The World’s Cup: A Guide to Tea Ceremonies Around the Globe

Tea time is a special time, as evidenced by the diverse tea ceremonies around the world. Whether it’s a simple post-breakfast beverage or a highly-choreographed ritual held with the utmost reverence, tea ceremonies from South America to Southeast Asia have become cultural hallmarks. To experience an intimate tea ceremony, visit these seven destinations where you can taste tradition in every cup. 

1. Japan

The Japanese tea ceremony, called chanoyu, are serious affairs — so much so that these ceremonial matcha rituals can make even British tea culture seem relaxed. Hosting an intimate tea session takes years of practice to perfect. Initially using Korean and Chinese ceramics, the ritual began in the 16th century for Japan’s elite. 

Step into a Japanese tea house today and you’ll still find a deep reverence for tea culture. Hosts serve green tea with precision, each movement carefully choreographed. The wabi aesthetic, which celebrates simplicity, and the often self-reflective atmosphere during the ceremony itself, create an experience that is both primed for casual social interaction and a memorable exchange of centuries-old culture. 

2. Great Britain

Tea time was never the same after the 1840s. In Great Britain, the seventh Duchess of Bedford asked for a pre-dinner snack consisting of teas, cakes, and other baked goods. She invited her friends over for what became known as afternoon tea; by the end of the 1880s, the social event had trickled from the aristocracy to the general public and one of the hallmarks of British culture was solidified. 

British tea culture has evolved into three distinct tea ceremonies. Afternoon tea is the quintessential tea time. Served before the evening (typically in the late afternoon between 3pm and 4pm) this is the event where manners matter most. Cakes, scones, and finger sandwiches are meant for sociable snacking, not a full-on meal.  

High tea, on the other hand, is more of a commoner’s tea time, complete with savory foods like pies and cheeses. High tea, despite it not being called afternoon tea, is actually the true mid-day tea time. There’s also elevenses which are served mid-morning (around 11am as the name suggests) and is more of a light snacking session with a proper cuppa.

Book an afternoon tea session during leisure time on our Best of Britain tour.

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3. Argentina

Tea rituals aren’t unique to the Eastern Hemisphere. In South America, the ceremony of Tomando Mate brought yerba mate tea to the world’s table. The Guarani people, an Indigenous group living throughout Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Bolivia, considered mate tea a gift from their gods. As colonialism spread, mate tea made its way from primarily Argentina through the continent. 

The tea ceremony traditionally passed around a gourd filled with yerba mate. Each person attending the ceremony would drink the entire gourd before the host refilled it for the following person. Unlike other tea rituals in Europe and Asia, the Tomando Mate tea ceremony was one that all people engaged in relatively equally, even in the shadow colonialism. Today, yerba mate is still a proud South American tradition that’s becoming increasingly popular around the world. 

Arrive in Argentina and find a hot cup of yerba mate tea in Buenos Aires when you book our Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil Discovery tour.

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4. India

India sits directly behind China in the volume of tea produced annually. Unlike China, Japan, and Britain, though, India’s tea ceremonies aren’t as ritualistic. Instead, India’s national drink is consumed individually as a beverage as it is communally as a social event. Spiced chai tea is also considered a medicinal drink, with its antioxidants aiding in digestion, lowering blood pressure, and reducing inflammation. From a traditional perspective, one of the few formal tea ceremonies Indian culture retains is having the newlywed bride prepare tea for her in-laws the morning following her wedding ceremony. 

Spend a night in Agra searching out a delicious cup of chai tea on our Classical India with Nepal, a Women-Only Tour.

5. Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a unique case study in the world of tea. Sitting directly across from India via the Palk Strait, Sri Lanka was introduced to tea culture by the British in the 1820s. The British brought a tea plant from China and cultivated what’s now known as Ceylon tea. Visit Sri Lanka today and you’ll not only find a country filled with tea plantations, but one that has retained the ritual of afternoon tea long after the British Crown renounced their claim to the island. 

Explore Sri Lankan tea country, visit a Ceylon tea plantation, and sample a cup during a hosted tasting session on our Classical Sri Lanka group tour.

6. China

The history of tea ceremonies, and tea itself, is thought to have grown in China. The world’s largest tea producer brought the world Gong Fu Cha: “making tea with skill”. Evidence of tea ceremonies dates back to the Han dynasty in southeastern China. Hundreds of years later, Chinese Buddhist monks developed one of the earliest tea cultures which involved brewing a powder made from tea bricks; a method that later made its way to Japan and influenced the country’s ceremonial matcha rituals. 

The Ming dynasty, however, is where the loose leaf tea ceremonies of today became commonplace. Tea bricks were formally changed to loose leaf tea and, at the end of the dynasty, the British began importing Chinese tea as their own tea ceremonies started taking shape. 

7. Morocco

Sipping a piping hot cup of tea under the desert sun is an experience like no other. Berber tea ceremonies throughout the Sahara’s region are the ultimate show of cultural hospitality. In Morocco, it’s a great privilege to get invited for tea as it’s a proud symbol of hospitality. A silver kettle pours tea in colorful glasses well above the cup’s rim. The distance the flowing stream of tea covers between the teapot and the teacup is done as both an act of respect and to create a frothy layer of foam that signifies a quality cup of tea.  

Tea is especially important in Eastern Africa, too. The casual tea drinker may be surprised to learn that Kenya is one of top tea producing countries in the world and that Malawi has the oldest tea bushes on the continent.  

Try authentic Berber tea in the Dades Valley on the Best of Morocco tour.

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