’s iconic neighborhoods, seeing landmarks and hidden gems along the way. Our adventure culminates with an exclusive, once-in-a-lifetime experience: a private visit to the Tower of London. Imagine the thrill of exploring this historic fortress without the usual crowds as we enjoy a private view of the Crown Jewels!

Day 1. Wednesday, September 10, 2025
Arrival Day Restaurant Tour
Accompanied by an expert guide we will visit some of the most interesting restaurants near Treehouse Hotel. We will hop from one to another as we have a dish in each, fueling you after your long flight. The perfect way to blow away the cobwebs and start your culinary journey in London. Insider's Travel has hand-picked some favorite restaurants and the dishes that have made our mouth water: from tangy starters to creative mains and unctuous desserts, we will have you feeling right as rain as we discover London together on foot and start to unwrap the city's culinary delights.

Day 2. Thursday, September 11                 
Royal Warrant Tour and Afternoon Tea
This morning we embark on a Royal Warrant Tour for an insider look at some of the businesses and institutions who have received the Royal stamp of approval and supply the Royal household. We will look at their incredible history and the craftsmanship that makes them so special. Stops may include a cheesemonger, chocolatier, bootmaker, hosier, perfumery and wander the Burlington Arcade to meet the smallest private police force. The tour ends with Traditional British Afternoon Tea. The evening is yours to explore on your own.

Day 3. Friday, September 12                 
East End Food Tour & Gin Making Class
Get ready to explore one of London’s most vibrant and dynamic neighborhoods, a true haven for food lovers. Here, every bite tells a story, and your expert guide will reveal the captivating history that has shaped the area’s unique culinary scene. As we stroll through our favourite spots, we’ll tailor the experience to your tastes, with the option to make multiple stops dedicated to the flavours of Indian cuisine. For an even closer look, we may break into smaller groups — allowing you to savour every dish at your own pace.

At the end of tour, we will nip on the overground to our next stop to learn about Gin at the 58 & Co Gin School. Gin in London dates back to the 17th Century whenit was introduced from the Netherlands. In recent years, gin has experienced a surge in popularity. London, with its entrepreneurial spirit and appreciation for artisanal beverages, saw a boom in distilleries producing unique and small-batch gins, and you will have the opportunity to craft and distill your very own gin recipe.

Day 4. Saturday, September 13             
A Day on Your Own + Optional Theater Show
Arriving at the weekend, you will now have a good grasp on the city, so today is an opportunity to explore a little independently. Perhaps you will head to one of markets such as Portobello Road, Spitalfields or explore food markets, or discover sites such as Westminster Abbey and the National Gallery. We will provide you with a wealth of suggestions, including recommendations to join small group cooking classes and tours across the city. The evening will include an optional night at the theater.  

Day 5. Sunday, September 14
Tower of London, Honey Tasting, Dinner at Gunpowder

Private morning visit to the Tower of London, with an exclusive viewing of the Crown Jewels: this will be a one-in-a-lifetime visit to the Tower before it opens to the public. Learn about Traitors Gateand the Execution Site and admire the beautiful Crown Jewels all on our own. The tour will be led by a Beefeater. The Tower opens to the public from 10am and you are welcome to stay as long as you like to explore the exhibitions in the White Tower

Independent lunch and afternoon, you may like to head to our finale venue a little early and explore Borough Market We gather in a lovely wine shop for a private tasting with our honey sommelier: we have been beekeeping in the UK since pre-Roman times, and today there are almost 38,000 beekeepers; there is barely a weekend market that does not feature a honey stall. We will learn all about how humans have had a long history of honey consumption, how different types of honey are produced and extracted; along with enjoying tastings of delicious honey samples, accompanied by a nice selection of wines.

We take a stroll through the local streets and finish at our finale sit down dinner all together at Indian restaurant, Gunpowder.

Day 6. Monday, September 15                   
Departures
Meet your driver in front of your accommodation and depart by private transfer to the airport. Transportation to the airport is included.

PRICING WITHOUT ACCOMMODATIONS: $3,249 USD per person

Accommodations:
Accommodations are not included in the tour price. Rooms are being held at the Four Star Treehouse Hotel, located in Marylebone a short walk from Oxford Circus and the buzzy neighborhood of Soho. The hotel takes over the top 7 floors of an office block which allows every room, and the two restaurants to have splendid views across the city. The rooms are decorated in industrial chic with British-patterned textiles making for a cozy stay. Bathrooms are a comfortable size with walk in showers and eco-friendly amenities. Lookout King Rooms are being held which include king size beds. There are also twin rooms with two double beds (subject to availability). 

Lookout King Room: $1,249 USD per person. Based on 5 nights, 2 guests sharing a room. Breakfast Included.

Single Occupancy Room: $2,420 USD per person. Based on 5 nights, 1 guest. Breakfast included.

Whether choosing your own accommodations or choosing The Treehouse Hotel, accommodations are in addition to the $3,249 trip price. 

Guests are welcome to book their own accommodations as all meeting points will be clearly provided in advance. You can contact Carly directly on Carly@insiderstravel.io and she will be happy to discuss your requirements and provide suggestions. 

$3,249 TRIP PRICING ALSO INCLUDES:

  • Return private airport transfer via London Airport and centrally located accommodation

  • Welcome restaurant hopthrough Marylebone and/or Soho with all food and drink included

  • Royal Warrants walking tour with all tastings included

  • A Traditional Afternoon Tea with all food & drink included

  • A bespoke East End food tour with all food & drink included

  • A private Gin making experience with take-away bottle of your own crafted gin·

  • Private morning visit to the Tower of London

  • Budget for a night at the theatre

  • Finale evening with honey tasting workshop, complimented with wine, followed by a sit-down finale dinner. All food & drink included·    

  • Full Support from Insider’s Travel including personalised electronic itinerary booklets, sightseeing notes, restaurant bookings and an emergency contact number

  • Price EXCLUDES:

  • International flights

  • Visas (as required)

  • Accommodations

  • Meals not specified as included

  • Tips

  • Any personal expenditure

  • How to Book
    For booking, please contact Carly at Insider’s Travel directly on +44(0)7711071665 or by email carly@insiderstravel.io. Secure your spot by completing this booking form. The tour will be sold on a first come first serve basis. 

    Payment

    Payments are accepted by bank transfer.

    TERMS & CONDITIONS

    Tour Numbers
    Tours are subject to a minimum number of participants. While we endeavour to run all tours, if the tour cannot go ahead due to insufficient numbers, or due to other factors beyond our control, then your deposit will be refunded. Please see our booking form for our full terms and conditions. 




 

 

 

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Gourmet Madrid: Culinary Trip To Spain
Oct
1
to Oct 6

Gourmet Madrid: Culinary Trip To Spain

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Spain

TRAVEL TO MADRID WITH ANNE & LILI, OCTOBER 1-6, 2024
ALL INQUIRIES, TRIP BOOKING AND PAYMENT IS HANDLED THROUGH
IINSIDER'S TRAVEL.
CONTACT INSIDER'S TRAVEL TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO JOIN US ON THIS FABULOUS CULINARY TOUR
PRICE: $2,839 USD PER PERSON

JOIN US IN MADRID FOR COOKING CLASSES, MARKET SHOPPING, PAELLA MAKING, TAPAS HOPPING, WINERY TOURS AND FLAMENCO! ANNE AND LILI LOVE EXPLORING MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE IN COOKING CLASSES IN THE TEACHING KITCHEN. NOW, IT'S TIME TO MAKE THOSE DELICIOUS DISHES IN THEIR HOME - MADRID! READ ON FOR THE DAY-BY-DAY PLAN. IT'S PACKED WITH DELICIOUS FOOD AND LEARNING - PLUS FREE TIME TO EXPLORE ON YOUR OWN. JOIN US!

All tour activities will begin each day from the Four Star Pestana Plaza Mayor Hotel located on Madrid’s most square in heart of the city. Surrounded by shops, restaurants and bars, a five-night stay the Pestana Plaza Mayor Hotel is an optional, add-on for the trip. Facilities include a spa, fitness centre, rooftop pool (subject to weather) and a restaurant with courtyard garden.

 

Superior and Premium rooms for the October 2024 trip will be held and available to book via Insider’s Travel. Upgrades and extensions can be requested and will be subject to availability.

 Day 1. Sunday, October 1, 2024

Arrival & Welcome Tapas Bar Hop

Tapas: a delightful cultural and culinary journey through Madrid. We will visit authentic restaurants - favorites of locals. We'll try cecina from Castile and Leon, Mozarabic dishes from Andalucia like cason en adobo. We will learn the history and cultural significance of various tapas and paired Spanish wines. Tapas bar hopping is a very social affair and this will be a lovely intro to the city and its food. All food and drink included.

Day 2. Monday, October 2                

Tapas Cooking Class + Olive Oil Tasting

We will meet Gabriela Llamas, a well-known chef, food writer and instructor for the week in her beautiful studio around the corner from the Royal Palace.

 

We will start the day with a Sommelier-led Spanish Olive Oil tasting. Olive Oil is a significant part of Spanish culture and cuisine, with a long 3000-year history. The Spanish use it in absolutely everything, from morning till night, so we start this first day learning when to use which oils.

 

In this cooking class, we will prepare a selection of classic tapas dishes taking influence from regions across Spain. For example Coca, a traditional Mallorcan vegetable pie, potato omelettes, Shrimp al ajillo, Marinated cecina, Stuffed piquillo peppers with cheese, and Matrimony tapa.

 The class will end in the afternoon as we gather together at the table to enjoy the tapas lunch with a selection of wines, cheese and accompaniments, such as quince paste & apricot jam. All food and drink included.

The remainder of the day and evening is yours for exploring. Insider's Travel can arrange a wonderful selection of optional activities for free time in the city.

 Day 3. Tuesday, October 3                 

Paella Cooking Class + Market Tour

The day starts early as we head to market! Gabriela will accompany us on a visit to a local Spanish fresh food market where we will pick out our ingredients for the day. Plus, we will learn about how markets are used in modern day Spanish culture.

 Back at the studio, we will make Paella! This dish is known internationally for its link to Spain, but there are a wide variety of Paella dishes and they all tell the story of the dish and the country. Originating from Valencia, Paella is a piece of Mediterranean heritage: a well-balanced combination of Spanish, Roman and Arab cultures.

 While the Paella bubbles away, we will make dishes such as Hake in Green Sauce or Chicken Pepitoria. Flourless chocolate cake will round out the meal.

 The class will end in the afternoon as we gather together for lunch eating paella and other dishes prepared during the class along with a selection of wines. All food and drink included.  

 Day three ends with a guided visit to the Prado Museum with a highlights tour of the Prado focusing on Velázquez, Titian and Goya. The evening is yours to explore on your own.     

Day 4. Wednesday, October 4            

Ribera del Duero Winery Tour, Barrel Tasting and Cave Tour

We will depart together at 10am with our expert wine guide - transport included - for an exploration of Madrid's beautiful wine region. We begin this morning at an internationally awarded winery for a full tour and tasting direct from the barrel. This will be particularly special tasting their high-end wines. Here we will stay for a traditional lunch with the owner dining on milk-fed lamb. All food & drink included.

 

In the afternoon, we will travel back in time to a winery led by a true pioneer in Spanish winemaking - the founder of the Ribera del Duero appellation created in 1982. We will enjoy a private tour through the magnificent, 16th century underground tunnels, used as a cellar to age these excellent wines made exclusively with the Tempranillo grape variety. The vineyards around the winery and town, over 32 hectares, are also owned by the family. After your visit, you will taste 4 of the winery's top wines.

 We will arrive back in Madrid at 7:30pm and the evening is free and yours for exploring. 

Day 5. Thursday, October 5              

Cocido Madrileño Cooking Class, Farewell Evening & Flamenco!

Our final morning cooking class with Gabriela, we will make Cocido Madrileño:a rich, fragrant stew especially identified with Spain’s capital city: Madrid. The nationally celebrated meal dates back to at least the Middle Ages and makes thorough use of the bounty of the vast agricultural plateau that surrounds this city.

 Gabriela says, “Every country has its own pot-au-feu, a big pot where you put everything in and let it boil. Cocido is Spain’s pot-au-feu.”

 The dish is derived from adafina, the long-cooking dish of chickpeas, garlic, meats, and seasoned stock prepared by Spain’s Sephardic Jews. In addition, we will cook veal or fish in a salt crust. For dessert, Santiago Almond cake with fruit and sorbet

 At the end of the cooking class, we will gather around the table and enjoy our last lunch together, delighting in your own hearty stews and wine to accompany. All food and drink included.

Day 6. Friday, October 6                     
Departures
Meet your driver in front of your accommodation and depart by private transfer to Madrid airport. Transportation to the airport is included.

$2,839 USD per person. Price includes: 

  • Return private airport transfer via Madrid Airport and centrally located accommodation

  • Three mornings of private cooking classes with Gabriela Llamas including refreshments and all good quality ingredients

  • Three private lunches with Gabriela Llamas including all food and drink

  • A private olive oil tasting lesson with expert

  • Market visit with Gabriela Llamas

  • Guided tour of the Prado Museum

  • Private evening welcome tapas walking tour including all food and drink

  • Full day excursion to Ribera del Duero with a wine expert, including mini-coach, two special winery visits and a traditional lunch (all food, drink and wine included)

  • Finale evening with Tapas dinnerFlamenco expert and best tickets to a traditional Flamenco show(all food and drink included)

  • Full Support from Insider’s Travel including personalised electronic itinerary booklets, sightseeing notes, restaurant bookings and an emergency contact number

  • Accommodations:

    • Accommodations in Madrid may be arranged by guests.

      PRICING WITH ACCOMMODATIONS: $2,839 USD per person PLUS Superior or Premium Room (or choose your own accommodations):

      ·       Superior Plaza Mayor Room: $838 USD per person. Based on 2 guests sharing a twin/double room. Single Supplement: $826 USD.

      ·       Premium Plaza Mayor Room: $922 USD per person. Based on 2 guests sharing a double room. Single Supplement: $910 USD.

       WHETHER CHOOSING YOUR OWN ACCOMMOATIONS OR CHOOSING THE PESTANA PLAZA MAYOR HOTEL, ACCOMMODATIONS ARE IN ADDITION TO THE $2,839 TRIP PRICE. ALL TOUR ACTIVITIES COMMENCE EACH MORNING FROM THE PESTANA PLAZA MAYOR HOTEL - THIS IS THE MEETING PLACE FOR ALL TOUR ACTIVITIES. FOR ALTERNATIVE HOTEL SUGGESTIONS AND INFORMATION ON MADRID PLEASE CLICK HERE.

      Superior Plaza Mayor Rooms: Rooms are 21sqm and can either be queen or twin-size bed, with a balcony facing the Plaza Mayor Square. Please note the bathroom is semi-private as shown in the diagram below, whereby the shower and toilet have their own door, and then the bathroom area is separated by a screen but itself does not have a door. Upgraded room prices available on request and subject to room availability.

      Premium Plaza Mayor Rooms: Rooms are 23sqm with queen sized bed, and two small balconies overlooking the Plaza Mayor Square. Please note the bathroom is semi-private as shown in the diagram below, whereby the shower and toilet have their own door, and then the bathroom area is separated by a partial wall but itself does not have a door. Upgraded room prices available on request and subject to room availability.

       

      Guests are welcome to book their own accommodations as all meeting points will be clearly provided in advance. You can find some further accommodation suggestions here or you can contact Carly directly on Carly@insiderstravel.io and she will be happy to discuss your requirements and provide suggestions.

    • All tour activities commence each morning from the Pestana Plaza Mayor Hotel - this is the meeting place for all tour activities. 

    • For alternative hotel suggestions and information on Madrid please click here.

Price EXCLUDES:

  • International flights

  • Visas (as required)

  • Accommodations

  • Meals not specified as included

  • Tips

  • Any personal expenditure

How to Book
For enquiries and any questions please contact Carly at Insider’s Travel directly on +44(0)7711071665 or by email carly@insiderstravel.ioBookings for the tour will go live at the end of October 2023. 

Payment

Payments are accepted by bank transfer.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

Tour Numbers
Tours are subject to a minimum number of participants. While we endeavour to run all tours, if the tour cannot go ahead due to insufficient numbers, or due to other factors beyond our control, then your deposit will be refunded. Please see our booking form for our full terms and conditions. 

 

  

 

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