Venice: Prosecco Hills Wineries Tour with Tastings and Lunch

The finest part of this day is the change of pace. You leave Venice by train, trade canals for vineyard-covered hills, then spend the day with small producers and a local family over an abundant meal. Two wineries offer different views of Prosecco, while the private van keeps the countryside easy to reach.

I like the intimate group size, capped at eight, and the generous food and wine. The family-owned Osteria, with homemade desserts and spiedo meat cooking near the fire, gives the day a personal touch. The main drawback is simple: at $202.78, this costs more than a large-group wine outing, and the roughly seven-hour schedule leaves little free time.

Key points at a glance

• Eight tastings at two wineries: You visit two local producers and taste four wines at each, with different styles and grape varieties on show.
• A family Osteria in the hills: Lunch follows family recipes and includes four courses, homemade desserts, and traditional meat cooked slowly near the fire.
• A small group of up to eight: The format allows more conversation with guides such as Carlo and Julia and less waiting around.
• Venice transport included: Train tickets from Santa Lucia to Conegliano and back are included, along with private van transport during the day.
• A full day beyond Venice: The tour combines vineyard views, wine-making lessons, local food, and rural scenery in one outing.
• A higher price with plenty included: The cost covers transport, two winery visits, eight tastings, and lunch, so the value improves if you want a complete day rather than a quick tasting.

Leaving Venice for Conegliano

The day begins with a train ride from Venice Santa Lucia to Conegliano, about 50 minutes each way. The experience itself starts at Conegliano train station, not in Venice, so you need to get on the right train using the tickets sent by email.

The morning train is scheduled for about 9am, and the return train leaves Conegliano at about 5pm. You receive the rail tickets and travel details by email the day before, after sending the full names of everyone in your party and one email address.

That arrangement is practical, but it requires a little attention. Check the email before leaving your hotel, arrive at Santa Lucia with time to spare, and make sure every name has been provided correctly. The train ride is short enough to feel easy, and it lets you reach the wine country without arranging a separate taxi or rental car.

Once you arrive in Conegliano, the guide takes over. A private van handles the rural portion of the day, which matters here because the wineries and Osteria are spread among the hills. You get the freedom of countryside stops without having to navigate narrow roads or decide who will drive after the tastings.

First winery: Prosecco with a view

The first winery sits in an area known for attractive hill views. This is the educational part of the outing, where you learn how Prosecco is made and how the wine fits into the local farming tradition.

You taste four wines at the winery. That gives you more than a single celebratory glass and helps you compare different bottles side by side. The exact wines can vary, but the visit is designed to show the range of Prosecco rather than treat it as one uniform drink.

The guide helps connect the tasting to the setting. Carlo, Julia, Sebastian, and Marco are among the guides associated with the experience, and the feedback about the guiding is consistently strong. Carlo is often described as funny and well informed, while Julia is noted for clear communication and a warm manner. You may not have a particular guide guaranteed, but the small group format should give you a chance to ask questions as you go.

I especially like that this is not just a tasting room stop. The hills give you a better sense of where the wine comes from, and the drive between stops adds useful context. You see the vines, the slopes, and the small-scale setting that a city tasting cannot provide.

Aperitivo among the vineyards

Before lunch, the group stops at the family-owned Osteria, set among the hills. The experience includes an aperitivo in front of the vineyards, with food and Prosecco before the main meal.

This pause is one of the day’s more relaxed moments. You are not rushing from one tasting to another. Instead, you can sit outside, take photographs, and enjoy the rural setting while the guide explains more about the area.

The quantity of food and wine is worth noting. This tour is not built around restrained sample portions. Tasting pours are followed by an aperitivo, wine with lunch, and more tasting later. If you prefer a very light food-and-drink schedule, this may feel excessive. If you enjoy long Italian meals and want a generous day out, it is part of the appeal.

A four-course lunch with the guide’s family

The lunch takes place at the guide’s family-owned Osteria. The meal uses traditional recipes from the guide’s grandmother, and the setting is intended to feel like a local country kitchen rather than a polished restaurant designed only for tour groups.

A signature detail is the spiedo meat, which cooks slowly near the fire. The meal is described as four courses, with homemade desserts prepared by the guide’s brother. Wine is also served during lunch, including Prosecco and red wine.

The exact menu can change, but you should expect a substantial meal rather than a quick plate between winery visits. Past meals have included local dishes, fresh pasta with Bolognese sauce, ribs, chicken, pork, and dessert. One particularly enthusiastic description also noted a long sequence of appetizers before the pasta and meat, so arrive hungry.

There is a practical point here: breakfast should be modest. You do not need to skip it entirely, but a large morning meal would leave little room for the lunch. The wine continues through the day, so drink at a comfortable pace and use the food to keep things balanced.

The family connection adds value beyond the menu. You meet the people behind the Osteria and see how food, wine, and family life fit together in the Veneto countryside. That personal element is hard to get from a standard bus tour.

Second winery: another side of Prosecco

The second winery offers a contrast to the first. It is a high-quality DOCG Prosecco producer run by friends of the family, with attention to old types of vines and traditional methods.

Again, you taste four wines. Visiting two producers is more useful than visiting one because it lets you compare approaches. One winery may focus on explaining the production process, while the second gives you a feel for a smaller producer working with older vine varieties and a strong sense of place.

The final tasting also comes with snacks or appetizers. By this stage, you have had the morning tasting, aperitivo, a large lunch, and another round of wine, so the day can feel very full. That is not a criticism of the tour’s generosity, but it is important when deciding if this suits you.

For people who already enjoy sparkling wine, this second stop may be the most rewarding part. You can ask more specific questions after the morning introduction and compare what you taste with the bottles from the first winery. If you find a favorite, the company can help arrange shipping. One participant reported ordering a case, with the wine still working out as good value despite international shipping.

What the small group changes

The group limit is eight people. That is a useful middle ground. You get the social feel of a shared outing, but you avoid the size and noise of a large coach group.

A small group also gives the guide room to adjust the conversation. You can ask about the wine, the countryside, the food, or the family business without waiting for a crowd to settle. Several guides are described as entertaining, patient, and easy to talk with, qualities that matter on a seven-hour day.

The van travel is another advantage. The hills are not as simple to cover by public transport, and a private vehicle connects the train station with the wineries and Osteria. You can focus on the views instead of road directions.

The tradeoff is that you follow a set day. This is not a flexible private tour where you choose every winery or linger for as long as you wish. The scheduled train times also shape the beginning and end of your outing.

Price and overall value at $202.78

At $202.78 per person, this is not the cheapest way to taste Prosecco. The price makes more sense when you count what it includes:

• Round-trip train tickets between Venice and Conegliano
• Private van transport for the countryside portion
• Two winery visits
• Four tastings at each winery
• A four-course lunch at the family Osteria
• An English-speaking guide
• A small group of no more than eight people

A cheaper tour may offer transportation and one tasting, but it may not include a full lunch or such a small group. You are paying for a complete day with logistics handled, not just for the wine itself.

I see the value most clearly for visitors based in Venice who want to reach the Prosecco Hills without renting a car. The included train tickets remove the biggest transport worry, while the van makes the rural stops possible. The cost is harder to justify if you only want one or two glasses of wine or if you are already planning an independent stay in Conegliano.

The strong rating of 5 from 80 reviews supports the idea that the experience delivers well on its main promises. The most praised features are the guides, the scenery, the large family meal, and the amount of wine and food included. Carlo receives repeated praise for his humor and local knowledge, but guide assignments can vary.

Who should book this day?

I would recommend this tour to you if you want a relaxed countryside day with food at its center. It suits couples, friends, and small groups who enjoy learning a little about wine but do not want a formal technical seminar.

It is also a good choice if you are staying in Venice and want to see more of Veneto without spending a night outside the city. The train trip is straightforward, and the private van covers the parts that would be awkward to reach on your own.

You should think twice if you dislike long meals, drink very little, or want plenty of independent time. The itinerary is full, with two tastings, an aperitivo, lunch, and another tasting. It is also less suited to anyone looking for a short half-day excursion.

The experience is conducted in English and is limited to eight participants. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the activity, and you can reserve now and pay later, which helps if your Venice schedule is still changing.

My verdict on the Prosecco Hills day

Book it if you want the Prosecco Hills presented as a complete local experience, not just a sequence of tasting rooms. The combination of two contrasting wineries, a family-run Osteria, a big traditional lunch, and an English-speaking guide gives the day real substance.

The price is on the high side, but the included transport, food, tastings, and small group make it reasonable for a full day from Venice. The clearest warning is the amount of food and wine. This is a generous outing, not a light sampling trip.

For me, the strongest reason to choose it is the family connection. You get the vineyards and the wine-making lesson, but you also get a meal tied to a local household and the chance to see a part of Veneto that most Venice day visitors miss.

FAQ

Where does the experience start?

The tour starts at Conegliano train station. The train tickets from Venice are included, but the tour itself does not begin at Santa Lucia station.

Are train tickets from Venice included?

Yes. Round-trip train tickets between Venice Santa Lucia and Conegliano are included in the price.

How long is the train ride?

The train ride takes about 50 minutes each way.

What time is the morning train from Venice?

The train from Santa Lucia is scheduled for about 9am. Exact travel information is sent by email before the experience.

What time does the return train leave Conegliano?

The return train is scheduled for about 5pm from Conegliano.

How many wineries do you visit?

You visit two local wineries in the Prosecco Hills.

How many wines do you taste?

You taste four wines at each winery, for eight tastings in total.

Is lunch included?

Yes. A four-course lunch at a family-owned Osteria is included.

What language is the tour conducted in?

The tour is conducted in English with a live English-speaking guide.

How large is the group?

The group is limited to eight participants.

Can I cancel the booking?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.

Do I have to pay when I book?

No. The reserve-now, pay-later option lets you hold a place without paying immediately.