Quirky Stops Along the "Strada del Prosecco"

After living in Northeastern Italy for a year or two and fielding perhaps more than your fair share of visitors, putting together your “guests-in-town” plan becomes less of a chore and more a familiar loop: Day trip to Venice, Lake Barcis for an afternoon, spritzes in the Sacile square and the inevitable jaunt down to Prosecco Road.

You already know dozens of wineries with beautiful views and tasty bubbles to choose from (view a list of Nickel favorites here), but below are some unique/quirky/must-stop spots that go beyond the bottle for us fortunate repeat-visitors.

TASTING IN BARRELS

At L'Antica Quercia, a winery near Vittorio Veneto and therefore on the eastern edge of the Strada del Prosecco, you can enjoy a tasting experience like no other - in your own personal barrel.

Several of these enormous structures are dotted around the estate, and when the weather's nice, groups of 4 - 8 can get cozy & sample the winery's still, frizz & spumante offerings.

One of the barrels is also a mini-hotel room, so if you have too much, you can really make a night of it!

OSTERIA SENZ'OSTE

Literally translates to "Osteria Without a Host" because, true to the name, noone works there!

An older gentleman stocks a room in this small farmhouse with local meats, alpine cheese, eggs, bread & chilled prosecco, and you pay on the honor system.

 It’s quaint, it's charming, and it’s something you would absolutely never come across stateside.

Cash & cards accepted.

PROSECCO VENDING MACHINE

After you pop into the Osteria, look for the highly-produced sign (pictured for your convenience) that will set you on the winding upward path to your ultimate destination: A vending machine full of chilled prosecco.

It’s the perfect accompaniment to your honestly-acquired snacks, and the hilltop picnic tables nearby serve up some of the fabled Cartizze Valley’s most spectacular views.

Follow the fancy sign!

ABBAZIA SAN EUSTACHIO

Sip wine in the partially-restored ruins of an 11th-century abbey that was reduced to ashes during the Great War.

A short, steep uphill climb overlooking vineyards and an olive grove will place you at the abbey. Updated by the Villa Giusti winery, it now contains a cafe/bar that serves coffee, light snacks, and of course, wine. You can enjoy a glass al fresco, drinking in the lovely view of Nervesa della Battaglia - the little town - below.

PICNIC TABLES

Speaking of picnic tables, one thing you'll notice as you wind your way from Conegliano to Valdobbiandene are the numerous picnic tables perched in sometimes precarious but always enticing places along the road.