Wine holidays without driving.
Of our 24 regions, 13 work on public transport, some with a booked taxi or transfer. The other 11 need a driver or a tour, but you still don’t drive.
Where public transport does the work
Car-free is not step-free, so each row includes the walking and access limits from its guide.
| Region and base | Getting there | The ride to book | The return that limits the day | Walking and access |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walking and public transportA first wine trip or a city break. You book the visits, not the transport. | ||||
| ChampagneFrance · 1 day from Reims or ParisThe cathedral in the morning, Pommery’s cellars after lunch. | Paris Est to Reims Centre, about 46 minutes. Champagne-Ardenne TGV is a different station. | None. Bus C or a taxi covers the longer hops, including back to Reims Centre. | Last direct train to Paris Est 19:00, or 22:15 on Sundays. A later train changes at Champagne-Ardenne TGV. SNCF times for your date (opens in a new tab) | 15 minutes on foot from the station to the cathedral. Pommery’s cellars are down 116 steps; ask about the adapted visit. |
| BordeauxFrance · 1 day, best with a night in BordeauxThe riverfront and La Cité du Vin. No vineyards on this plan. | Paris Montparnasse, about 2 hours, then the tram. | None: trams and short walks. | Going back the same day, the last train to Paris is 20:50, or 22:16 on Sundays. SNCF times for your date (opens in a new tab) | Riverfront walking, with the tram for the longer stretch to La Cité. |
| WachauAustria · 2 nights in Krems or DürnsteinDürnstein, and one booked estate visit. | Vienna Franz-Josefs-Bahnhof to Krems, about 1 hour 5, then the VOR 715 bus. | None: the bus covers the valley. | Pick your return bus before you book Domäne Wachau. | Domäne Wachau’s normal tour has steep cellar stairs; a barrier-free tour is offered on request. |
| A transfer to arrangeVillages and vineyards. Most need a booked ride or a local bus; in Rioja and the Douro you walk from the station. | ||||
| ChablisFrance · 1 day from Chablis village or ParisLaroche’s cellars, then La Cité’s visitor trail. | Paris Bercy to Auxerre, about 1 hour 35; about 5 direct trains a day. | A station transfer both ways. | Last direct train to Paris 19:45 on weekdays, 17:46 at weekends. SNCF times for your date (opens in a new tab) | Walks between village stops. Laroche’s cellars are historic underground spaces. |
| Loire ValleyFrance · 2 days from SaumurBouvet-Ladubay’s cellars, then Fontevraud Abbey. | Paris, 2 to 2.5 hours with one change. | A taxi to Fontevraud Abbey and back. | Last train towards Paris 19:49. SNCF times for your date (opens in a new tab) | Saumur’s château is reached only by stairs. Bouvet’s classic tour, about 500 metres of cellar, is the one it describes as accessible. |
| AlsaceFrance · 2 days from ColmarThe Unterlinden museum in Colmar, then a day in Eguisheim. | Strasbourg, 26 minutes at fastest. | Eguisheim by the R030 bus or a taxi, both ways. | Village transport is seasonal. Check the R030 times for your date and book a taxi if the last bus is too early. Eguisheim buses and taxis (opens in a new tab) | Historic paving in Colmar and Eguisheim, and a vineyard walk on day two. |
| RiojaSpain · 1 day in HaroA Muga cellar tour and lunch in the old town. | Logroño, about 41 minutes, but only twice a day and once on Saturdays. | None, or a taxi into town. | The last train back leaves at 17:12 on weekdays, 16:42 at weekends. Renfe times for your date (opens in a new tab) | 20 to 30 minutes on foot from the station district to the old town. We couldn’t confirm step-free access. |
| Ribera del DueroSpain · 2 nights in Peñafiel or Aranda de DueroPeñafiel’s castle and wine museum, or Aranda’s underground cellars. | Madrid Chamartín to Valladolid, about 55 minutes, then a final connection. | The final connection to Peñafiel, and a ride to any estate. | Arrange the return before you pay for an estate visit. | Peñafiel castle is on a hill, and Aranda’s cellars can involve steps. |
| Douro ValleyPortugal · 1 to 2 days from PinhãoThe station tiles and a Quinta do Bomfim visit. | Porto Campanhã, about 2 hours 15 direct. From 3 November 2026 to 24 March 2027, a bus covers part of the line. | None: walk to Quinta do Bomfim. | Last direct train 18:11 until 2 November 2026; 17:15 with a bus during the works. CP times for your date (opens in a new tab) | A walk from the station to the estate. We couldn’t confirm step-free access. |
| PiedmontItaly · 1 day in Barolo village, or from AlbaMarchesi di Barolo’s cellars and the WiMu wine museum. | Turin Porta Susa or Lingotto to Alba, about 1 hour 20. | Alba to Barolo and back. | Last direct train to Turin 20:07, or 21:07 on Sundays. Trenitalia times for your date (opens in a new tab) | Walks between village stops; hills and steps still matter. |
| MoselGermany · 1 to 2 days from Bernkastel-KuesCastle views, then a Riesling tasting at Dr. Loosen. | Koblenz to Wittlich, about 55 minutes. | A bus or taxi on to Bernkastel-Kues. | Last fast train to Koblenz 19:57 during DB works from 12 October 2026. DB times for your date (opens in a new tab) | The climb to Landshut castle is steep; arranged transport avoids it. |
| Sonoma CountyUnited States · 1 day from Sonoma townThe Plaza on foot, then Buena Vista Winery. | An SFO transfer, or the airport shuttle to Petaluma and a ride on. | The round trip to Buena Vista. | Book any airport transfer as its own leg. | The Plaza morning is on foot; the transfer covers Buena Vista. |
| SantoriniGreece · 3 nights in FiraAkrotiri and a Pyrgos winery, on separate outings. | KTEL bus from the airport, about 10 minutes. | Transfers to venues away from bus stops. | Pick your return before a sunset tasting. | Caldera lanes and village routes can involve steps. |
A driver or a tour
These 11 regions suit estate visits in open country. The wineries are spread out, so book a driver for the day or join a tour before anything else.
- Tuscany Italy Bus 365 from Florence to Greve, then a driver to the estate.
- Rhône Valley France Avignon by TGV for a city day; a tour or a driver for the wine.
- Priorat Spain Train to Marçà-Falset, then a driver. The station is not in Falset town.
- Alentejo Portugal Évora by train and on foot; a driver for rural estates.
- Barossa Australia About an hour from Adelaide; one driver for the whole route.
- Margaret River Australia About three hours from Perth; a driver for both days.
- Napa Valley United States About an hour from San Francisco midweek; a driver for every leg.
- Stellenbosch South Africa Town on foot, then a booked driver on day two.
- Willamette Valley United States About an hour from Portland; a booked ride for the wineries.
- Mendoza Argentina City on foot; a driver for Luján de Cuyo or the Uco Valley.
- Central Otago New Zealand About 50 minutes from Queenstown Airport; a driver for the wineries.
Before you book
- Choose your return first. Weekends and public holidays can mean fewer, earlier services; where the last train is early, as in Rioja and the Douro, stay the night.
- If stairs or long walks are hard, each guide has a gentler version of the day.