The grapevine and wine are part of the historical, cultural and landscape identity of Galicia, making the wine sector a key part of the Galician agroalimentary industry, which is mainly articulated around the five existing Designation of Origin (DO): Monterrei, Rías Baixas, Ribeira Sacra, Ribeiro and Valdeorras.
Although the term “Enotourism” is quite recent, it refers to a phenomenon that dates back almost fifty years, when the famous Opus Wine Winery was created in the United States. This phenomenon spread to different Latin American countries and ended up reaching the “old continent”. It was then that in France, one of the first tourist destinations in the world, the wine routes were boosted and, later, the same began to be done in Spain, the first country in wine production in the world.
Wine tourism then comes to these lands, inviting us to discover the landscapes of the viticulture of Galicia and the magic of an environment wrapped in aromas and colours that change with each season, as well as visit centenary wineries and taste the best wines of our land .
Thus, through the five routes (corresponding to the five Designation of Origin), visitors are offered the opportunity to walk among the vineyards and discover the richness they contain.
It should be noted that, since 2013, Turismo de Galicia offers us one more tool when it comes to getting into this type of tourism by presenting a free application for smartphones in which, with data provided by different Associations of the Roads of the Galician Wines, we are given information about the characteristics of each route and its wines, as well as an interactive map that locates our position and helps us to easily go to the places of interest.
If you have not yet experienced this experience, we encourage you to do so, since it is a different way to explore the Galician community and get lost in fascinating places. Besides, you do not have to be an expert in wine: all you need is curiosity and desire to enjoy.
