Italy is practically made for wine tourism. In the north, South Tyrol entices with a unique blend of alpine elegance and Mediterranean charm. Wine hotels offering gourmet cuisine stand alongside rustic taverns where visitors can enjoy speck, dumplings, and Schlutzkrapfen paired with the region’s distinctive wines. The area’s wineries, with their often strikingly modern architecture and professional tasting rooms, are well worth visiting. Here, one can discover Lagrein, Vernatsch, and Gewürztraminer at their finest.
Piedmont, with its mist-shrouded hills, is another paradise for gourmets and wine lovers. The white truffle of Alba is legendary — and a glass of Barolo is practically mandatory to accompany it.
A visit to Lake Garda is equally rewarding. Popular with tourists, the region is best known for Lugana, but also produces excellent rosés such as Bardolino Chiaretto. Nearby lies Valpolicella, home to the immortal Amarone.
The undisputed epicentre of wine tourism, however, is Tuscany — with its rolling hills, cypress-lined roads, and historic towns. Here, you can explore Sangiovese in all its facets. Our recommendation: enjoy it with a Bistecca alla Fiorentina — and perhaps stay overnight at a small, family-run winery, where the vintners are also gracious hosts.
And then, of course, there is Sicily, with its volcanic wines from the slopes of Mount Etna — an extraordinary expression of the island’s mineral-rich soils. Pair them with Pasta alla Norma or Arancini for an authentic taste of southern Italy.