Planning a wine-tasting vacation isn’t just about necking the nectar of the Gods: wine tourism affords you the chance to go away behind the hustle and bustle of on a regular basis life for a soothing vacation in probably the most lovely settings.
And in addition to lovely rural surroundings, wine tourism means discovering a wealthy cultural and historic heritage, maintained with ardour. So it’s about savouring wines and related native meals, having fun with the contemporary air and scenic fantastic thing about the winelands and studying. In brief, it’s a terrific theme round which to plan vacation or a weekend break!
And staying at an open-air resort is the right strategy to go to the vineyards and their localities. Comply with our information to plan an open-air wine vacation!
- plan a wine vacation in France, Italy or Spain
- Wine tasting holidays in France: the most effective locations
- Wine tasting holidays in Italy
- Wine tasting holidays in Spain
plan a wine tasting vacation in France… or Italy, or Spain!
What to do throughout your wine vacation
Style some wine, in fact! However you don’t have to love to drink excessively to take pleasure in visiting a winery. Wine tourism is all in regards to the curiosity of visiting cellars and vineyards and the expertise of tasting native produce moderately.
It’s additionally a possibility to find the countryside – maybe you possibly can plan your itinerary to get round by bike? – and go to the villages and monuments of the area, to study one thing new.
What’s a wine tasting tour at a winery like?
Each property and each tour shall be barely completely different, constructed across the land, the merchandise and the individuals who work there.
However it’s more likely to contain assembly a winemaker and studying a number of the secrets and techniques of wine manufacturing and tasting. Discovering the wine-producing amenities: cellars and wineries. And naturally, wandering by the vineyards, which tackle completely different colors all year long, for an actual breath of contemporary air. And the go to often ends with a wine tasting, in fact!
You often have to guide forward, however solely a day or two earlier than. You will get all the small print from the native vacationer workplace on arrival, or earlier than you journey, if you happen to prefer to be very organised!
When to go on a wine tasting vacation in Europe
In any season!
- Winter is chilly and provides the vines a bluish glow. That is the quietest season to find the winery otherwise.
- In Spring, life returns: the first buds seem on the vines and grass and flowers spring up amongst them. That is the time when the earlier yr’s wine comes out of the cellars, prepared for tasting, an thrilling time! The climate is milder, but it surely’s nonetheless a relaxed time to go to: excessive season hasn’t but arrived.
- The vines begin to bloom in June, and the grapes develop all through the season till the veraison (the second when the grapes change color) in August.
- In September comes the harvest, an distinctive time to go to the vineyards… if open, as some estates shut their doorways to focus on the work at hand.
- On the starting of autumn, the vines are decked out in a thousand colors, mushrooms are popping up, and the climate stays delicate. It’s a quieter time to go to than summer time, however don’t go too late or there’ll be no colors left to see….
The most effective locations for wine tasting holidays in France
France is in fact a first-rate vacation spot for wine tourism. Visiting one of many fundamental wine areas of France – and even one of many smaller ones – is a good way to find out about French wines and vineyards and easily a good way to spend a couple of days or even weeks.
And the nation is overflowing with open-air resorts and campsites, so that you’ll simply discover lodging close to the vineyard you’re eager to go to.
Listed here are a couple of of the most effective wine locations in France.
Bordeaux: probably the most well-known wine area on the earth
The Bordeaux space within the Nouvelle-Aquitaine area within the South-West of France is a must-visit for wine lovers, and there’s additionally a lot to do close by.
The area’s capital, Bordeaux, is a ravishing vacationer vacation spot, with its elegant structure, wonderful eating, UNESCO World Heritage districts and the Cité du Vin, a singular museum devoted to wine.
The world additionally boasts lovely seashores, the very best sand dune in Europe and large forests to discover by foot or by bike.
This area produces a number of the most well-known vintages on the earth. As wine manufacturing and tourism is so established right here, there are many estates with nice visits. Listed here are some lodging choices:
Tenting Du Vieux Château, in Rauzan
Nestled on the foot of a medieval fortress, the Vieux Château campsite affords pitches, cellular houses, chalets and lodges so that everybody can discover their lodging of choice. An excellent start line for exploring the encircling vineyards (such because the cellars of Rauzan, or the neighbouring vineyards of St-Emilion), the caves and grottoes of the area, or just having fun with the actions organised by the campsite.
The EcÔtelia property, Le Nizan
If you’d like an actual change of surroundings, take a look on the EcÔtelia property, an eco-camp situated at Le Nizan. Situated within the coronary heart of the Graves and Sauterne wine route, it provides you entry to the estates making these well-known wines. It affords plenty of glamping choices (together with tree homes, pods and bubbles) and is eco-responsible, centered on concord with nature.
Champagne: bubbles par excellence
The Champagne area within the North of France – the birthplace of that glowing substance all of us affiliate with celebration and famend as the most effective place for it on the earth, nonetheless at the moment – is well accessible, inside an hour of Paris on the practice.
Épernay is a must-visit in case you are serious about wine tradition – it’s the Champagne capital, its kilometre-long Avenue de Champagne mentioned to be probably the most worthwhile street on the earth, as a result of greater than 200 million bottles of champagne in cellars underneath it! You’ll be able to go to many of those wineries, from well-known ones like Moët et Chandon and Mercier to smaller, extra intimate ones.
The bigger city of Reims, close by, additionally has some champagne homes and a wonderful cathedral. And also you would possibly like to interrupt up the sightseeing with a go to to the brand new Reims pool, a giant swimming complicated with separate swimming pools for critical swimmers and for households, with waterslides and video games, in addition to an adults-only spa space.
Between the 2 cities are kilometres of vines, which make for a reasonably panorama to go to by automotive, by bike or on horseback…. Along with your exploring punctuated by some champagne tasting, naturally! For extra structured exploration, the Montagne de Reims park is a park with walks, discovery trails, exhibitions and different actions to study in regards to the native flora.
Tenting in Châlons-en-Champagne
Walkable from the centre of Châlons-en-Champagne city, this spot affords lakeside cellular houses in a relaxed setting.
Châlons-en-Champagne is dwelling to the Joseph Perrier home, the place you possibly can go to 4th century Gallo-Roman cellars with fascinating chalk pits and, in fact, style the wine. It additionally has a charming city centre, with a UNESCO-listed church and a museum devoted to champagne. You’ll be able to hire bikes from the vacationer workplace, and there are many greenways and cycle routes to discover the area.
The Loire Valley: castles, caves and vines
The Loire Valley is dwelling to tons of of the world’s most well-known châteaux and the Loire, Europe’s final wild river, affords extraordinary landscapes. One other comparatively flat and accessible space to plan to get round by bike, with many good cities and villages comparatively shut to one another, interspersed with castles, caves and different sights of curiosity.
It is usually a very talked-about wine tourism vacation spot. Finest recognized for its whites and glowing wines, it additionally has some good gentle reds and rosés: there’s a Loire Valley wine to swimsuit all tastes.
Tenting Les Rives du Douet, Concourson-sur-Layon
A fairly little campsite with lodges and glamping tents out there to hire, Tenting Les Rives du Douet is within the Layon vine-growing valley . The valley produces the well-known candy wines of the Coteaux du Layon. An out-of-the-ordinary wine tasting expertise.
It is usually near Doué-la-Fontaine and its zoo, Saumur and its unbelievable fortress overlooking the Loire and Brissac fortress. It’s within the coronary heart of Anjou, a peaceable rural area the place you’ll actually loosen up. And the campsite has a heated swimming pool and glorious kids’s play areas… so that you would possibly even get to loosen up alone for a couple of hours!
Tenting Les Patis, Nazelles Négron, Val d’Amboise
A household campsite with bushes and a soothing ambiance, Les Patis is ideally located within the Val d’Amboise. Guide a pitch, a teepee or a lodge on this fascinating spot!
The village is near the well-known castles of Amboise, Clos Lucé, Chenonceau and plenty of others. Blois just isn’t far both, and from there, Chambord. In brief, a number of the most exceptional castles of the Loire shall be in your doorstep!
The Touraine-Amboise area can also be overflowing with lovely vineyards that produce whites, rosés and reds, together with Chenins and Pineaux de la Loire. Treats for the eyes and the style buds.
Alsace: the primary area to develop a wine route
The Alsace wine area is understood for its vineyards specialising in Riesling and Gewürztraminer wines, good refreshment for a scorching summer time’s day. The Alsace Wine Route web site is a good supply of details about the 50 vineyards and different issues to see on this well-known wine area on the border of France and Germany.
The world can also be filled with outstandingly fairly villages, any considered one of which is nice for a wander round for some time and have lunch: Bergheim, Eguisheim, Turckheim, Kaysersberg, Riquewihr, in addition to the bigger city of Colmar. Colmar’s cobblestone streets are lined with fairly, half-timbered medieval and early Renaissance buildings and it has a number of areas to go to, together with Little Venice and the Tanners’ space. You’ll be able to even go to by boat, alongside the canal. In truth, you’ll don’t have any scarcity of issues to see and do round right here for a couple of days.
This campsite in Colmar is just 2 km from the city centre, so simply accessible in case you are planning a practice or bike-packing vacation. Guide a glamping tent or chalet or cellular dwelling and discover the city and the area by bike.
In a forest setting on the foot of the Grand Ballon mountain, the Huttopia Wattwiller campsite is a four-star campsite with a variety of lodging (Canadian tents, trapper tents, cellular houses, chalets, huts, and so on.).
From right here, you’ll be capable to head as much as the Grand Ballon mountain resort over 1000m excessive, with climbing and bike paths, horse-riding, fishing, a pool and a playground. And discover the mountains, forests and pure parks of the Vosges.The campsite itself has plenty of actions too.
Burgundy: vintages famed worldwide
Burgundy is one other notorious wine vacation spot. Distinctive vintages and meals to go together with them, picturesque villages and vineyards recognized all through the world.
Tenting Le Lac de Saint Level Lamartine – Southern Burgundy
You’ll be able to keep in lovely countryside within the south of Burgundy at tenting Le Lac De Saint Level Lamartine. Uncover Alphonse de Lamartine’s fortress, loosen up within the pretty lakeside setting between valleys and forests, select from a variety of glamping or conventional lodging.
The campsite could be very near the well-known Solutré vineyards, which delight wine lovers with their Pouilly Fuissé, white and pink Mâcon, Burgundy and St-Véran. The area has plenty of cycle paths to help you uncover it underneath your individual steam.
Tenting Moulin de Collonge, Saint-Boil, on the greenway
Burgundy and biking go very properly collectively, in reality. The Moulin de Collonge campsite is 300 metres from a 117km lengthy greenway that’s good for hikers and cyclists. A good way to find the architectural and wine heritage of Burgundy.
Select a caravan, cellular dwelling or chalet and loosen up amid the hills. The campsite is midway between Châlon-sur-Saône and Mâcon, so you possibly can uncover the wines of each. For relaxation and rest, head for the campsite’s swimming pool or the banks of the onsite fishing pond.
The Rhône Valley: historical past, climbing, biking and wines
The Rhone Valley can also be a splendid vacation spot, with an unbelievable variety of vibrant and preserved landscapes, and a lot of appellations. There isn’t a scarcity of actions: city tourism within the Roman metropolis of Nîmes and the close by Pont du Gard, or Avignon, its Popes’ Palace, bridges and splendid walled metropolis. Mountain climbing within the mountains, alongside the banks of the Rhône or by the Ardèche gorges. And naturally, tasty excursions to go to the vineyards of the area!
Les Truffières campsite, Ardèche
How a few mixture vacation the place you uncover the Ardèche gorges or tackle a well known biking problem, in addition to get to know the Rhone wines? The Truffières campsite is ideally positioned to fulfill each nature and wine lovers! Its cellular houses give you consolation amid vineyards and truffle oaks, with pitches for you tent or campervan additionally out there to get even nearer to nature.
The campsite affords a ravishing view of Mont Ventoux, dotted with vines. The mountain is a revered problem for dedicated street cyclists, with three completely different ascents of roughly 20kms every. The well-known Grignan-les-Adhémar winery and Madame de Sévigné’s fortress are close by. As a bonus, there are fields of lavender, so far as the attention can see, for nearly a month in the summertime.
La Pinède campsite in Provence, Orange area
Between Languedoc-Roussillon and Rhône-Alpes, the Orange area can also be a well-liked vacation spot for wine lovers, as a result of well-known Châteauneuf-du-Pape reds.
Tenting La Pinède in Provence is a wonderful base for exploring the area. Nestled in a captivating pine forest, it affords pitches, tents and cellular houses, with a swimming pool to loosen up in between exploring. Highway or mountain biking, strolling, climbing on the GR4, excursions to Orange or Avignon… you received’t be in need of issues to do round right here.
Wine tasting holidays in Italy
However wine isn’t the only reserve of the French: Europe is filled with fabulous wine areas. Not all are arrange for tourism, with winery visits and lodging straightforward to rearrange, however Italy and Spain have an excellent few choices.
Italy is the world’s largest wine producer. It is aware of how you can produce amount, but in addition high quality. With historical past, meals and delightful landscapes including to the superb wines, there are many nice locations to go on an Italian wine-themed vacation.
Piedmont: wine, delicacies, hills
Purple wine lovers will know the well-known wines of Piedmont, together with Barolo and Barbaresco. The area has many lovely vineyards on the hillsides, the place you possibly can take pleasure in unbelievable surroundings and do your soul and abdomen good.
Nature and peaceable waters for a soothing vacation! Tenting Röse in Dormelletto is fantastically located on the shores of Lake Maggiore, with entry to the seaside. It affords cellular houses and tent pitches. Not removed from Novara, it’s a nice base for visiting the Piedmontese vineyards and having fun with the great thing about the Italian Alps.
Tuscany: match wines with lovely cities
Tuscany is one other area well-known for its wine manufacturing. Chianti is the area’s greatest title, but it surely produces many appellations, together with the distinguished Brunello di Montalcino, whose vineyards stretch south from Siena. It’s a main vacationer area, with picturesque and peaceable countryside and unbelievable city locations to mix holidays and tradition.
Siena’s vineyards are world well-known. Town itself is price a go to: Florence’s everlasting rival, it’s a medieval gem, centred round its magnificent Piazza del Campo. Its cathedral, museums and charming metropolis centre make for excellent sightseeing.
Town of Florence itself can also be, in fact, an unbelievable vacation spot, with its wealthy architectural heritage together with the Duomo, Palazzo Vecchio, Giotto’s Campanile tower and plenty of museums. The encircling vineyards and bucolic landscapes are an ideal antidote after a day of metropolis sightseeing.
Mix visiting town and the encircling vineyards by staying in an open-air resort within the great Tuscan countryside. Right here’s an choice close to Siena and one close to Florence:
This open-air resort is ideally located on the 573-metre-high plateau of Sarteano, for a beautiful view of the world. It has a big balneotherapy pool, fed by the thermal waters of Santa Lucia, to mix consolation with rest.
Village Internazionale Firenze, Florence
The Village Internazionale Firenze is situated amongst pines, oaks and olive bushes, simply 5 kilometres from the historic centre of Florence. The quantity 37 bus, 700 m from the campsite, takes you there in 20 minutes! The campsite affords pitches for tents, caravans and a camper van space in addition to cellular houses for a cushty vacation.
Wine tasting holidays in Spain
Whereas Italy is the largest wine producer on the earth, Spain has the biggest wine-growing space on the earth. So you possibly can count on the nation to be filled with wine tourism locations!
Catalonia: 12 AOCs and a singular tradition
Catalonia is filled with terroirs with distinctive personalities. Priorat, with its many small terraced vineyards on slate soil, is probably the most prestigious. A wine tourism vacation within the area is a good way to fulfill your style buds, but in addition to find an space with a singular tradition and heritage.
And there’s no scarcity of locations to remain within the open air! A small choice:
Verneda Tenting Mountain Resort, Lleida
The Verneda Tenting Mountain Resort affords bungalows, cabins and pitches within the Lleida wine-growing space.
The wines of Lleida are grown at altitude, 1000m above sea degree, so that you’ll benefit from the mountains in addition to the wines. There’s a Lleida wine path to observe. The native space produces the D.O.C. Costers del Segre.
Ampolla Playa campsite close to Tarragona
In Catalonia, wine tourism can be mixed with the seashores of the Mediterranean. Tenting Ampolla Playa, south of Tarragona, affords you the prospect to benefit from the seaside and the panorama of the Ebro Delta Pure Park. The world is wealthy in wineries, within the terroir of the DO Tarragona, which produces many white wines.
Aragon: off-grid mountain exploration
Somontano is considered one of Spain’s most well-known DOs. The title means “foot of the mountain”: the land lies within the shadow of the Pyrenees. Wine rising has been a convention right here since Roman instances and even earlier than.
Tenting Isabena within the province of Huesca is a wonderful base for locating the wines and the area. The campsite is located at an altitude of 700m and affords a variety of walks, rafting and canoeing, in addition to peaceable and delightful surroundings. It affords a wine vacation mixed with nature and rest, in a area far off-grid and unknown to mass tourism.
Santé! Salute! ¡Salud!
As you possibly can see from the brief synopsis, there isn’t a scarcity of locations in Europe for planning a winetasting vacation, or a wine tasting weekend, within the open air! Wine tourism might be by the ocean, within the mountains, within the countryside and even within the metropolis – so you may make it the theme of a vacation in your favorite type of setting.
So sit down with a glass of wine this night, browse the chances and guide your subsequent break!