FAQs

  • Amica Vina offers curated small-group retreats of French wine regions for solo female travellers and friend duos.

    Learn about and drink delicious wine, travel to beautiful destinations, and build new friendships along the way.

  • For now, but there are plans to expand to more wine regions around the globe!

  • Each retreat hosts 6-10 guests; small enough to stay intimate, but big enough to build a vibrant group dynamic.

  • Our retreats are designed for women in their 20s, 30s, and 40s, creating a group of like-minded travellers at similar life stages.

  • We're building a dedicated 50s+ offering, with proper retreats launching as part of our 2027 calendar.

    We're also exploring the possibility of a first 50s+ retreat in 2026.

    If a dedicated 50s+ retreat sounds like the right fit for you, visit our 50s+ Retreats page to register your interest and be first in line to book.

  • Rooms are typically shared, but pending availability, private rooms may be available for an additional cost.

  • Before the retreat, we’ll send a short survey to help match guests with the most compatible roommates.

  • Absolutely! While we encourage solo travel, so everyone arrives with an open mindset and ready to meet new people, traveling with a friend is also possible.

    Keep in mind that sometimes friend duos naturally stick together, so the best experience comes when both friends are also excited to make new connections with the group.

  • Yes! We’ll set up a WhatsApp group before the trip so everyone can connect ahead of time.

  • Not at all! The wine tours are designed for curious beginners and budding enthusiasts.

    The most important thing about drinking wine is enjoying it!

  • Payments are made securely by card or bank transfer at the time of booking. The first payment is a non-refundable deposit to secure your place on the retreat. The remaining balance can be paid in one or two instalments, and must be paid in full no later than 60 days before the retreat start date.

  • Yes, your money is fully protected. Amica Vina is a member of the Travel Trust Association (TTA), which means 100% of the money you pay us is held in a dedicated, independently managed trust account. Your funds are always safeguarded. Should Amica Vina ever be unable to continue operating, your money remains protected and not at risk.

    For more information on TTA, visit www.thetravelnetworkgroup.co.uk/faqs/

  • Yes, travel insurance is required for all guests and must be arranged before the trip.

  • Yes, we include some free time in the itinerary for you to wander solo or with your new travel friends.

  • Not at all! The only requirement is getting yourself to and from the retreat destination (nearest airport or train station). Once you arrive, we take care of all the details so you can fully enjoy the retreat.

  • Let us know your requirements when booking. We’ll do our best to accommodate, though some restrictions may be more challenging in France.

  • Some areas of France can be challenging for travellers with accessibility needs. Please contact us with your requirements, and we’ll work with you to explore what’s possible.

  • While our retreats don’t include extensions, we’re happy to share recommendations for exploring more of France. And of course, we’d love to welcome you on another Amica Vina retreat!

  • Yes! We can customise this retreat for your own group of friends (without an Amica Vina host). Reach out to samantha@amicavina.com to discuss private bookings.

  • You can sign up for retreats on their destination page.

    If the destination (and/or retreat date) you are interested in is not yet available, sign up to the waitlist at the bottom of this page to be the first to know about the next retreat drops.

  • If minimum numbers are not met, and a retreat can’t proceed, all deposits will be refunded in full (or may be transferred for another retreat if preferred).

    We kindly ask that you wait to book flights or non-refundable travel arrangements until you receive written confirmation that the retreat is guaranteed to run.

Click here to review Amica Vina’s full Terms & Conditions

Any questions we missed?

A woman in a floral dress with a pink purse standing on steps in front of a building with a rounded window and plants around. Provence wine tour for female solo travellers
A young woman with long blonde hair, wearing a black and white outfit, standing in front of a fountain with sculptures, in a park with trees and a column monument topped with a winged figure, under a clear blue sky with the sun shining. Bordeaux

Check out our destinations

BORDEAUX

PROVENCE

A woman in black dress opening a bottle of champagne on a balcony with ornate railing, overlooking a city building with balconies and a blue sky with scattered clouds. Paris, Champagne, and The Loire Valley wine retreat for women

PARIS, CHAMPAGNE,
& THE LOIRE VALLEY

A woman at an outdoor Christmas carousel decorated with lights, ornaments, and plush toys, with people walking in the background. Alsace christmas wine tour for women

ALSACE

What Guests Say

These quotes are from women who travelled with Samantha on Amica Vina research trips. First official retreat: Bordeaux, September 2026.

  • “Travelling through Bordeaux with Sam felt completely effortless. The city has such a cool yet elegant vibe, and the wineries (aka chateaux) were so glamorous. Every winery we visited was clearly chosen with care. The wineries were welcoming and never felt overly ‘wine-technical,’ but I still learned a lot and had fun doing it. I loved how everything flowed so smoothly (no pun intended!), without needing to think or plan at all. The trip felt like the perfect balance of structure and freedom to explore Bordeaux, and I already want to do another trip like it!”

    — Mairead D. (Travelled with Amica Vina to Bordeaux)

  • “Samantha puts so much thought into selecting the best wineries. It was cool seeing her process during the research trip, making sure each winery had the right balance of quality wine, great hospitality, and also felt unique from the others. You can tell she’s in her element, and her love of learning about wine is infectious.”

    — Chantel D. (Travelled with Amica Vina to Alsace)

  • “Travelling through Paris and Champagne was so fun, I couldn’t think of a better city combo for a girls' trip. As a Champagne lover, I found the tastings were elegant yet approachable. The whole experience felt social and celebratory, yet I learned more than I could imagine about the craft of wine. I loved that we could enjoy multiple wine tours without any stress or decision-making. While in Paris, you could tell Sam was so comfortable in the city, guiding us from sight to sight with fun wine and food pit-stops along the way. She curates the trip so it never feels overly touristy either. The care and detail she brings to Amica Vina, even on the research trip, makes you feel completely taken care of.”

    — Mairead D. (Travelled with Amica Vina to Paris & Champagne)

  • “Alsace in December is like something out of a fairytale, and the way Amica Vina curates the experience makes it even more special. Everything felt thoughtfully paced. Pairing wine tastings with Christmas markets was such a fun mix. Many people say it’s the Christmas capital, and I can see why. The wine tastings were informative and still easy to digest. You get to try so many wine styles specific to the Alsace region (lots of them new to me, including my new favourite, Gewürztraminer!). I wouldn’t have thought to do a wine tour in the winter, but this trip made me realise how magical a winter wine retreat can be!”

    — Chantel D. (Travelled with Amica Vina to Alsace)

  • “Truthfully, wine travel wasn't really on my radar before this trip. I joined Sam in the Loire Valley simply for the adventure of exploring a new place. As someone who doesn’t usually drink wine, I ended up loving all the winery tours and tastings (I even bought some bottles to take home with me!). I totally get the appeal of a wine tour now. The chateaux of the region were a stunning bonus on top.”

    — Roisin V. (Travelled with Amica Vina to the Loire Valley)

  • “It didn’t take much convincing to join Sam in the Loire Valley. She had it all planned out, so all I had to do was show up. We tasted wines from across the region and learned about the wine-making process in a digestible and entertaining way. I'd been vaguely aware of the Loire Valley before, but now I’d definitely recommend a trip to anyone interested in visiting chateaux and drinking delicious wine, and doing it as a curated retreat makes all the difference!”

    — Laura B. (Travelled with Amica Vina to the Loire Valley)

Picture yourself savouring bold reds in Bordeaux, sipping rosés in sun-drenched Provence, or toasting with bubbles in Champagne.,

Picture yourself savouring bold reds in Bordeaux, sipping rosés in sun-drenched Provence, or toasting with bubbles in Champagne.,