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Much of Europe is known for its beer and wine production. But we don’t just know how to make them; we know how to drink them. From energetic beer festivals to exquisite wine gatherings, there’s plenty to celebrate. Drink up six of the best beer and wine festivals throughout Europe with this gallery.
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© Visit Europe
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Oktoberfest
It’s the largest beer festival in the world. It’s 17 days long. It’s over 200 years old. It’s the one and only Oktoberfest in Germany. Started as a citywide gathering in the early 1800s, Oktoberfest now brings in over six million people in attendance and serves over six million liters of beer every year.
© Jelena Rudi
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Enjoy plenty of entertainment with your beer at the Beer Festival Õllesummer in Estonia
Estonia’s July beer festival, Õllesummer, is more than just a celebration of beer. It’s a celebration of music. An array of live musicians show their stuff on the festival’s multiple stages. All the while, Estonia’s favorite brews flow into the wee hours of the summer nights.
© Turismo da Madeira
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Madeira Wine Festival
The European festivals aren’t all about beer. The Madeira Wine Festival in Portugal is a weeklong celebration of the area’s winemaking roots that takes place during the beginning of September. It’s a firsthand look at the Madeira Island’s heritage from traditional clothing to picking grapes and, yes, drinking plenty of tasty wine.
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Czech Beer Festival
Prague knows how to party. Especially during the 17 days of the Czech Beer Festival in the month of May. Over 70 brands of the Czech Republic’s best beers sync well with the festival’s live music, fresh food and energetic environment. The Czech Beer Festival is still relatively new, but it’s one of the best you’ll find in Europe.
© Limassol Tourism
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Wine Festival of Cyprus
Another European wine festival to sip on is the Wine Festival of Cyprus in Limassol. With thousands of years of experience in producing wine, Limassol now plays host to over 100,000 guests and an array of wine flavors every year at the end of August and beginning of September. Stomp grapes, dance to folk music and taste some of the world’s best wine.
© Visit Europe
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Beer & Hop Festival
Belgium doesn’t just celebrate beer; they celebrate every ingredient. The Beer & Hop Festival in Poperinge is only three days long in September but it’s full of things to do. See Belgian beer brewed firsthand. Sample a variety of the area’s best beers. And stay for the colorful parades that top off the festivities.
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Europe’s culture is not limited to its numerous art museums and palaces. Some of Europe’s greatest stories can be heard over a glass of wine, beer or other drink within the walls of a pub or finest alcohol outlets off the beaten track.
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