Italian wine travel guide | 2024

Wine tourism in Italy

The first edition of the 'Cantine Aperte' (open cellars) event in 1993 marked the real start of wine tourism in Italy. At the start in 1993, only about 25 wineries participated at the time. Today, Cantine Aperte has grown into the premier Italian wine event, with over 20,000 wineries opening their doors to the public. The number of wine enthusiasts visiting Cantine Aperte rose accordingly. From a few hundred in 1993 to around six million today!

Rise of wine tourism in Italy


The rapid rise of wine tourism (also called enotourism or oenotourism) has resulted in many more annual events and wine festivals nowadays. But most important, the perception of the combination of wine and tourism has completely changed. Wineries have started to focus on visits that offer more than just wine sales and a short tour. And a new industry has emerged that deals with events around wine. From exceptional wine tastings in stunning locations to combining walking and cycling tours of the different wineries in a region.


From personal experience, I can talk about the many forms of hospitality that wineries are offering nowadays to promote their wines and distinguish them from their colleagues. And the market is evolving.


Wine tourism in Italy is an important part of the tourism sector. Italian wine enthusiasts discovering different wines, wine regions and wine cities in their own country. And foreign tourists who consider wine tasting tours and wine festivals as an important part of their holidays and stay in enchantingly beautiful Italy and its more than 350 beautiful winemaking regions.

The official wine route of the Consorzio del Prosecco e vini dei Colli Conegliano - Valdobbiadene

Partnerships between tourism and the wine sector

The cooperation between local wineries and the cities and (wine) regions where they are located provide a joint promotion of the area and the local wine. The numerous wine consortia provide an attractive offer for tourists and wine lovers. They join forces and create attractive offers to promote the region and its wines. From setting up beautiful local wine routes (Strada del Vino's, there are more than 100 in Italy!) to annual wine festivals and events.


Promotion of wines and wineries by the Movimento Turismo Vino Italia

Furthermore, the national organisation Movimento Turismo Vino Italia plays an important role in promoting Italian wine. Five national events are used to promote wineries and their wines. Most famous of these is the annual 'Cantina Aperte' which always takes place in the last weekend of May. A weekend in which the member wineries open their doors and present their new and best wines to their customers and interested visitors.


In the meantime, more and more wine tasting tours are being combined with activities such as cycling, hiking or horse riding. In the most famous wine region of Tuscany, there is such a wide range of options that there is a great day in and around the vineyards for everyone (and for every budget).


A great adventure or journey that is becoming increasingly popular and attracting more and more tourists to Italy's authentic wine towns and regions.

More than 14 million visitors


Roberta Garibaldi's recent presentation at the 2022 World Wine Tourism Congress in Alba reveals that today (figures based on 2019) 14 million wine tourists generate sales of 2.5 billion (EUR 2,500,000,000). On average, tourists spend between €85 and €150 per day on wine, food and overnight stays. Given that these figures are now a couple of years old, these numbers will probably be higher. After all, after the two quiet seasons of 2020 and 2021, there is a massive desire to get out and about again.

Wine routes as part of the Italian wine tourism offering

Organisations in Italy heavily involved in wine tourism


Movimento Turismo Vino

In Italy, the interests for wine tourism are represented by the Movimento Turismo Vino. A non-profit organisation that is strongly committed to the promotion of Italian wines and wine tourism in Italy itself. With around 1,000 members, its main objectives are as follows:


  • promotion of wines and wine culture by allowing people to visit wineries;
  • promoting the growth of tourism in Italy with an emphasis on the wine sector;
  • qualifying the offer of wineries for tourists and visitors;
  • improving the quality of the image and economic prospects of wine regions.


Movimento Turismo Vino's five national wine events are:


Cantine Aperte

The first wine event of the year, and also the wine festival that started it all, is 'Cantine Aperte'. On the last Sunday in May, this event attracts millions of wine lovers to the various wineries across Italy.


Calici di Stelle

On the night of San Lorenzo (annually on 10 August), wine tastings are held under the stars during the wine festival 'Calici di Stelle'.


Cantine Aperte in Vendemmia

During harvest, 'Cantine Aperte in Vendemmia' offers a unique opportunity to discover the vineyards while picking the grapes.


Cantine Aperte a San Martino

In November, you can spend several days tasting the new wines from the latest harvest during 'Cantine Aperte a San Martino'.


Cantine Aperte a Natale

To end the year, wine can be tasted (bought in for the December festive month) during the 'Cantine Aperte a Natale' in December.


The events mentioned above are also included in the calendar of Italian wine festivals and wine events.


Several Italian regions have their own sections of Movimento Turismo del Vino. Arranged alphabetically, these are:


Consorzio del vino and the more than 100 official wine routes in Italy


Italy has a large number of wine consortia representing the interests of specific wine regions. The umbrella organisation is Federdoc (Confederazione Nazionale dei Consorzi volontari per la tutela delle denominazioni dei vini italiani).There are currently 126 wine consortia. Many of these wine consortia have their own wine routes, all part of the Federazione Italiana Strade del Vino. There are currently 81 with an online presentation of the mostly enchanting routes that take you past the region's finest vineyards and wineries. A day on the road to discover the tastiest Italian wines for yourself. 


As a wine lover and an enthusiast of Italy, there can be no better combination. Head out on the road yourself to discover one or more of Italy's official wine routes. Moreover, most do have a wine hotel or winery resort where you can stay overnight. So that -at the last wine tasting of the day- even the driver can happily join in and enjoy. View all routes at the bottom of the page.



Sources:

Confederazione Nazionale dei Consorzi volontari per la tutela delle denominazioni dei vini italiani

Federazione Italiana Strade del Vino


Città del Vino


Besides the Movimento Turismo del Vino and the various wine consortia, there is also another organisation representing the interests of Italy's main wine cities. The Città del Vino was founded in 1987 by the 39 mayors of (in alphabetical order) Alba, Asti, Barbaresco, Barile, Barolo, Buonconvento, Canale, Carema, Carmignano, Castagneto Carducci, Castellina in Chianti, Castelnuovo Berardenga, Diano d'Alba, Dogliani, Dozza, Florence, Frascati, Gaiole in Chianti, Gattinara, Greve in Chianti, Jesi, La Morra, Marino, Melissa, Monforte, Montalcino, Montecarotto, Montefalco, Montescudaio, Neive, Nizza Monferrato, Ovada, Pramaggiore, Radda in Chianti, Rufina, San Severo, Siena, Treiso d' Alba and Zagarolo.


The main objective of the Città del Vino is to help cities and towns to further develop the wine tourism industry. To attract wine lovers and point out the attractiveness of the respective town or municipality in relation to wine, wineries, vineyards and wine festivals. Currently, more than 500 cities and municipalities are affiliated to Città del Vino.


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