Top 5 Destinations to Put on Your Travel Bucket List if You Love Wine

Top 5 Destinations to Put on Your Travel Bucket List if You Love Wine

Calling all wine lovers who also love to travel! Do you have a bucket list a mile long filled with all of the destinations you want to visit? Do you know if any of those destinations are actually good for your wine loving soul?

Traveling can be fun, but going to a destination where wine is in true abundance (good wine, not box wine) can make your trip even better.

We’ve found the top 5 destinations to put on your travel bucket list right now if you love wine and everything about it.

  1. Douro Valley, Portugal

Douro Valley is situated just a few hundred miles from the city of Porto, Portugal. This city is adorned with beautiful 18th and 19th-century history as well as stone-terraced vineyards. These vineyards produce some of the most delectable grapes for your wine tasting pleasure. The Douro Valley dates all the way back to the 3rd century. You can tour this beautiful countryside and historic wineries by land or by boat. So grab your passports and your sunhat. You're off to Portugal!

  1. Franschhoek, South Africa

Africa may not be widely known for wineries and delicious tasting wines, but it is definitely a destination you should put on your bucket list if you love wine. French Huguenots founded this town in 1688. They brought their knowledge of wine with them to South Africa and created a beautiful scenic village that is adorned with vineyards for miles and miles. Here, you get wines such as Pinot Noir, Shiraz, Chardonnay, and Semillon. With many food and wine tours to choose from, you can cover all of the wine necessities here. If you are thinking of heading to South Africa to taste delicious wine, book your trip anywhere between September and February - peak season for wine lovers.

  1. Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France

Would a destination bucket list for wine lovers really be complete without a trip to France? This beautiful city nestled in the most historic wine towns in the Bordeaux region brings wine lovers a destination to die for. You can explore rustic wineries that are surrounded by 14th-century monasteries, taste wine in ancient wine cellars, and visit chateaus that will take your breath away. It is best to make a trip here during the months of mid-July to the end of August for a perfect summer getaway. You can also experience France from April to November. But locals say the best time to visit for wine lovers is between April and May.

  1. Napa Valley, California

U.S. residents will love this stateside destination closer to home. As a wine lover, you may still be inexperienced in the true art of wine tasting and wine making. That makes Napa Valley the perfect place for you. You can learn all about the tasting experience as well as the process of actual winemaking to show you how to truly enjoy your glass of wine. There are many wineries that you can tour with some offering 20 different wines for your tasting pleasure. The Napa Valley Wine Train takes you from winery to winery where you can see a variety of wineries. The best time to visit is between late August and October - bring a light sweater just in case.

  1. Piedmont, Italy

Wine lovers know that Italy is another must-see destination on the wine lover’s bucket list. Known for their exquisite wines, Italy is home to wineries that are second-to-none. Piedmont is particularly known for producing some of the best red wines around the world. These wines include Barolo and Barbaresco. You can enjoy lunch picnics at some of the wineries as well as sample boards with cheeses and cold cut meats. Planning a visit to give your wine taste buds the excitement they want (and need, of course)? Head to Piedmont between April to mid-July or late August to October to get the full effect all wine lovers to experience.