Driving Wine Tour of European Wineries; France, Italy and Spain

You want to do a wine tour in Italy, France or Spain? Maybe you don’t want to go on a bus or van with strangers? You can plan your own wine tour adventure. Just be aware of these 10 things for a wonderful wine vacation.

1. Small cars are better! If you are going into the ancient cities or a medieval town, you will get into tight spaces.
2. Manual Transmissions. Most car rentals have limited selections of automatic transmission. Manual is most common and economically a good choice.
3. Co-pilot: Too much going on when you are driving. One person drives and the other navigates.
4. Navigation System: Google maps is great, but it uses cell data. GPS uses satellite data and may be more reliable in places where the cell signal is week.
5. International Driver’s License. I have one but never needed it.
6. Drive speed limit in towns. The police will not stop you, but they will send you a heavy fine. On the autostrada it’s different. Keep up.
7. Don’t Drive Drunk: You can go to wineries and taste it all but don’t drink it all. SPIT people. See my video about that.
Note: If you want to drink then take the bus tour instead.
8. Driving Style: People in the cities always drive more aggressively than out in the country. And more so in Europe.
9. Parking: Always a consideration. Another reason why small cars are better.
10. Expense: Gas is much more. Another reason small cars are better. And there are lots of tolls.

This list is not exhaustive. Please include questions below. I will answer. And you might also have good suggestions.

➪ My website: https://gregthewinetraveler.com
Wine demos, wine education, travel planning and advice.

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©All photos by Greg the Wine Traveler.

If you are interested in European wine tour by car, anyone can do it with a little planning. Let me coach you through that process, so you can build your own personal relationships with the people and places that make the wine. All my videos are of places that I have visited myself.