Soups are an integral part of Russian culture. Every dinner starts with a homemade soup, always made from scratch and with the freshest ingredients. Sampling these tasty creations is a great start towards understanding Russia and its people.

Nestled between the Pyrenees and the Atlantic in the fertile Gascony region is Armagnac - home to France’s oldest brandy. 

In her centuries-old home, Palazzo Tiepolo on the Grand Canal, local chef Contessa Passi invites Viking guests to share her home and kitchen for a traditional lunch made from the freshest ingredients bought that day at the famous Rialto Market.