9 Nights / 10 Days
Sip your way through the Mediterranean.
Some people follow maps. Others follow wine.
If you fall into the second category, and you believe the best stories begin with a cork popping, this journey offers something truly unforgettable. It blends bold reds, rolling vineyards, ancient legends, and meals you’ll talk about long after the last bite. Welcome to Wine Lovers Unite: Greece & Croatia. Dionysus would raise a glass. Bacchus would ask for seconds. And the wine lists shall come filled with stories.
- 3 Nights in Thessaloniki
- 3 Nights in Athens
- 3 Nights in Istria
- 1 Night in Venice (Optional)
Start in Northern Greece – Where Xinomavro Meets the Macedonian Kings
Begin in Thessaloniki, a city that knows how to mix Byzantine ruins with café culture and northern Greek flavor. Walk the sea walls, sip strong coffee, and follow the trail to Naoussa, where Xinomavro thrives in vineyards older than some countries. Stop in Vergina, the resting place of Philip II of Macedon (yes, Alexander the Great’s dad), and visit Edessa, where waterfalls crash through the landscape with the kind of flair Zeus would approve of. Every view tells a story, and every sip feels like a toast to the past.
Athens and Nemea – The Gods Would Approve
Then it’s off to Athens, where you’ll wander the Acropolis, gaze out over the city from Cape Sounio, and then head west to Nemea, one of Greece’s most legendary wine regions. This is Agiorgitiko country, full-bodied and velvety, with roots that go back to Hercules, who supposedly stopped here to rehydrate after slaying the local lion. (Hydration is essential.)
You’ll visit two excellent wineries, taste your way through vintages worth packing, and we might even talk you into staying at one of them for lunch. It would be a shame not to sit down, relax, and let the view do its work.
Then On to Istria – Where Romans Planted the First Vines
A quick flight to Zagreb and a scenic transfer brings you to Istria, Croatia’s answer to Tuscany; only with fewer crowds and more truffles. Base yourself in Rovinj, where pastel buildings lean into the sea, or choose Meneghetti Wine Hotel, where the vines stretch out in every direction and the breakfast is dangerously good.
In Istria, Malvazija and Teran take center stage. You’ll taste both during a visit to Rossi Winery, and then set out for one of the region’s most iconic experiences: truffle hunting under the oak forests of Motovun. The grand finale? A hands-on truffle cooking session that turns everything you find into the kind of meal that would silence a table.
Want to End on a High Note?
Add a night in Venice before heading home. Find a quiet canal, raise a final glass of prosecco, and soak in the feeling of a journey that carried you through myths, mountains, vines, and villages.
Departure
Departing home you will realise that this was not simply a wine trail. It was a celebration of flavor, culture, and everything worth uncorking.
