Wine Tasting In Areni Village, Armenia
Vaibhav from The Wandering Vegetable
One of the best hidden gems in Europe, as far as authentic experiences in a continent are concerned, nothing beats a quality wine tasting at a local’s wine house.
One such experience that has stayed with me is from my trip to Armenia. It is known to produce some of the loveliest wines in Europe.
So it is all the more thrilling to explore the interiors of the country and get to know the hidden gems where the actual wine production takes place.
My curiosity about wine led me to the Areni village in Armenia. You pass this small town on your way to the Tatev monastery.
Since the journey to the monastery is a long one, stopping in this picturesque village to taste the authentic wines of the region is a tempting option.
A two-hour drive from the capital city of Yerevan brings you to a tiny and gorgeous village called Areni.
Wine tasting in Areni is one of the most fun things to do in Armenia. Areni is primarily known for its wine production.
Located in the Vayots Dzor Province of Armenia, the village is a landscape photographer’s dream.
You are greeted by the sight of vineyards and a small lake with the backdrop of the majestic mountains as soon as you traverse the highway to enter the village.
In Areni, there are several wine refineries and touristy spots offering wine tasting but the most authentic of them all is the Wine House Mher.
Led by the local winemaker and connoisseur, Mher Enoqyan, Wine house Mher offers you the ultimate local wine experience in Armenia.
Since it doubles up as a restaurant, you also get to taste some lip-smackingly good food.
First, you wash your hands at a fancy fountain tap at the entrance of the wine house.
Then, you are welcomed by the warm and smiling Mher along with his family.
If you are stopping at their place in the morning or late evening, then they prepare a special meal for you which features their delicious local cuisine dishes.
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After the meal, Mher gets down to real business as he tells you about the different kinds of wine and makes you taste each one of them.
The wine quality, without a doubt, is the best you will find in Europe.
It is on par with Georgian wine in terms of flavour and texture. The best part about the experience?
Mher knows how to entertain his guests and put on a show during the tasting. You will hear songs playing in the background as he serves you one exotic wine after another.
The flavored wines are so good that you will be in a dilemma as to which one to take back home.
Some of the popular flavored wine recommendations are the pomegranate wine and blackberry wine.
You can find the contact details and directions to the Wine House Mher here.
Don’t miss one of the best hidden gems in Europe if you are visiting Armenia.
Interested in tasting amazing wines and exploring the unique culture of Armenia? Find the best accommodations in Armenia here!
Stunning Chalk Cliffs On A Danish Island, Møns Klint, Denmark
Maria from Maptrekking
I am a little sad to say that Denmark was never on my radar as a ‘must visit’ destination, nor did I think it had any hidden gems.
My perspective changed though when I went to visit my Danish friend, Anna, for her birthday and graduation celebration.
I stayed with her family in the Danish countryside and experienced what local life means for the Danish people. Read more about Danish life here.
When you get to the Møns Klint park, there is a great visitor centre and a map of all the ways to explore.
To get to the cliffs, the access begins by going down lots of wooden stairs on a beautiful hillside filled with lush green forest.
At the ending, you are at the water’s edge and facing giant chalk cliffs to your left.
Explore more by walking down the rocky beach. The shore is a great place for a picnic during the summer months as long as you do not mind sitting on the ground.
Anna explained to me that most tourists hardly ever leave Copenhagen and if they do, then they would probably only go to see smaller Danish cities, not chalk cliffs on a remote Danish island.
Besides how amazing the cliffs looked in photos, this made me even more excited to see one of the truly hidden gems in Europe.
We decided we would do a road trip to visit the chalk cliffs and adjoining national park.
Unfortunately, our limited time kept us from fully exploring other beautiful places on the island.
If you’re interested exploring the island and chalk cliffs extensively, check out these great accommodations to stay at!
Language Exchange Events In Malaga, Spain
Juliet from Live Your Dream TODAY
Finding hidden gems in Europe, especially in a well known city like Malaga can be tough.
No matter where you go, you can always try to connect with locals though!
Meeting locals abroad is not as hard as it seems, even if you are a shy introvert like me.
I could never approach a random person on the street, but I put some effort into finding opportunities to talk to people who are friendly, open, and happy to get to know you!
A good example of this is attending language exchange events in Malaga, Spain.
I am so glad I was able to find those as they were the highlight of our whole journey to Spain last year!
Of course, there are plenty of interesting things to do in Malaga for first-timers that every other tourist does.
If you want to have more than a shallow look at another city center, I really recommend you find locals and spend time with them!
I mean, what lets you immerse in the local culture if not being among local people?
So there is this community called Malaga Tandem Club that organizes language exchange events around Malaga city.
They do all kinds of things from casual meetups in rooftop bars for a drink to fun game nights.
Locals come to meet foreigners like you and practice their English, and other travelers come to meet locals and practice their Spanish.
We just went to meet new people and have some memorable experiences, and ended up coming again and again.
There is nothing like that feeling when you enter a new bar abroad and see familiar friendly faces!
Other than malagueños, we met amazing people from more than ten countries while attending a few of those events.
Also, there are hardly any tourists there, but many frequent travelers or people who stay longer in Malaga for work or study projects.
Besides the fun drink nights, we went to the movies with some of our new friends.
There were so many other events like kayaking, parties, and attending local festivals that did not fit our schedule, but we would love to attend if we could!
In the end, even if you do not make friends for life (although you can!), you will come back home with wonderful unique memories.
We still keep in touch with some people from those events in Malaga, and will definitely go again if we happen to be in the area one day!
Interested in exploring the unique city of Malaga? Find the best accommodations in Malaga here!
Read More: 99 Wonderful Adventures To Help You Enjoy Your Travel
Authentic Home Cooked Food In Stari Bar, Montenegro
Maria from Maptrekking
Local food experiences are so important. You can learn so much about a place and culture through even only the food.
Every time I go somewhere new, I seek out the most authentic meals cooked by locals. This brings me to Stari Bar, a name meaning Old Bar.
It is the kind place where you can take a nice walk around fortress grounds but then have to explain to an elderly local that you do not want any homemade, outrageously potent, garden wine from the trunk of his car.
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It was a funny and eccentric experience to remember. Stari Bar is one of the best hidden gems in Europe.
It is a quaint, beautiful mountain old town off the southern coast of Montenegro at the foot of Mount Rumija.
Here you can find Restaurant Kaldrma. Upon entering you are transported to a local’s home. Vintage tables and chairs are dotted where they can fit.
It was the same on both floors with a small second floor balcony overlooking the main tourist street of Stari Bar.
A small island style countertop is the only thing separating you from the chef at work.
I specifically asked my server what he believed was the most local and authentic items on the menu.
He suggested starting with the fresh cheese and a veal broth to warm the pallet.
The broth was super flavourful and cheese was as fresh as it could be.
Naturally, when he arrived back to ask what I wanted for the main course, I took his word for it once more.
As it was veal season, he suggested the grilled veal with sides. I received the most delicious meal I had so far in the Balkans.
The meat was succulent and perfectly grilled, given testament to the Greek influence.
The tomato puree and eggplant side was a delicious accompaniment that felt much like it was inspired by the Italian influence on the Balkans.
This was all put together with a modern Montenegrin food that imprinted Kaldrma as my favorite hidden gem of Montenegro.
It was not until I was leaving and paying that I realized the server and chef were related and they were running the restaurant together as a team.
I was delighted that they agreed to take the photo for me as a way to always remember the incredible, home-cooked Montenegrin meal.
If you are looking for Europe hidden gem then you should be interested in Stari Bar. It has beach and mountains to discover with some amazing local delicacies thrown in as well. Check out the best accommodations in Stari Bar here!
When I stayed in Montenegro, I created an affordable, local style meal using only local ingredients.
To learn more about Montenegro and its food culture check out eating like locals in Montenegro.
How many Europe hidden gems are on your bucket list?
Check out my slow travel bucket list below.
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