Wine and Food Routes
Road trips built around vineyards, farm towns, coastal seafood, historic food regions, and memorable roadside meals. 59 curated drives with mapped stops, distance, duration, and route notes — including Pacific Coast Highway, New Zealand, North Coast 500, Douro Valley Wine Route.
These 59 routes range from 40 to 2500 km and from 1 to 14 days, across 36 countries. Top picks: Pacific Coast Highway, New Zealand, North Coast 500, Douro Valley Wine Route.
IconicPacific Coast Highway, New ZealandNew Zealand's Pacific coast from Whakatane to Napier, through Māori culture, East Cape's remote headlands, Gisborne's chardonnay vineyards, Hawke's Bay's Art Deco cities, and the easternmost point of the North Island. Off the beaten track until the final destination: Napier's extraordinary Art Deco streetscape.
LegendaryNorth Coast 500Scotland's answer to Route 66, the NC500 loops 500 miles through the most spectacular and least-visited landscapes in Europe: the Torridon mountains' Precambrian sandstone, the white-sand beaches of Durness above the Cape Wrath headland, the flow country's peatland wilderness, the castle-dotted Black Isle, and the Bealach na Bà (the steepest road in Britain) above Applecross's seafood bar. The most dramatic drive in Britain.
IconicDouro Valley Wine RouteThe oldest demarcated wine region in the world, the Douro Valley winds east from Porto through terraced vineyards carved into schist hillsides, past baroque manor houses and centuries-old quintas that produce some of the world's finest port and table wine.
IconicCappadocia Valleys LoopA compact Cappadocia route for visitors who want more than one balloon-view stop. The loop links Göreme, Uçhisar, Avanos, underground cities, Ihlara Canyon, Soğanlı Valley, and Ürgüp into a short drive through volcanic rock, cave churches, vineyards, and early Christian hideouts.
IconicChianti RoadToscana simply doesn't get more bella than the SR222 through Chianti country, linking two great medieval cities through gently rolling countryside striped with cypress trees, olive groves, and vines. Most photogenic during the late springtime eruption of poppies and wildflowers; stop at every enoteca for Chianti Classico, a sangiovese-dominated drop that tastes like the landscape.
IconicPan-American Highway, PeruPeru's stretch of the Pan-American Highway takes in everything from pre-Inca history to world-renowned wineries, the road winds through coastal desert, tiny fishing villages, the Islas Ballestas wildlife islands, the mysterious Nazca Lines, colonial-era towns, and the Atacama at Tacna. Drive only during daylight hours; fuel up wherever you can.
NotableJapan's Golden RouteJapan's classic first-timer circuit from Tokyo to Osaka, Mt Fuji's perfect cone above the Hakone caldera, Kyoto's 2,000 temples (Kinkaku-ji, Fushimi Inari's 10,000 torii gates, Arashiyama's bamboo grove), Nara's free-roaming deer and colossal bronze Buddha, and Osaka's legendary street food and castle. The template for Japan travel since the bullet train opened in 1964.
IconicBali Island LoopCircle Bali on paved coastal and highland roads from Denpasar through Ubud, Kintamani, Lovina, Pemuteran, Gilimanuk, and back via the southern beaches. Expect dense traffic near the south coast, cooler mountain views, temple stops, and easy daily access to food, fuel, and guesthouses.
NotableRuta de las FloresThis compact highland drive links El Salvador’s flower-filled coffee towns west of San Salvador, weaving through cool cloud-forest slopes, murals, markets, and viewpoints. Stop in artisan villages, sample local pupusas and roasted coffee, and continue to the waterfalls and parks that give the route its name.
NotableAlong the Murray RiverThe Murray, Australia's longest river at 2,500 km, rising in the snow-capped Australian Alps and flowing between Victoria and New South Wales. The road from Albury-Wodonga through the renowned Rutherglen wine region, the horse-drawn-cart port of Echuca, and on to Mildura's citrus and wine country.
IconicAlsace Route des VinsThe Route des Vins d'Alsace winds between the Vosges Mountains and the Rhine plain through a string of medieval villages, half-timbered houses hung with geraniums, storks on every chimney, and Riesling in every cellar.
IconicBlue Mountains and North Coast JamaicaThis Jamaican loop links the cool, misty slopes of the Blue Mountains with the lush east and north coasts. Start in Kingston, climb past coffee estates and forest viewpoints, then descend through Port Antonio to Ocho Rios and the island’s resort-lined northern shoreline.
IconicBolaven Plateau LoopThis classic Laos loop climbs from Pakse onto the cool, forested Bolaven Plateau, circling coffee country, crater lakes, and some of the country’s best waterfalls. The route links village roads and paved mountain sections into an easygoing road trip with frequent scenic stops and local homestays.
IconicCalchaquí ValleysThrough the high-altitude Andes of northwestern Argentina, the world's highest vineyards at Cafayate, the sculpted red rock canyons of Quebrada de Cafayate, pre-Inca ruins at Quilmes, and the colonial splendour of Salta.
Hidden GemCape Ann, MassachusettsThe North Shore route from Newburyport south along Cape Ann, clam shacks on Route 1A, the Parker River Wildlife Refuge's 800 species of birds and plants, Crane Beach (one of the longest and sandiest in New England), maritime Essex, and the working fishing port of Gloucester. A short drive dense with seafood and Atlantic atmosphere.
NotableCaves RoadA short but extraordinary drive through the limestone karst of Western Australia's Margaret River region, above ground, the world's largest karri forests and a hundred world-class wineries; below, four show caves of stalactites and crystal formations accessible on guided tours along a single winding road.
IconicChâteaux of the LoireThe Loire Valley is the garden of France, a UNESCO World Heritage landscape of Renaissance royal châteaux, troglodyte wine cellars cut into chalk cliffs, and river islands of white-sand beaches linking Chinon's medieval fortress to Chambord's Renaissance fantasy.
IconicColombia Caribbean CoastThis coast-to-coast drive follows Colombia’s Caribbean shoreline from Cartagena through Barranquilla and Santa Marta to the gateway of Tayrona and the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Expect colonial cities, mangrove lagoons, beach towns, and long stretches of warm coastal highway with lively regional food and music.
IconicColombia Coffee AxisDrive the heart of Colombia’s Coffee Axis on a loop between Medellín and Salento, passing green ridgelines, colonial towns, and working fincas. The route is best in the drier months, when mountain roads are easier and views over the Andes and wax palm valleys are clearest.
NotableDanube Bend and Balaton LoopThis loop links Hungary’s most rewarding road-trip scenery: the wooded bends of the Danube north of Budapest and the lakefront villages of Balaton. Expect castle towns, riverside viewpoints, ferry crossings, vineyard hills, and easy A-road driving with frequent stops for viewpoints, thermal baths, and lakeside promenades.
NotableDelta Works and Zeeland CoastFollow the Zeeland coast from the engineering marvel of the Delta Works through island-dotted dikes, beaches, and tidal inlets. This relaxed loop links storm-surge barriers, quiet harbor towns, and wide North Sea horizons, with frequent stops for seawalls, cycling paths, and fresh seafood.
IconicEast Coast TasmaniaThe long way from Hobart to Launceston, up Tasmania's sun-drenched east coast past convict sandstone, Wineglass Bay's perfect crescent, penguin colonies, and the fire-orange boulders of the Bay of Fires.
IconicEastern Anatolia RouteThis cross-country loop links eastern Turkey’s greatest landscapes, from the volcanic skyline of Mount Nemrut and Lake Van to the Armenian churches of Kars and the alpine valleys around Erzurum. Expect long mountain drives, big skies, strong local food, and historic towns shaped by Silk Road and frontier heritage.
NotableEmilia-Romagna Food RoadAlong the Via Emilia, the Roman road built in 187 BC that still runs ruler-straight through Italy's gastronomic heartland from Parma to Ravenna. The route takes in Parma ham, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Modena's balsamic vinegar and tortellini, and Bologna's ragù, the most food-dense drive in the world.
NotableHaida Gwaii AdventureFar-flung and isolated, the lush Haida Gwaii archipelago is steeped in superlatives, most stunning scenery, tastiest seafood, most accessible First Nations culture. Highway 16 runs the length of Graham Island from the Haida Heritage Centre to the white-sand wilderness at Rose Spit.
IconicKonkan CoastDrive India’s Konkan Coast from Mumbai to Goa, tracing the Arabian Sea past fishing harbors, palm-fringed beaches, and laterite cliffs. The route mixes lively highway stretches with relaxed village roads, plus standout stops for seafood, forts, backwaters, and sunset views over the water.
IconicLa Rioja Wine RegionThe greatest wine region in Spain, La Rioja loops through medieval walled villages above the Ebro River, where Tempranillo ages in oak-scented cave bodegas beneath Haro's streets, Frank Gehry and Zaha Hadid have designed wineries for marquee estates, and every bar runs a pintxo culture as serious as San Sebastián.
NotableLavaux VineyardsA short but sublime drive along Route 9 above the northern shore of Lake Geneva, through the UNESCO World Heritage Lavaux wine terraces that stagger up from the water in sheer stone-walled tiers that beggar belief. The road links the higgledy-piggledy French-speaking city of Lausanne to Château de Chillon, an extraordinary 13th-century fortress immortalised in Lord Byron's poem.
NotableLisbon to PortoPortugal's essential north-south drive, from Lisbon's sea-facing hilltop capital through the medieval walled town of Óbidos, the cliff-top surf town of Nazaré (where the underwater canyon channels the world's biggest rideable waves), the university city of Coimbra (where students still wear black capes), Aveiro's lagoon canals plied by painted moliceiro boats, and into Porto's azulejo-tiled city of port wine lodges and the world's most beautiful bookshop. A Portugal of extraordinary depth.
Hidden GemLong Island LoopBeginning and ending in New York City, this Long Island circuit heads east on the Expressway to Montauk, then returns down the Southern State past 30 vineyards, Hamptons mega-mansions, unspoilt North Fork farmland, Shelter Island, and Fire Island (car-free, visit on foot). Allow four days for the Gilded Age beach resorts, Cedar Point lighthouse, and the Sagamore Hill home of Theodore Roosevelt.
IconicNapa Valley Wine RoadCalifornia's Silverado Trail and Highway 29 thread through the most celebrated wine valley in the Americas, grand château wineries, Michelin-starred restaurants, mustard flowers in spring, and golden harvest light in fall.
IconicNelson & Marlborough ExplorerThe top of the South Island from Nelson's arts scene and Abel Tasman coast to Marlborough's Wairau River vineyards, World of Wearable Art, the Moutere Valley's pinot noir, the turquoise waters of Abel Tasman National Park, and Blenheim's sauvignon blanc (and Framingham's riesling, which you must also taste).
NotableOkanagan Valley Wine TourA compact but spectacular wine country drive along Lake Okanagan in British Columbia, ponderosa pine slopes dropping to a desert-climate lake, over 200 wineries producing Riesling, Pinot Noir, and ice wine, and some of the most dramatic winery architecture in the world.
IconicPapua New Guinea Highlands HighwayPapua New Guinea’s Highlands Highway threads through steep valleys and highland towns from Lae to Mount Hagen and on toward the lower highlands, linking coffee country, market centers, and dramatic mountain scenery. Expect a rugged, slow journey with vivid village life, misty ridges, and frequent weather-related delays.
LegendaryRoad Trip the RivierasThe most glamorous coastal drive in Europe, from Nice along the Three Corniches of the French Riviera through Monaco's baroque excess to Menton's lemon festival, across the Italian border into the Ligurian Riviera's fishing villages, the millionaires' harbour of Portofino, and the five pastel villages of the Cinque Terre above their vertical vineyards. The Mediterranean at its most magnificent.
NotableRoute 62The longest wine route in the world winds through the Breede River Valley and Little Karoo, past fruit farms, ostrich ranches, and the Swartberg Mountains, connecting Cape winelands to the edge of the great Karoo.
NotableSarawak Pan-Borneo HighwayThis Sarawak section of the Pan-Borneo Highway runs from the Brunei border near Miri to the Indonesian frontier at Tebedu, linking coastal cities, rainforest interiors, and river towns. It is a practical overland showcase of Borneo’s changing landscapes, with frequent stops for caves, national parks, and local food.
IconicScandi ExplorerThe great Scandinavian road trip through three kingdoms, from Copenhagen's design-forward capital across the Øresund Bridge into Sweden, north through Gothenburg's West Coast seafood, ferry to Oslo's fjord-city glamour, west to Bergen's painted Bryggen wharf and the UNESCO Nærøyfjord, and the dramatic Flåm Railway descent into the world's most spectacular fjord landscape. Northern Europe at its most spectacular.
IconicTasmania East CoastThe Tasman Highway from Hobart up Tasmania's beach-lined east coast, through dry hills, Freycinet Peninsula's geometrically perfect Wineglass Bay, the Bay of Fires' white sands and orange lichen-stained rocks, and the Pyengana Dairy Company to Launceston. The gentle counterpoint to the wild west coast.
IconicThe Basque CircuitThe circuit of one of Europe's most distinct cultures, Bilbao's Frank Gehry Guggenheim, San Sebastián's pintxos bars (more Michelin stars per capita than any city except Kyoto), the fishing ports of Getaria and Bermeo, prehistoric cave art at Santimamiñe, and the dramatic Costa Vasca. The best food per capita in Europe, concentrated into 480 km.
NotableThe Hidden HighwayThe borderland between England and Wales, the B4368 and B4391 through the Marches from the food capital of Ludlow across the Long Mynd plateau and the Shropshire Hills (the best walking country in the English Midlands), past Powis Castle's Baroque terraced gardens, to the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct (Telford's iron masterpiece carrying a canal 38m above the Dee Valley) at Llangollen. The quietest and most rewarding drive in the Welsh Marches.
NotableTohoku Coast and MountainsThis loop links the rugged Sanriku coast with the forested mountains of inland Tohoku, pairing sea cliffs, fishing ports, hot-spring valleys, and deep cedar groves. It’s a classic self-drive through one of Japan’s most rewarding regions, with calm highways, excellent food stops, and striking natural contrast.
IconicTrans-Andean HighwayThis classic Andean crossing links Santiago with Mendoza through one of South America’s most dramatic mountain corridors. Expect sweeping switchbacks, high desert valleys, vineyard foothills, and the iconic Cristo Redentor pass area, with changing conditions from coastal Chile to the dry Argentine side.
IconicTroodos Mountains and Akamas PeninsulaThis Cyprus road trip links the pine-clad ridges of the Troodos Mountains with the wild limestone coast of the Akamas Peninsula. Start in Limassol, climb through wine villages and Byzantine monasteries to Omodos and Troodos, then descend west to Paphos and finish with sunset cliffs, bays, and hiking stops near Latchi and Cape Arnaoutis.
NotableUruguay CoastTrace Uruguay’s Atlantic shoreline from Colonia del Sacramento to Punta del Este, following a relaxed mix of riverfront towns, dune-backed beaches, fishing ports, and polished resort strips. The drive is mostly flat and well paved, with easy detours for sunset viewpoints, seafood lunches, and long seaside walks.
NotableValle de Guadalupe Wine RouteThis easy Baja wine-country drive links Ensenada to the rolling vineyards of Valle de Guadalupe, where rustic tasting rooms, farm-to-table restaurants, and boutique lodges sit among olive groves and dusty ranch roads. The route is short, scenic, and best enjoyed slowly over a long weekend.
NotableWaiheke Island CircuitJust an hour's ferry from Auckland, Waiheke has its own warm, dry microclimate and a reputation as a Tuscan facsimile in the Pacific, vineyards, olive groves, and art galleries on a hilly island of excellent beaches. The island drive takes in Man O' War Bay, Onetangi Beach, the Connells Bay sculpture park, and several vineyards with restaurants overlooking the Hauraki Gulf.
NotableWillamette ValleyPinot Noir is the grape that put Oregon on the wine map when Eyrie Vineyards beat the French at the 1979 Wine Olympics. The 180km Willamette basin runs between the coast and the Cascades, I-5 and 99W threading past vineyards, hop yards, winding rivers, and bubbling hot springs from Portland to Eugene.
NotableWine & Whales Electric HighwayAustralia's first dedicated electric highway follows the beautiful southwest coast from Perth to Augusta, 12 RAC fast-charging stations spaced along a route that passes Margaret River's world-class wineries and Busselton's heritage jetty, timed June to August for humpback whale season in Geographe Bay.
NotableCosta do Sol: Búzios and Cabo FrioA relaxed coastal loop through Rio de Janeiro’s Costa do Sol, this drive links the relaxed beaches of Cabo Frio with the granite coves and viewpoints of Búzios. It’s best as a short two-day road trip with time for beach stops, seafood lunches, and sunset along the shore.
NotableCosta Esmeralda Florianopolis to BombinhasThis short Atlantic-coast drive links Florianópolis to Bombinhas through Santa Catarina’s Costa Esmeralda, with beach towns, offshore islands, and turquoise bays along the way. The route is paved and straightforward, best enjoyed as a leisurely summer escape with stops for swimming, seafood, and viewpoints.
NotableKakheti Wine CountryA relaxed loop through eastern Georgia’s winemaking heart, this drive follows vineyard lanes and small market towns from Tbilisi into Kakheti. Taste qvevri wines in Sighnaghi and Telavi, pause at hilltop monasteries, and finish with wide Alazani Valley views under the Caucasus.
IconicMendoza Wine Region and Uco ValleyA relaxed wine-country loop from Mendoza city through Maipú, Luján de Cuyo, and the wide-open Uco Valley. Drive between olive groves, vineyard estates, and snow-backed Andes views, stopping for Malbec tastings, winery lunches, and sunset light over Tunuyán and Tupungato.
NotableRuta del Spondylus Ecuador CoastEcuador’s Ruta del Spondylus follows the Pacific coast from Esmeraldas to Salinas, linking surf beaches, fishing towns, mangroves, and lively resort stops. It’s a relaxed highway drive with warm water, fresh seafood, and frequent viewpoints, best enjoyed in the dry season when coastal roads are most predictable.
IconicRuta Panorámica Puerto RicoPuerto Rico’s Ruta Panorámica is a mountain-to-coast drive across the island’s interior, linking forested ridges, coffee towns, and panoramic overlooks. The classic road-trip stretch runs from the western highlands near Mayagüez to the eastern side around Maunabo, with switchbacks, cool cloud-forest air, and views that change with every climb.
NotableVale dos Vinhedos Bento Goncalves Wine RouteThis relaxed loop through Serra Gaúcha links Bento Gonçalves, Garibaldi, and the vineyard-lined Vale dos Vinhedos, Brazil’s best-known wine district. Expect paved country roads, hillside estates, cellar doors, Italian-Brazilian food, and sweeping views of neatly planted vines and rolling green valleys.
IconicCentral Otago Wine TrailThe world's southernmost wine region hugs valley roads between Queenstown and Wanaka, vineyards fighting for space between rugged schist mountains and the Kawarau River gorge. Central Otago Pinot Noir and Riesling rival anything from Burgundy or Alsace.
LegendaryJourney to the CaucasusGeorgia's compact masterpiece, from the ancient capital Tbilisi through Mtskheta's living-museum monasteries, north on the Georgian Military Highway through the Dariali Gorge to the Kazbegi plateau (Gergeti Trinity Church floating above the clouds on a 2,170m promontory, with Mount Kazbek's 5,047m cone behind), and east through the Alazani Valley's vineyards to Sighnaghi's medieval wine town. The birthplace of wine, Christianity, and Georgian polyphony.
NotableSeoul to Busan OverlanderThe great Korean south-north drive from Seoul through the ancient Silla capital of Gyeongju to Busan's dynamic port, palaces, UNESCO temple complexes, fortress walls above autumn maples, and Korea's best food city at the end. The country's cultural heartland threaded together in one journey along the old royal road.