Europe is full of beautiful places to visit and wonderful and memorable things to do. You can see incredible historic sites, indulge in culinary masterpieces, and drink some of the world’s best wine. The following regions and wine destinations in Europe can offer you an incredible blend of stunning views, unparalleled wine, and they are all accessible by train.
Bordeaux, France
Perhaps one of the most famous wine regions in the world, Bordeaux is one of the can’t-miss wine destinations in Europe for wine lovers. The climate, the earth, and the traditions and knowledge that have been passed down and perfected over the years are all some of the factors that create the iconic Bordeaux blends, which primarily consist of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot wines. Although these wines are incredibly well regarded, you can often find them at a variety of price points, so no matter your budget you will be able to enjoy some of this incredible wine.
Getting to Bordeaux:
Find your train ticket to Bordeaux from Paris or other destinations throughout Europe.
Where to Stay in Bordeaux:
You can find more hotel options in Bordeaux here.
Things to Do in Bordeaux:
Other amazing things to do in Bordeaux can be found here.
Champagne, France
If you are going on a wine trip to France or Europe in general, you can’t miss Champagne. Located in the Northeast portion of France, Champagne is famous throughout the world for its sparkling white wine. Take a train to Champagne and sample some of the authentic sparkling wine for yourself. It’s actually mandated by law in many places that you can only label something as Champagne if it comes from this particular region. If you are not a fan of the sparkling variety, the region also produces Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs and Pinot Meurnier.
Getting to Champagne:
Find your train ticket to Champagne from Paris or from other European destinations here. Alternatively, if you are planning to use Paris as your base, you can do a day trip to Champagne instead.
Where to Stay in Champagne:
If you decide to stay in Champagne, see our list of recommended hotels to stay in below or see our full list of hotels in Champagne here.
Things to Do in Champagne
The northeastern province of Champagne, a 45-minute ride from Paris by high-speed train, offers more than just the wine for which it was named. Aside from sipping Champagne during a tasting session at historic wineries such as Veuve Clicquot and Moet and Chandon Champagne, you can explore the historic treasures of Reims and Epernay, sample truffles handcrafted by chocolatiers, and see the birthplace of Dom Pèrignon. Visit for a few hours on a small-group tour from Paris, or devote a couple of days to exploring the vine-covered hills along the Champagne Routes. You can find our full list of things to do in Champagne here.
Tuscany, Italy
The central Italian wine region is incredibly prolific and known for producing an incredible variety of wine. Some of the most famous wines that are available in this region are Chianti, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, and Brunello di Montalcino. Not only can you sample incredible wines when you visit, but the region is close by incredible picturesque mountains, serene coastal regions, and historic cities such as Florence and Siena.
Getting to Tuscany:
You can find a train ticket to Tuscany from Florence, Rome or other destinations here.
Alternatively, there are day trips from Florence and Rome if you would like to visit Tuscany just for a day. One of our favorite day trips we would like to recommend if you are staying in Rome is the Tuscany Taster Tour. This is a round-trip from Rome with lunch & wine included!
Where to Stay:
Depend on which part of Tuscany you’ll be staying in, we list some of our favorites in each town below. These are smaller hotels but are exceptional & are in great locations.
Montepulciano : CUGUSI BnB
Sienna : Quattro Cantoni
Lucca : La Chiusa delle Monache
To see more hotel options in Tuscany, check our link here.
Things to Do:
There is so much more to see in Tuscany in addition to Wine tasting experiences. We list all other things you can do in Tuscany here.
Piedmont, Italy
If you travel up to the northwest region of Italy you can visit Piedmont. The region is sandwiched in between the warmth of the Mediterranean and the cold of the Alps, which creates a unique environment that leads to the production of the exceptional wine grapes the region is known for. The most prominent variety of grapes grown here is the Nebbiolo grape, which are used to make two of the region’s most famous wines: Barolo and Barbaresco.
Getting to Piedmont:
Find your train ticket to Piedmont from other European destinations here.
Note: While there are plenty of cities and towns in the Piedmont region that you can reach by train, including the town of Alba, which is famous for its food and wine. To really get out and explore the great outdoors, however, your best bet is to rent a car.
Where to Stay:
Our recommended hotels to stay in Piedmont are below. For more hotel options in the Piedmont region, see our list here.
Things to Do:
In addition to wine experiences, check out the full list of more things to do in the Piedmont region here.
La Rioja, Spain
Northern Spain is also a fantastic destination for wine lovers, as the La Rioja wine region is one of Europe’s most famous. The region produces primarily barrel-aged red wines with a berry flavor profile. The most prominent grapes used for this wine are Tempranillo and Garnacha grapes, although there are multiple other types of grapes that are used in production here.
The region has been producing wine for quite some time as the first examples of wine being produced occurred in 11,000 BC when Phoenician settlers came to the area. Ever since then the area has had a consistent history with wine production and the knowledge and traditions of this continue to this day. Riojas wines are the most famous wines produced in Spain so if you’re looking for the taste of the region this is an incredible place to start. It was the first region to be given the Denominación de origen status, where it was recognized as such by the Spanish government.
Getting to La Rioja:
You can find train tickets to La Rioja from Barcelona or from other destinations here.
Where to Stay:
Find more hotel options in Rioja here.
Things to Do:
In addition to the below recommended activities, you can discover many more things you can do in this region here.
Douro Valley, Portugal
Near the Spanish border, the Portuguese wine region of Douro Valley is famous for fortified blends. It is also significant in the world of wine for being the home of Port. Like many other wine regions, Douro Valley is set into a mountainous landscape. If you enjoy port or red wines in general, this is a great area to relax and enjoy the view.
Getting to Douro Valley:
The unique tour such as the Régua & Douro Valley: Scenic Rail and Cruise from Porto let you experience the scenic landscapes of the Douro Valley on a full-day cruise down the Douro River. You will be transferred to the “wine capital” of Régua by train and then marvel at the vineyards that produce wines from one of Europe’s first demarcated wine lands.
Another popular way to getting to and visit the region is with a day trip such as the Day Trip from Porto to Régua by Train and Return by Boat.
Where to Stay:
If a day trip from other Portugal cities such as Porto is not for you and you would rather stay in the Douro Valley, we listed some of our recommended hotels below.
For more hotel options click here.
Things to Do:
Find our recommended activities and tours below or see our full list of things to do in Douro Valley here.
Mosel, Germany
Mosel is Germany’s third biggest wine region, and it is known for producing Riesling wines. It is an incredible wine growing location due to its climate which is primarily warm and receives a generous amount of rain. The region is also stunningly beautiful. Many of the vineyards are located on hillsides and the region is on the edge of the Mosel River. In addition to being beautiful, the landscape is ideally situated to facilitate optimal wine growth. The valley is one of the warmest wine regions in Germany and the incredibly mineral rich soil also helps facilitate the growth.
Getting to Mosel:
You can find train tickets to Mosel from Frankfurt as well as from other destinations in Europe here.
Where to Stay:
Things to Do:
Besides wine experiences, you can find more things to do in the region here.
Tokaj – Hegyalja, Hungary
The Tokaj-Hegyalja region is a historic wine region in Hungary. Hegyalja translates to “foothills” in Hungarian, and Tokaj refers to the city where this region is located. In 2002, the area was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as it has a history of creating incredible wine. It’s perhaps most famous for the Tokaji Aszú wine, which is the world’s oldest botrytized wine, which means it is a wine made from mildly rotten grapes. This technique is used in dessert wines and helps bring out a distinctly sweet flavor.
Getting to Tokaj-Hegyalia:
You can find train tickets to Tokaj here. If you are coming from other European destinations, you will be able to visit La Rioja by long-distance train, but keep in mind that nearly all of them require a reservation. Keep an eye out for the reservation-free Intercity trains when planning your trip.
Where to Stay:
For more hotel options near the train station in Tokaj see our full list of recommendations here
Things to Do:
Moravia, Czech Republic
Although the Czech Republic might not be as synonymous with wine as some of the other regions mentioned here, Moravia is an exceptional wine region . The white wines produced here are particularly fantastic, but the region is perfecting their red wines as well. The culture of wine is growing here, with vineyard owners working to grow their brands and encourage others to get into the wine business. Additionally the region is located very close to incredible historic sites and other outdoor attractions so if you want to do other things on your trip rather than just drinking wine, you’ll be in a prime spot to do that as well.
Getting to Moravia:
You can find train tickets to Moravia from Prague as well as from other European destinations here. When traveling to Moravia from Prague, you will arrive in 5 hours and from Brno in 2.5 hours.
Where to Stay:
- Mestsky Penzion Mikulov
- Barcelo Brno Palace (if prefer to stay in Brno)
- Grand Hotel Brno (if prefer to stay in Brno)
To find more hotel option in Moravia, see our full list here.
Things to Do:
You can find more things to do in Moravia here.
Rhone Valley, France
In the south of France, the Rhone Valley produces incredible red and white wines with the 27 varieties of grapes grown here. It is the second biggest vineyard region in France after Bordeaux, and continues to grow in popularity and scale every single year. The southernmost region of Rhone is actually responsible for producing the majority of the wines that originated here. The region is quite large, so there does tend to be some variety in the soil and climates leading to a variety of the grapes produced here as well.
Getting to Rhone Valley:
Find you train tickets to Rhone Valley here.
Where to Stay:
Things to Do:
Video Travel Guide: 10 Best Regions in Europe (You Can Visit by Train)
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