Best Castle Workshops and Classes - Our Top 4

1.Château du Bois-Huaut: Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting Class

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 53 reviews · 2 hours · from $38Our pick

At Château du Bois-Huaut in Gorges, just outside Nantes, you will stroll through the vineyard, tour the cellars, and taste eight wines in a French-led workshop. Luis and other members of this four-generation family explain grape varieties, aromas, winemaking, and barrel aging. You also receive one bottle per person.

“What a lovely vineyard to visit! Our tour guide was the 5th generation of families to have worked the vine and her knowledge was excellent. But not as good as the wine! Welcoming and wonderful - well worth a visit!”

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2.Learn Zen in a class of making Matcha tea near Osaka Castle

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 17 reviews · 1 hour · from $40

At Bushi no Homare in Osaka, you change into kimono or hakama, learn matcha etiquette, taste wagashi, and prepare tea for one another. English-speaking staff explain the history and meaning behind each gesture, while a photographer takes ceremony photos and emails the images to you. The one-hour class costs $40 and accepts up to six people.

“The experience was really great. They dressed us up and took wonderful photos throughout the ceremony. Kaori explained us many things to help us understand the historical and cultural context. She also showed us the preparation process step by step and everything it entails. Highly recommended.”

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3.Blending workshop and tour of the chateau

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 12 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $46Top rated

At Château Sainte-Barbe near Bordeaux, an English-speaking guide leads you through the estate before a hands-on blending workshop. You taste and combine wines to create your own blend, then bottle and personalize it to take home. The private, two-hour visit costs $46.96 per person and returns to the château.

“The tour was brilliant, our guide was incredible and the wine mixing was great fun! A really great experience that I would recommend to anyone!”

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4.Matsumoto Castle Tour & Soba Noodle Making Workshop

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 10 reviews · 3 hours · from $92

Meet your English-speaking guide outside Matsumoto Castle for a 90-minute castle visit, then learn to make soba from scratch with an experienced soba master. You will use traditional tools, cut the noodles yourself, and eat them with an extra dish. Guide Tom is praised for his clear explanations and local stories, though guide assignment can vary.

“Castle is the oldest original castle in Japan and a must see with a guide that speaks fluent English and Japanese, noodle making was very good and I could tell the chef had been doing it for years, he helped me with each step. Got to eat afterwards accompanied by a dish made by the cafe downstairs for free, very tasty!!”

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