Wine Holidays

Why go

Wine regions are some of the most beautiful places on earth: rolling vineyards, historic châteaux, good food and an unhurried pace. A wine holiday lets you go behind the scenes, meeting winemakers, walking the vineyards and understanding why a wine tastes the way it does. Come at harvest and you can even help pick.

How to choose

Pick a region you love to drink, or one you want to discover. Decide between a vineyard hotel with tastings on the doorstep, a guided tour with a specialist, or a barge or river cruise through wine country. Booking cellar visits in advance is essential in many regions. Finally, think about transport: a driver or guide means everyone can taste.

Our picks

Our picks combine beautiful places to stay with serious wine. Price bands are a typical cost per person for the holiday or course described, excluding flights.

• Les Sources de Caudalie

  Bordeaux, France

  £££

  • Vineyard hotel and spa
  • 3 to 4 nights
  • April to October

  Best for Bordeaux with vinotherapy

  A hotel and spa among the vines of Château Smith Haut Lafitte, with grand cru tastings on the doorstep and Saint-Émilion nearby.

• Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa

  Champagne, France

  ££££

  • Vineyard hotel
  • 2 to 3 nights
  • All year

  Best for Champagne cellars and views

  A luxury hotel above the vineyards near Épernay, with the great champagne houses and their chalk cellars a short drive away.

• Six Senses Douro Valley

  Portugal

  ££££

  • Vineyard resort
  • 3 to 5 nights
  • May to October

  Best for Port country and the harvest

  A restored manor above the terraced vineyards of the Douro, with a wine library, spa and harvest experiences in September.

• Hotel Marqués de Riscal

  Rioja, Spain

  £££

  • Winery hotel
  • 2 to 3 nights
  • April to October

  Best for Architecture and Rioja

  Frank Gehry's ribbon-roofed hotel at one of Rioja's historic wineries, with tastings and a vinotherapy spa.

• A Burgundy barge cruise

  Burgundy, France

  ££££

  • Hotel barge
  • 6 nights
  • April to October

  Best for Slow travel through grand cru country

  Glide along the Burgundy Canal on a small hotel barge with a chef on board, visiting vineyards and villages by day.

• Delaire Graff Estate

  Stellenbosch, South Africa

  ££££

  • Wine estate lodge
  • 3 to 4 nights
  • October to April

  Best for Cape wine and mountain views

  Lodges with private pools above the vines. Read our review, and see our South Africa trip.

• Cavas Wine Lodge

  Mendoza, Argentina

  £££

  • Vineyard lodge
  • 3 to 4 nights
  • October to April

  Best for Malbec beneath the Andes

  Adobe rooms with rooftop terraces among vineyards, with the snow-capped Andes behind.

• WSET School London

  London

  £

  • Wine course
  • 1 to 3 days
  • All year

  Best for Learning to taste properly

  Short courses from the world's leading wine education body, from a first introduction to the respected Level 2 award.

Price guide: £ Under £1,000 per person · ££ £1,000–2,500 per person · £££ £2,500–5,000 per person · ££££ £5,000+ per person

When to go

Late spring and early summer bring green vines and long, warm evenings. September and October are harvest time in Europe, the most exciting time to visit, though some wineries are too busy for visitors. In South Africa and South America the harvest falls from February to April.

Going solo or with a partner

Wine holidays are wonderful for couples. Solo travellers will find small-group tours the most sociable option, and barge cruises often have a mix of couples and friends.

How to book

Our advisors can find the right course or retreat, check the teacher and dates, and wrap it into a complete trip with flights, transfers and a few extra nights somewhere lovely before or after. Speak to an advisor.