Sleeping in wine barrels: here’s where to go in Italy

One of the most fashionable forms of tourism in recent years, responding to the need to respect the environment and surrounding ecosystems, is glamping: this is basically an evolution of simple camping, with accommodation facilities that offer guests solutions equally immersed in nature but richer in comfort. Sleeping in a wine barrel is a glamping experience worth trying and can be enjoyed in Italian locations renowned for their spectacular natural heritage.

Sleeping in a wine barrel in South Tyrol and Veneto
In Rasun di Sotto, in the heart of the beautiful Antholz Valley in South Tyrol, is the Camping Residence Chalets Corones, which offers accommodation in real wine barrels, completely immersed in the woods, with the peaks of the Dolomites as a backdrop. The barrels originally had the simple function of containing up to 8000 litres of wine, and were then renovated to become a picturesque accommodation, complete with veranda and large double bed.

The Camping Residence Chalet Corones also has a wellness centre that will make your stay a real pampering, for body and mind, for young and old. This is the perfect solution for mountain lovers who can go on excursions to the Klammbach waterfall or Lake Anterselva, visit the Rasune biotope and the ruins of the castle of the same name.

Lake Anterselva

La Vigna di Sarah (Sarah’s Vineyard) is located on the edge of the Vittorio Veneto hills, in Cozzuolo to be precise, just a stone’s throw from Valdobbiadene: it is a large estate developed around 16 hectares of vines from which the Grappoli di Luna prosecco is produced, the name of which reveals the exceptional harvest that takes place in the evening. Well, the entrepreneur Sarah Dei Tos has embellished this bucolic place by starting the construction in 2014 of the Lunotte, accommodation similar to wine barrels, made of larch wood.

There are two small suites plus another unit used for tasting the excellent wines produced locally. There will also be theme evenings organised by the hotel itself to make the guests’ experience even more pleasant and complete, while maintaining contact with the local wine-growing reality. It is also possible to organise excursions to discover the surrounding area, dotted with rare natural beauties such as the Caglieron Caves, the Lapisina Valley Lakes or the Cansiglio Forest in the Carnic Pre-Alps.

Caves of Caglieron – Photo by travellifestyle/shutterstock

From Piedmont to Lombardia
In the heart of Alto Monferrato, surrounded by dense hazelnut forests and expanses of vineyards, lies the village of Rocca Grimalda, dominated by its imposing castle built between the 12th and 12th centuries. It is in this picturesque corner of Piedmont that the B&B Pervinca is located, another place to experience the thrill of sleeping in a wine barrel. In this case, the huge vats date back to the 19th century and belonged to the cellar of an old curia, which used them to ferment wine.

Castle of Rocca Grimalda – Photo by McoBra89/shutterstock

There are two interconnected barrels at guests’ disposal, both equipped with every comfort: in one there is a chandelier made of wooden skis while the sink is a simple basin resting on top of a smaller barrel; in the other barrel, respecting the eco-sustainability of these accommodations, there is a shower completely covered with river stones while a simple watering can is used to flush the toilet.

Between Bergamo and Milan, in Capriate San Gervasio, stands the Cantina Al Silter, whose history dates back to the 19th century: the name suggests the ancient use of the place for maturing cheese, while today it is an elegant accommodation facility, built with exposed bricks, where it is possible to sleep in an authentic wine barrel. These small rooms can accommodate a maximum of two people and are therefore perfect for spending a romantic weekend with your partner: inside the barrels there is a bed, while in the outdoor area there is a cast-iron tub and a small wine cellar with some of the finest wines of the area.

The real jewel of these rooms is the tap: the water flows from a bottle and then through an eighteenth-century canal, ending up in a stone sink dating back to the fourteenth century.
Guests can order platters of cold meats, aperitifs and bottles of red wine, champagne or sparkling wine; breakfast, based on jams, croissants, yoghurt and coffee, is served in a delicious basket and can be enjoyed sitting on chairs shaped like corks.

Capriate San Gervasio – Photo by Evan Frank/shutterstock