Exploring the Prosecco Hills of Italy

Taking a vacation in Europe is like skydiving into a box of chocolate, so rich are the cultures that pervade each swathe of Balearic and Mediterranean land. Picking just one place to visit is extremely hard, even when budget allows for little else. Here, though, we’ll petition for Italy to be your next destination. More specifically, the Prosecco Hills should be your next destination – and here’s why.

The Landscape

Before we even get to the main attraction of the Prosecco Hills, it is hard to ignore the first and most striking impression you will receive on arriving: that of the stunning landscape. The views alone are worth the travel to this region, comprising steep and rolling hills that show off its culture and fare.

Further, the Prosecco Hills are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, on account of the unique and historic shape of this landscape. The terraced hills can be dated back to before the 1500s, with the early days of modern agriculture and the early institution of this region as the productive powerhouse it is today. Speaking of which…

The Vineyards

There is practically no one above the age of 14 who hasn’t heard the word ‘prosecco’ before. Prosecco, next to champagne, is the most famous of sparkling wines – and delicious to boot. It may surprise the uninitiated wine drinker that prosecco is not a name borrowed or derived from this region, but that all prosecco is produced here.

Like champagne, prosecco is a protected designation of origin, meaning that no sparkling wines produced outside of the Prosecco Hills can be called prosecco! While there are many big brands that make prosecco in this region, the Prosecco Hills are also home to a great variety of smaller vineyards and vintners, making up the patchwork landscape that adorns the terraced hills.

For this reason, of the many different tours Italy puts forward for intrepid vacationers, those that touch the Prosecco Hills are perhaps the most rewarding. The winding roads that stitch these small vineyards together are somewhat hard work, but well justified by the incredible local produce that awaits around each and every corner.

Prosecco Road

With regard to such routes, there is one common one which vacationers can use to inform their own travels through the region. This route covers around 50 miles of hills and valleys from southwest to northeast – and, of course, is called the Prosecco Road.

Technically speaking it’s a circular route, which touches on a number of the best landmarks and wineries in the region to make travel planning much simpler. The Road contains such wonders as the rock statues of San Pietro di Barbozza, as well as the glorious views and hospitality of Combai.

Across the region and beyond the road, the cultural delights extend beyond the incredible wines; there is also incredible food to be found, to say nothing of the warmth with which tourists are welcomed.