If you like Prosecco wine, you’ll love a trip down the Prosecco Road near Valdobbiadene, Italy. I promise you will.
Valdobbiadene was unlike any other wine region we’d ever seen. The vines followed the terrain we were never more than a stone’s throw away from a winery.
Our visit there this summer was one of our favorite and most memorable stops on our tour through Italy. We’ve wrestled for weeks about how to write about such an extraordinary experience and yesterday, decided one blog post was just not going to do it. So, this is the first in a series about our visit to the Prosecco region. We’ll start with our most important tip: Hire a professional drive and local guide.
How we found the Prosecco Road
Admittedly, we wouldn’t have even known about the Prosecco Road without the help of Massi the Driver and his wife, Deb from Italy Unfiltered.
We can’t imagine visiting the Prosecco region without the expertise of Massi the Driver and his wife, Deb, of Italy Unfiltered.
Italian-born Massi and his American wife, Deb, have spent a lot of time in Valdobbiadene (pronounced valdob’bja:dene). It took me a month to learn how to properly pronounce the name of this town (and another month to spell it) and I can’t imagine trying to navigate the it on our own. Nor would I have wanted to. By hiring a licensed driver and local guide, you not only don’t have to worry about reading street signs in Italian or understanding the rules of the road, but you can also enjoy the view and make the most of your time there.
Massi the Driver and his wife, Deb, of Italy Unfiltered knew exactly where to go and what to see and do in the Prosecco region in Valdobbiadene, Italy.
Because they had been to many of the wineries on previous trips (all in the name of research, of course), they knew exactly which ones to visit, what their business hours were, and what we could expect at each tasting.
Deb and Massi knew all the best wineries to visit in Valdobbiadene and more importantly, how to get there.
Meet the winemakers along the Prosecco Road
One of the other great things about having this dynamic duo show us around is that they knew many of the wine makers, by name. That meant a lot. At most places, if the wine maker was around, we were able to meet him or her, visit about what makes their wine unique and most times have a private tour.
Deb and Massi with the wine maker at Roccat Winery in Valdobbiadene, Italy.
The benefits of local experts
Both Deb and Massi speak Italian and that also helped. A lot. While many of the wineries had English-speaking staff, some didn’t. No matter where we were, Deb and Massi were able to help interpret and ask our questions in the wine makers’ native language. They were also able to help us order food at restaurants, get directions to the bathrooms, and help us order wine to be shipped back home. And let me be honest, I absolutely love listening to people speak Italian. To me, it is the most beautiful language I’ve ever heard.
We loved having a private driver who would stop whenever we saw something we’d like to take a picture of, like this beautiful hydrangea.
I also loved having a private N.C.C. driver (that’s a special license for tour drivers in Italy) who would stop whenever I wanted him to so that I could take a photo of something like a beautiful hydrangea. And the vines. We also stopped for the sunset. As well as the church. And so on.
Tons to see, learn do (and drink!) along the Prosecco Road
The benefit of having a knowledgable local was that Deb was able answer our questions about food and wine in the area and customize our trip according to our interests and abilities.
Our guide, Deb, was able to show us around and answer questions about the Prosecco region around Valdobbiadene.
Deb and Massi took us to so many great places where we had unique views and incredible photo ops.
Trust me when I say that maneuvering your way around Valdobbiadene and the surrounding area is not easy and that hiring a driver and guide is worth the money. While our tour and transport services were complimentary this time, we wouldn’t dream of going back without enlisting the help of a licensed driver.
Deb and Massi were so much fun to be around and we will likely be lifelong friends.
In addition, we really did have a fantastic time with this couple. We drank together, ate together, laughed together and made memories together that will a lifetime. And that, my friends, is priceless.
Other tips:
Our tour of the Prosecco Road and transportation were complimentary from Italy Unfiltered and Massi the Driver. The opinions expressed are our own. If you are interested in booking tour or transport services with Deb and Massi, you can email them at dlarsen5@icloud.com.
PIN FOR LATER
Tips for your visit to Prosecco Road in Valdobbiadene, Italy. #1 – Hire a driver and guide.
