Italy, like France, is famous for its wines. The climate is ideal for growing grapes, with many valleys having micro-climates that aren’t found anywhere else in the world, allowing growers to impart unique flavours to their products.
But what wine regions in Italy are worth visiting and why? This blog explores regions from the top of the boot to the bottom, giving you plenty of ideas of where to go.
Sorrento
The first place on our list worth visiting is Sorrento, a city on the Bay of Naples in the country’s southern half. It offers stunning coastal views and is the perfect backdrop for people who want to enjoy the sunshine in a quieter location. It’s also a base for visiting the island of Capri and the ruins of Pompeii, one of Italy’s most popular tourist attractions.
Sorrento is known for its various regional wines, like Aglianico, Falanghina, and Taburno. It is also home to numerous vineyards that dot the area, including Limonoro, Cantine de Angelis, and Fattoria Marecoccola. These destinations often offer wine tasting, with the owners in the room, explaining how they created their beverages.
If you want some food to go with your wine, Sorrento has several much-loved and cherished destinations worth visiting. These include L’Antica Trattoria, La Cantinaccia del Popolo, and Il Buco, a fine dining restaurant near the town centre. All of them focus on offering traditional local cuisine in a sophisticated Italian style–the perfect introduction to the country’s food scene.
For those interested in culture, Sorrento has plenty more to offer. For example, it is home to several museums and art galleries, including the Museo Correale di Terranova. This peaceful destination showcases contents partly donated by nobles, Pompeo and Alfredo Correale, surrounded by a classic Sorrento citrus grove.
Sicily
The second Italian wine region we recommend is Sicily. The island is well-known for its signature wines, like the full-bodied red, Nero d’Avola, and Moscato di Noto, named after the valley where it’s grown.
However, that’s not all there is to enjoy in the region. Sicily is also a tourist paradise, providing travel access to some of Italy’s wildest regions.
The Valley of the Temples is one of the first places many people visit. This archaeological site in the ruined city of Akragas features numerous columns and mosaics, and remains well-preserved to this day, allowing you to see how the original buildings would have looked in the past.
Cappella Palatina is another popular attraction. The church, designed by Roger II in 1130, is exceptionally old and beautiful, with an interior golf-leafed chapel and original murals.
Finally, no trip to Sicily is complete without visiting the Stromboli Crater. Unfortunately, you can no longer walk up to the geological site directly, but you can view it from a platform erected nearby to preserve the landmark.
Aside from things to see, Sicily also offers plenty to eat. Old-style local recipes are delightful and make full use of local ingredients. For example, many people travel to the region for Sicilian Frittella. This dish comprises broad beans, artichokes, and peas in a salad, mixed with shallot and mint. Cafés usually offer it as a light lunch to complement the hot weather in the summer.
You might also want to try insalata all-Eolian during rising temperatures. Chefs make it with anchovy fillets, cherry tomatoes, and capers served with crusty bread. Again, it’s a light snack, and well worth indulging in if you’re in the area.
Lakes Garda & Como
Lakes Garda and Como are known by aficionados for numerous wines, including Bardolino, Valternesi and Custoza. However, these drinks aren’t the only attraction in this part of the world. The region is also famous for its outdoor pursuits, laid-back culture, and spectacular views.
The properties along the banks of these lakes are stunning, with many selling for millions of euros. Because of this, many tourists travel to the region simply to gawk at the lavish lifestyles people living nearby enjoy.
As you might imagine, Lake Como is the most expensive of the two areas, with Lake Garda being popular among people looking for budget travel. The destination is ideal for wine-tasting tours, romantic breaks, and for enjoying water sports. Plenty of ferries and buses operate in the region, helping you travel from one side to the other with ease.
If you decide to get on a boat, be sure to visit the Isola del Garda. This island is Lake Garda’s largest and offers isolated beaches, away from the main roads and lakeside areas. You can also walk to another island called Isola San Biagio via a shallow water strip (where sediment has built up). It has a snack bar and a private beach with parasols to protect you from the sun.
Tuscany
Lastly, we have Tuscany, famed for Brunello di Montalcino, often referred to as “The King of Wines.” It is 100 percent Sangiovese and often hand-picked by tour guides to impress keen travellers.
If you decide to visit Tuscany, it is worth spending a lazy afternoon driving through the countryside, enjoying the views. Lavender, grapes and other crops colour the landscapes in ways you don’t often see in parts of Northern Europe, like the UK. Driving also introduces you to the feel of the land and little villages with unique, family-run restaurants, often going back generations.
For culture, Tuscany has plenty to offer. Duomo in Siena is a former Roman temple reconstructed in the 13th and 14th centuries as a cathedral well worth visiting. The location features Gothic embellishments and a tall tower beside the piazza. Meanwhile, the Museo Civico is nearby, showcasing delightful frescos and numerous exhibits chronicling life in Tuscany over the centuries. The Leaning Tower is, of course, always a popular attraction. Located in Pisa, it lives up to its name (making you wonder how it stays upright!)
Check out these destinations in Italy with our escorted and group guided holidays and experience the beauty and sophistication for yourself.
