Prosecco Hills days feel like a cheat code. This tour gets you into the vines around Conegliano with a great local guide, then lands you at a family-owned Osteria for an old-school meal in the hills. I especially like that you get serious tasting time at two wineries, not just a quick stop. One catch: the experience starts from Conegliano, so you’ll need to plan for the early train out of Venice (about 9am from Santa Lucia).

What really sells me here is the pacing and the small group size, limited to 8 people, so questions actually get answered. Guides such as Carlo and Julia (plus others like Sebastian) bring personality to the wine lessons, and the tastings are the main event with 4 tastings at each winery. If you prefer a low-wine day, this may feel like a lot, but that’s also why it’s so fun.

5 key things you’ll notice right away

• Train to Conegliano is included, plus private van transport while you’re in the hills
• Two wineries, four tastings each, so you can compare styles rather than sample blindly
• A family-run Osteria lunch with traditional recipes and slow-cooked spiedo near the fire
• DOCG Prosecco focus at the second stop, including ancient vine types and a high-quality estate
• English live guide + small group (up to 8) for a more personal feel

A Small-Group Prosecco Hills Day Trip from Venice

This is the kind of day trip that makes you rethink staying in Venice all day. You start with an easy train hop, then trade city crowds for countryside views, vineyards, and a lunch that feels like it belongs to the people who live there.

I love that it’s built around two wineries and one family Osteria, with wine tasting woven into the schedule before and after lunch. The small group size (capped at 8) is a big deal here, because it keeps the day conversational instead of rushed, and it helps the guide tailor explanations as you go.

The tour is also very value-shaped: you’re not paying just for scenery. You’re paying for structured tastings, a proper multi-course lunch, and transport that keeps you from having to coordinate buses or rides on your own.

Getting to Conegliano: Train First, Van Later

The logistics are simple, but you should know the rhythm. You begin at Stazione di Venezia Santa Lucia, then take the included train to Conegliano (about 50 minutes). Your train tickets are delivered to you by email the day before, so you don’t need to hunt down schedules or buy tickets last minute.

Once you reach Conegliano, you move around the hills by private van with your group. That matters because Prosecco wine country isn’t a flat stroll. A van lets you hit viewpoints and wineries efficiently, without wasting half the day on transfers.

From your timing perspective, plan for a full day. If you catch the about 9am departure from Santa Lucia, you’ll be back on the return train around 5pm from Conegliano. It’s not a quick half-day “sip and shop” outing.

Winery Stop One: Prosecco Secrets and Four Tastings

The first winery stop is where you get the basics in a way that actually sticks. You’ll visit a vineyard area with beautiful scenery, learn the secrets behind Prosecco production, and taste multiple pours.

What I like most is that this tasting isn’t just about naming bottles. The schedule is built for comparison, with four tastings at the first winery. That gives you a chance to notice differences in style, not just differences in label.

Also, the setting is part of the lesson. Vineyards in the Prosecco Hills are all about slopes and exposure, and seeing how the vines sit in the terrain helps your brain connect the wine to the land. Even if you’re not a wine geek, you’ll walk away with a clearer sense of what you liked and why.

Practical note: this is still a tasting day, so wear something comfortable. You’ll be outside, walking between viewpoints, and you’ll probably stand for some explanations.

Osteria in the Hills: Aperitivo, Birds, and Spiedo

After the morning winery, the day slows down in the best way. You head to a local Osteria tucked into the hills, where the vibe is rural and unforced.

Before lunch, you’ll do an aperitivo in front of the vineyards, with the atmosphere of a countryside afternoon. One detail I like in the tour description is the emphasis on quiet moments—listening to birds while you settle in. That’s a small thing, but it changes the whole feeling of the day.

Lunch happens at a family-owned spot, and the menu is described as traditional, cooked from grandma’s recipes. The standout cooking element is spiedo—meat slow-cooked near the fire—which makes lunch feel like an event, not just a meal you rush through between tastings.

This stop is also a payoff for people who like eating where locals eat. You’re not going for a polished restaurant experience. You’re going for food that’s tied to place.

Lunch That Feels Like Family: Four Courses and Homemade Desserts

This is not “one course and a roll.” Lunch is served as a four-course meal, and it’s paced like a real Italian countryside day.

Based on how the day is described, expect traditional dishes across multiple courses, plus wine that keeps the meal moving. Desserts are described as homemade by the guide’s family, made by the brother, and you’ll likely finish with something sweet enough to balance the earlier tasting.

If you like photographs, this is also your easiest “I want a memory of today” moment. The combination of the courtyard setting and the slow-food feel makes it simple to capture the day without forcing it.

One smart tip shows up in the day’s stories: if you want lunch to land at full strength, you might consider skipping breakfast. A lot of people will thank themselves later when the fourth course arrives.

Winery Stop Two: DOCG Prosecco and Ancient Vines

The second winery stop shifts the focus toward quality and specifics. Here, you meet friends running a high-quality DOCG Prosecco winery, and you’ll learn how they make wines using ancient types of vines.

This is a clever structure: you start with Prosecco fundamentals and tastings, then you return for another set of tastings in a different style context. With four tastings again, you can actually map what you learned in the morning to what you’re experiencing at the end of the day.

If the first winery taught you the general language of Prosecco, this second stop helps you hear the accent—the parts of the process and vine history that create character. Even if you don’t buy wine, it’s a satisfying ending because you leave with a clearer sense of what DOCG means in practical terms.

And yes, you’ll likely have the urge to bring some home. Many people also like that the tour can help you get wine shipped if you buy enough to make it worth the effort.

Tastings, Pace, and Views: What a 7-Hour Wine Day Really Means

This is a long-feeling day, but it doesn’t drag. The structure helps: train in, winery tasting, aperitivo and lunch, second tasting, then train back. It’s the kind of plan that keeps you from overthinking timing, which is half the problem on your own.

The pacing also matters for comfort. You’ll have multiple sitting moments during lunch and during winery explanations, and you’re not expected to sprint between stops. That said, it is still a tasting day, and you’ll spend enough time around wine that you should plan your own boundaries.

Here’s a realistic way to think about it:

• If you love Prosecco and want to compare styles, this day is built for you.
• If you’re a light drinker, you may still enjoy the food and scenery, but you might want to pace your tastes rather than sample everything quickly.

Views are part of the entertainment. You’ll get countryside scenery from vineyard areas and likely take plenty of photos at both the wineries and during aperitivo time. The hills feel photogenic because the day keeps moving to different vantage points.

Price and Value: Why It Costs More (and When It’s Worth It)

At $202.78 per person, this isn’t the cheapest way to do a Prosecco day trip from Venice. But it’s also not a vague “tour of the region” either.

What you get for the money is tightly bundled:

• Roundtrip train tickets from Venice to Conegliano (included)
• Full-day transport in a private van while you’re in the hills
• Two wineries, with 4 tastings at each (so 8 tastings total)
• A four-course lunch at a family-owned Osteria
• A live English guide and a small group (up to 8)

Compared to larger group tours, the value isn’t just comfort. It’s attention. A smaller group usually means more time to ask questions, better explanations, and less feeling like you’re part of a moving herd.

Cost can also be justified by the lunch alone. A traditional, multi-course meal with spiedo and homemade desserts is a big part of the experience, not an afterthought.

If you’re the type who wants to learn something specific—like how Prosecco production works, how DOCG fits in, and what vine heritage can mean—then the price feels more like a fair exchange than a splurge.

Who Should Book This Tour (and Who Might Skip It)

This is a great match if you want:

• A wine-focused day with real tasting time
• A traditional family lunch rather than a touristy lunch stop
• A small group and an English-speaking guide with energy and stories
• A Prosecco Hills experience that feels local around the edges, especially at the Osteria

It may be less ideal if:

• You want a quiet sightseeing-only day with no heavy tasting
• You hate early starts or don’t want to handle the Venice-to-Conegliano train

In general, I’d book it for couples, friends, and anyone who likes the mix of food + wine + countryside views, without needing to plan every step.

Should You Book Yellowboot’s Prosecco Hills Wineries Tour?

If your idea of a perfect day is vineyards, tastings, and a real Italian meal cooked like someone cares, I’d say yes. The tour’s strongest feature is how it combines two winery experiences with a family-owned Osteria that actually anchors the day.

Before you book, just think honestly about your pace. This is a full-day outing built around wine and lunch, so go in ready to enjoy it, not to treat it like a casual stroll. If that sounds like your kind of day, you’ll likely have a great time.

FAQ

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

The tour starts at Stazione di Venezia Santa Lucia in Venice, but the experience itself starts from Conegliano train station.

Are train tickets included?

Yes. Roundtrip train tickets from Venice to Conegliano are included in the price, and they’re sent to you by email the day before the tour.

How long is the experience?

The duration is 7 hours (starting times vary by availability).

What group size is this tour?

It’s a small group, limited to 8 participants.

Is there a live guide, and what language do they speak?

Yes, there is a live tour guide who speaks English.

How many wineries do you visit?

You visit 2 local wineries.

How many wine tastings are included?

You get 4 tastings at each winery, for a total of 8 tastings.

What do you eat for lunch?

Lunch is a four-course meal at a family-owned Osteria, using traditional recipes, with spiedo cooked slowly near the fire, and homemade desserts.

How do you get around once you’re in the hills?

You travel using full-day transport in a private van.

Is there free cancellation?

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

What time should I plan for the train from Venice?

If you’re staying in Venice, you can catch the train at about 9am from Santa Lucia, and the return train is about 5pm from Conegliano.