Our Europe
Our favorite
events
September
DUrkheim Wurstmarkt
Literally translating to “sausage market,” the Wurstmarkt is the world’s largest wine festival, attracting 600,000 people each year. The festival takes place in Bad Dürkheim along the German Wine Road and has been celebrated for almost 600 years. Visitors can experience live music, carnival rides, and the world’s largest wine barrel. Enjoy traditional cuisine and drink wines from the Pfalz region in half-liter glasses – an age-old tradition at the Wurstmarkt.
May – October
Regional Wine Festivals
Germany is known for more than just Oktoberfest! There are over 1,200 “weinfests,” or wine celebrations, across Germany’s 13 wine growing regions each year. Home to great wine and delicious local cuisine, many festivals also include a parade featuring the local Wine Queen! Whether in a castle, vineyard or village square, all of Germany’s wine festivals are a unique celebration of the harvest and highlight the region’s wine offerings.
June 27 – 30
Bordeaux Fete le Vin
Bordeaux Fête le Vin is one of the biggest wine festivals, taking place from the 23rd to the 26th June 2022. On the programme are free concerts, sailing boats, food stalls, wide variety of Bordeaux wines, exhibitions and a firework display over the Garonne.
November – December
Christmas time in Germany
Germany at the holidays is über charming! From big cities like Berlin, to wine regions such as Freiburg, Mainz, Stuttgart, and Würzburg, Germans take to the streets and celebrate Christmas with sparkling wine! Planning on visiting Germany during the holidays? Don’t miss the beautiful lights and bustling shops at local Christmas markets to fetch a German-crafted gift and sip on warm Glühwein, a special form of mulled wine.
January – February
Fasching, Fastnacht, Karneval?
The real Mainzer celebrates Fastnacht and calls “Helau,” a traditional carnival greeting. In southern Germany, the celebration is referred to “Fasching,” while in Rhineland, it’s called “Karneval.” While each tradition follows different customs, you’ll find Germans out and about
in costumes from Weiberfastnacht (Thursday) to Ash Wednesday. If you don’t like to put on make-up or wear a disguise, you can at least wear a scarf in the carnival colors of red, white, blue, yellow around your neck. On Weiberfastnacht, an unofficial holiday, many offices close at noon as carnival parties usually begin at 11:11am. On Rosenmontag, you look for the best place to watch the big parade. The city center is largely cordoned off, as the wagons move through the city center.
Our favorite
activities
There’s so much to explore both in and out of winery tasting rooms! Germany and Bordeaux offer destinations for oenophiles, foodies, history buffs, architecture enthusiasts, and even outdoor adventurers.
