The Rhein River is one of Europe’s most important rivers and one that is world famous for its stunning landscapes. One of the most popular stretches of the Rhein River is that of the Middle Rhein, meandering from Bingen to Koblenz is home to some of the best wines in Germany. The region is lined with steep rolling hills of vineyards, castles in ruins and quaint little wine towns that time forgot and is nicknamed the “Romantic Rhine”.
Few wineries in the world are as important in the wine world as Schloss Johannisberg has been nor is there another name so synonymous with ‘Riesling’ as Schloss Johannisberg. Perfectly situated atop a hill overlooking the beautiful Rhein River in the Rheingau, this historic winery has been the world’s first Riesling winery since 1720 when it was decided it would exclusively produce this decadent wine. Pull up a chair, grab a glass of wine and come discover Schloss Johannisberg!
For red wine drinkers, Chianti red wines needs no introduction and few wines trigger nostalgic memories like enjoying a glass of Chianti with a plate of pasta at your favorite Italian restaurant. And it was possibly while you were drinking said glass of wine that you suddenly wondered, “Where does Chianti wine come from?” Believe it or not, but Chianti wine comes from one of the most iconic regions in Italy, known as Tuscany. And here, you’ll find a “strada” (street) meandering through Tuscany’s most beautiful wine producing villages.
You might think that Bavaria, Germany is all about Lederhosen, Weißwurst, Bier and Biergartens, but you would be sadly mistaken. Würzburg, the wine capital of Franconia in the northwestern tip of Bavaria, will show you that there’s more to life than beer and sausage. The dialect is different, the choice of sausage is Bratwurst and here you’ll find endless rows of vineyards and Weingartens for wine aficionados to enjoy a glass of wine, reminding you that you are no longer in beer country. So, how do you spend a day exploring the wine capital of Bavaria? Come and find out!
Nestled along the eastern border of France, snuggled up against Germany, the Alsace region is one of the best wine routes in France, passing through the foothills of the Vosges Mountains, past a plethora of abbeys, castles, vineyards and wine taverns, making for one of the loveliest holidays you’ll have in France! Visiting the Alsace wine region is perfect for those who love whimsical, fairy tale towns overflowing with half-timbered buildings and picturesque cobbled-stone streets!
One of my favorite childhood Disney films is and still is Beauty & the Beast and one of my favorite scenes is when Belle meanders through a sleepy half-timbered town, with locals going about their morning in the market place, singing “Little town, in a quiet village”. While in Colmar, France, no one broke out in song, walking through the half-timbered town of Colmar is quite possibly one of the best things to do in France. So much beauty crammed into one little town, you wonder how it can possibly be real.
This is a sponsored post and California Globetrotter was invited by Bottle Stops as a guest on the wine tour, as well as a guest of me and all hotels in Mainz, but as always, all pictures are mine unless otherwise stated and all opinions are entirely my own! This post also contains affiliate links […]
Just a half an hours drive away from Louisville, KY, just over the state line is the idyllic Huber’s Orchard, Winery and Vineyards. Upon discovering this country escape, I asked “how much goodness can possibly be wrapped up all in one!?” As an easy day trip from Louisville, we spent the afternoon riding tractors, picking a variety of fruits, licking scoop-fulls of ice cream and wine tasting to our heart’s content, all surrounded by lush countryside farms on a beautiful summer day!
When you think of Germany, you undoubtedly imagine castles like Schloss Neuschwanstein or half-timbered towns like Rothenburg ob der Tauber. But what if I were to tell you, that there is more to Germany beyond the most touristy places of other romantic castles and historic towns offering a glimpse into the past? Would you believe me?
When you dream of visiting Germany, perhaps you you imagine romantic fairy tale castles perched high up in the mountains or perhaps you imagine towns with endless half-timbered houses that are hundreds of years old, walking down alley after alley of picturesque cobbled-stoned roads and a charm that transports you to another time.
