Cozy Christmas Self-Guided Food Tour
Feast on cookies, gourmet cheese, decadent wine, festive truffles and more on this family friendly self-guided foodie tour. Use our downloadable audio guide and foodie passport to explore downtown Victoria.Duration
Roughly 2 hours
Price
Youth (18 and Under) $40 CAD
Availability
November 18, 2022-December 31, 2022
you start the journey here…
Never done a self-guided tour before? It’s easy!
- Book your tour online. You just need to choose a day – you have from 10:30am-6pm to complete the tour.
- Download the free APP Voicemap on your phone. Works on both an Apple and Android Phone.
- On the day of your tour, meet us at our kiosk space inside the Steamship Terminal Building in the Inner Harbour – we give you a code to unlock the tour on your phone. Listen to stories and history and follow the route using the APP (no wifi needed)
- Indulge in delicious festive treats from seven local businesses using our foodie passport.
- No scheduled start time, no in-person tour guide, and no big groups!
eat, drink, and be merry…
The tour starts at the Steamship Terminal Building with some savory Nuts & Bolts party mix, a staple snack at most holiday parties since the 1950s. The tour then takes you past the Inner Harbour and up Government Street to iconic Rogers’ Chocolates to sample a peppermint cream, one of their top-selling creams during the holidays. We then visit Bon Macraon for some holiday-flavoured macarons and Artisan Wine for a festive glass of wine or a hot chocolate. After visting the Festival of Trees inside the Bay Centre, the tour then stops at The Dutch Bakery for some traditional Dutch Speculaas (spiced shortbread) and some decadent cheese from L’apero Wine & Cheese Bistro. The tour ends with some indulgent holiday truffles from Chocolate & Co.
Details
Passport Pick-up: 470 Belleville Street
Included In Cost: 7 foodie samples plus downloadable audio tour.
Tour Start Location: 470 Belleville Street
Ending Place: Chocolate & co (703 Fort Street)
Cost: $45 per Adult / $40 per Youth
Tour Partners: Rogers’ Chocolates, Bon Macaron, Artisan Wine, The Dutch Bakery, Chocolate & Co, L’Apero Cheese Bistro.
Dietary Concerns
This tour is vegetarian. This tour cannot be made dairy free. If you have allergies we suggest joining our guided tours.
Highlights
• Sample seven festive items including savory nuts & bolts, a peppermint cream chocolate, a trio of macarons, a taster of wine, Dutch speculaas, some decadent cheese, and truffles. Samples may vary depending on availability and seasonality.
• Sights include the Inner Harbour, Empress Hotel, Government Street, Festival of Trees at the Bay Centre, and bustling Fort Street.
• Listen to stories and history using our free GPS-triggered APP.
Tour Information
Available Times: 10:30am-5pm
Days Available: Tuesday-Saturday
Technology Needed: App works on both Apple and Android phones. May need Apple ID to download APP.
Seasonal: November 19, 2022 – December 31, 2022 (closed DEC 23-26)
Walking Distance: Roughly 1.5 km, total walking time approximately 2 hours.
A TASTE OF WHAT YOU’LL SEE
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How do self-guided tours work!
Do I have to purchase tickets in advance?
Yes. Guests book the day they want to do the tour – we take advance bookings so the partners can make sure they have enough samples set aside. Please note that guests have the whole day to complete the tour.
Does the APP work on any cell phone?
Yes, the APP will work on both Apple devices and Android phones. If you have an Apple phone, please note that you will need to know your Apple ID in order to download the APP.
Will I need WIFI to use the APP?
No. Once you have downloaded the APP and added the tour, your phone uses GPS to locate you and play the tour. We do have free WIFI at our kiosk – you will need WIFI in order to initially download the APP.
Where do I pick-up the foodie passport?
You can purchase and pick-up the self-gudied tours from our downtown location. We are located inside the Steamship Terminal Building (470 Belleville Street). We share the locations with the Starbucks.
What's included in the cost?
The cost includes seven food samples and the downloadable audio tour.
How much food is included?
There are seven small samples included. I would not consider this a full meal, more of an opportunity to try a few local dishes and a fun way to explore the city. If you are looking for a more significant portion sized tour, consider doing one of our guided food tours.
Can you share the passport and samples?
Yes. Each passport is meant for one person but you are welcome to share the passport and the samples.
Are there vegetarian options?
This tour is vegetarian!
What if I have dietary restrictions?
Because this is a self-guided tour it is not ideal for people with many dietary restrictions. The samples are set and can not be swapped out. If you have dietary restrictions we suggest joining one of our guided food tours, we can easily accommodate allergies on the guided tours.
How long does a self-guided tour take?
We suggest planning for a 2-hour experience if you do the tour all at once. However, you have the whole day to complete the tour so you can start and stop at your own leisure.
How much walking is there?
The tour is roughly 1.5 KM of light walking on the tour with no major hills.
What if I lose the passport?
Unfortunately lost passports can not be replaced. Keep is safe!
Are tours offered only in English?
Currently our self-guided tours are only offered in English however we are working on having them translated into a few more languages for 2023.