Cantine Aperte (Liguria)

Cantine Aperte (Liguria) is one of the wine festivals that anchors the Liguria calendar, drawing both local visitors and international wine travellers each year. It is held at Wineries across Cinque Terre in Colli di Luni, in the heart of one of Italy's most distinctive wine areas. It has been running since 1993, with a long unbroken local tradition behind it. Italy's biggest open-cellar event, organised by the Movimento Turismo del Vino. On the last Sunday of May each year, more than 20,000 wineries across Italy open their doors for tastings, vineyard tours and producer-led events. The Liguria chapter coordinates participating estates in the area, giving visitors a chance to meet winemakers and taste current and library vintages directly at the cellar. Cantine Aperte is the entry point of Italian wine tourism for many visitors, giving direct access to producers who are otherwise hard to visit without prior arrangement. Most participating wineries offer free or low-cost tastings, with optional paid masterclass sessions, vineyard walks and food pairings. The atmosphere is informal and the focus is on direct producer contact rather than large-scale events. Visitors typically plan a route covering 3-5 wineries across a single day, often combining cellar visits with stops at local restaurants or food producers in the same area. The event functions both as a commercial opportunity for the wineries and as a community celebration, drawing returning visitors year after year. The event is organised by Movimento Turismo del Vino, which sets the tone and direction of the programme each year. Liguria is a small, steep wine region producing wines on terraced slopes that drop dramatically to the Mediterranean. Vermentino, Pigato (a saline Vermentino-related variety) and Rossese di Dolceacqua dominate the Riviera di Ponente in the west, while the Cinque Terre and Colli di Luni in the east produce Vermentino-based whites and the rare sweet Sciacchetra. Volumes are small and most wines are consumed locally, often with Ligurian seafood and pesto-based dishes. The 2026 edition is scheduled for 31 May 2026 (last Sunday of May). Entry is free, with optional paid tasting passes or guided sessions available on site. Full programme, ticketing and updated information are published on the official site at https://www.movimentoturismovino.it/it/cantine-aperte. Visitors are advised to check directly with the organiser for the latest schedule, as Italian festival programmes are sometimes updated close to the event date. Liguria is reached via Genoa, with the Cinque Terre easily accessible by train from Genoa or La Spezia. The Riviera di Ponente in the west is reached via the coast road from Genoa to the French border. Ligurian cuisine pairs the wines with focaccia, trofie or trenette al pesto, anchovies in olive oil, salt cod, and the local farinata chickpea pancake. The dramatic terraced vineyards above the Mediterranean give the area's wine events a distinctive setting.