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Regenerative travel in Europe
Do you ever return from a trip and wonder how monuments, art, relics, traditions, and the natural world have managed to survive over the centuries, such that you can enjoy them now? By choosing regenerative travel options when you plan your trip to Europe, you can personally contribute to the longevity of many of its treasures, for now and generations to come. More and more destinations are offering regenerative options. Make a difference in the communities you visit: use local guides; attend …
Regenerative tourism in Romania
Regenerative tourism in Romania offers travelers a chance to experience the country while supporting the people, traditions and landscapes that make each destination unique. From family-run dining experiences and traditional crafts to hiking trails and kayaking routes, these initiatives help strengthen local communities while preserving Romania’s cultural and natural heritage. Taste Romania with the GASTRO LOCAL® Network The GASTRO LOCAL® Network connects travelers with traditional Romanian …
Europe’s harvest season
Harvest time in Europe is beautiful in so many ways, and yields a bumper crop of wonderful opportunities to get involved and meet local people. Some of the countries now producing award-winning wines may surprise you; as weather patterns have changed, so have terroirs, yielding new vineyards and vintners. Many winegrowers offer hands-on experiences, such as grape picking, stomping, and wine tastings, allowing you to form a deeper connection with the destination and its traditions. Look out as …
Escudella Festival
The origins of the Escudella Festival in Castellterçol, Catalonia, are rooted in tradition and community, though their exact beginnings remain open to interpretation. Some believe the custom emerged as a way to offer a hot meal to visitors arriving for Carnival celebrations, while others link it to charitable practices, when townspeople prepared food for those in need. Whatever its origins, the festival has endured—and flourished—over time, with participation growing steadily year after year. …
Your heart will skip a beat in Slovenia
Slovenia is an amazing outdoor destination , making it perfect for young travelers seeking daring summer adventures . Thanks to diverse landscapes in a relatively small area, in Slovenia, you can combine several different adventures, on the water , in the air , on land, or underground . It’s summer, so let’s start with water activities . Rafting is certainly the number one adrenaline adventure; kayaking and canoeing are also popular. Beginners can start on tamer rivers and more experienced …
Fizzing in Flanders
Flanders is world-famous for its iconic Belgian beer culture , but it also sparkles with top-quality wines that fizz. You can taste this with BelBul , a quality label for sparkling wines produced using the méthode traditionnelle . This seal of quality stands for sparkling wines of finesse and the seasoned, expert craftsmanship of the winemakers. Cultivating wine in Flanders isn’t easy, but it is possible. The cool climate poses a challenge as well as offering opportunity: winemakers carefully …
Malta’s wine heritage
Every year from late August through September, Malta enters Ħsad tal-għeneb, the traditional grape harvest. It’s not a staged spectacle for visitors, but a genuine island ritual where farmers, multigenerational families, and boutique wineries come together to bring in the year’s crop. Winemaking has been part of Malta’s identity for over 2,000 years, and visiting during harvest season lets you experience this living tradition up close. A quieter side of the island A short drive inland reveals a …
Estonia makes wine!
Gregor Alaküla and his mother, Tiina Kuuler, run Valgejõe Veinivilla , Estonia's northernmost winery. Gregor is also the founder of the Estonian Wine Trail , a network of Estonian family wineries that host guests and make wines from local ingredients. Here are Gregor’s thoughts on Estonian winemaking, wine tourism in Estonia, and his latest venture, Estonian Wine Safari . Read on and you’ll be ready to plan a wine exploration of Estonia ! Is Estonia a winemaking country? People don't think …
Raise a glass to Ireland
Europe's harvest season may evoke wines, but Ireland's special drinks have their own distinctive flavor. Across the island, vineyards, orchards, distilleries, and breweries invite visitors to meet the makers and savor every sip. Ireland's wine scene is small, but growing fast. County Wicklow ’s Wicklow Way Wines offers guided tours and tastings of its Móinéir wines, handcrafted from Irish berries. Dublin's Lusca Vineyard’s private tours with winemaker David Llewellyn explore grape growing in …
Celebrate Cyprus' Commandaria
As Europe's vineyards enter harvest season, Cyprus offers a grape story that stretches back thousands of years. On the sun-drenched southern slopes of the Troodos Mountains, the annual harvest is inseparable from the story of Commandaria , Cyprus' legendary sweet wine and the world's oldest named wine still in production. Every glass is a journey through time. The origins of Commandaria can be traced back to an ancient Cypriot wine known as Nama , while the name we know today emerged during …