World's best travel experiences revealed: From a Berlin bike ride to a Tuscan cooking class

A cooking class at a farmhouse in Tuscany took the top spot ( istock )

A cooking class at a Tuscan farmhouse and local market tour is the best experience in the world, according to TripAdvisor.

The activity came top in the travel review site’s first-ever Traveller’s Choice awards, which aim to highlight the world’s best rated experiences.

Closer to home, an inner circle access tour of Stonehenge, including a guided tour of Bath and a trip to the medieval village of Lacock, was rated the best experience in the UK.

The awards recognise 345 experiences, tours and activities globally.

Winners are also broken down by country and category, including day cruises, private sightseeing, cultural experiences, day trips, multi-day tours, hop-on hop-off tours, and food, beer and wine experiences. Winners were determined using an algorithm that took into account businesses’ reviews, opinions and popularity with travellers over the last year.

“Travel is all about new experiences and these awards, decided by reviews and ratings from the TripAdvisor community, showcase some of the best things to do around the world for every type of traveller,” said TripAdvisor spokesperson James Kay. 

“Whether it’s a cooking class at a Tuscan farmhouse, a glow worm cave tour in New Zealand, or exclusive inner circle access at Stonehenge, these awards highlight fantastic ways for travellers to immerse themselves in the local culture while also inspiring local residents to experience something new right on their doorstep.”

Top 10 experiences in the world

1. Cooking Class and Lunch at a Tuscan Farmhouse with Local Market Tour from Florence – Florence, Italy
2. Berlin Bike Tour – Berlin, Germany 
3. New York in One Day Guided Sightseeing Tour – New York City, USA
4. Sydney Bridge Climb – Sydney, Australia
5. Vatican VIP Experience: Exclusive Breakfast at the Vatican with Early Access to Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel – Rome, Italy
6. New Orleans Cooking Class – New Orleans, USA
7. Rotorua Maori Hangi Dinner and Performance – Rotorua, New Zealand
8. Best of Niagara Falls Tour from Niagara Falls, Ontario – Niagara Falls, Canada
9. Vancouver to Victoria and Butchart Gardens Tour by Bus – Vancouver, Canada
10. Wild Wicklow Tour including Glendalough from Dublin – Dublin, Ireland

Top 10 experiences in the UK

1. Inner Circle Access of Stonehenge including Bath and Lacock Day Tour from London – London, England, from £139 per person
2. Loch Ness, Glencoe, and the Highlands Small Group Day Trip from Glasgow – Glasgow, Scotland, from £41 per person
3. London Rock Music Tour – London, England, from £35 per person 
4. Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter – London, England, from £77 per person 
5. Loch Ness, Glencoe and the Highlands Small-Group Day Trip from Edinburgh – Edinburgh, Scotland, from £46 per person
6. Tower of London Entrance Ticket Including Crown Jewels and Beefeater Tour – London, England, from £26 per person
7. The Original London Sightseeing Tour: Hop-on Hop-off – London, England, from £29 per person
8. City Sightseeing Edinburgh Hop-On Hop-Off Tour – Edinburgh, Scotland, from £15 per person
9. Tower of London, Changing of the Guard, Thames Cruise with Harrods Cream Tea or London Eye Upgrade – London, England, from £99 per person
10. Giant’s Causeway Day Trip from Belfast, Northern Ireland – Belfast, Northern Ireland, from £20 per person