7 DuVine Destinations in This Year’s “52 Places”

The Problem: Famous for its full-bodied reds, this south-central Portuguese terroir has nearly all the elements needed for wine production…save rain. Climate change has sapped precipitation over the already arid region, threatening its historic winemaking tradition.

The Solution: Through the work of Alentejo Sustainability Program, local wineries have cut their water consumption by 20%. To achieve this, they’ve employed innovative methods, from planting cover crops to boost water retention to collecting rainfall via manmade ponds.

Experience it: During our six-day Alentejo Bike Tour, not only will you stay in a gorgeously renovated 15th-century convent, explore UNESCO World Heritage sites, and dine at a private palace, you’ll also visit Fita Preta—a winery that adheres completely to organic viticulture rules. Vineyards are not irrigated, gravity rather than pumps allows the grapes to flourish, plots are built around the existing landscape, nests are constructed for birds and bats to encourage the diversification of the fauna, and sheep are used in place of herbicides and pesticides.

The Problem: Due to the pandemic, South Africa’s wildlife reserves and conservation projects have lacked much-needed support these past two years. In fact, the lockdown has been responsible for a 96% drop in national park visits.

The Solution: You! By booking a trip and visiting places like iSimangaliso Wetland Park, whose 800,000 acres are home to elephants, lions, and even whales, you’re helping keep 12,000 jobs afloat, as well as supporting an environmental education program in 150 local schools.

Experience it: Not only did the pandemic wreak havoc on conservation efforts, but—through an alcohol ban that went hand-in-hand with lockdown—it has negatively impacted South Africa’s vibrant wine industry. On our six-day mountain bike tour of the Rainbow Nation, we’ll visit wine farms and taste historic vintages, including Cabernet and Syrah, as well as support local communities by shopping at small businesses and artisans within the townships. We’ll also cycle through the epic Bottelary Hills Conservancy, where 40 farmers joined the project to protect the region’s natural biodiversity.

The Problem: Though it achieved independence 30 years ago, Slovenia—a nation of two million bordering Italy, Austria, and its Slavic neighbors to the East—has been an oft overlooked destination.

The Solution: Fortunately, that’s all changing. Among other things, Slovenia’s cuisine is helping it forge a new identity in the eyes of global travelers. Michelin has taken note, devoting its first guide to the country’s burgeoning food scene (consider it a melting pot of the cuisines found in neighboring countries), and restaurants like the two Michelin-starred Hiso Franko, whose meals consist of produce made by Slovenia’s small farms.

Experience it:  For the ultimate Slovenian experience, book our Slovenia Bike Tour, which treats you to Alpine climbs, tutorials in lesser-known local wines, and an evening at our friend Davorin’s family farmhouse to share in a homegrown feast of local, seasonal flavors.

The Problem: Overtourism—particularly in Amsterdam—caused the Dutch tourism board to stop promoting travel to the Netherlands in 2019. Since then, they’ve also made an effort to encourage visitors to travel more sustainably, and to visit destinations beyond their most famous city.

The Solution: The Times loves Gouda—home to the eponymous cheese, which made its debut right here in 1184—and encourages readers to amble its quaint, canal-flanking streets, or to spin along its extensive bicycle routes.

Experience it: Tulips. Trappist ales. Windmills. Holland is a land of wonderfully wonky tradition, and you’ll experience it all on our six-day bike tour. We’ll also be heading to Gouda, as we do every year, to see its stunning 15th-century Gothic architecture, and to lunch with our friends Artuur and Marjan, who prepare us a private meal.

The Problem: In a word: cars. We all know these gas guzzlers are bad for the environment, and that bicycle tourism is one of the cleanest ways to explore the world.

The Solution: Bicycle paths, like the 932-mile Vélomaritime, which begins in Brittany and traverses Normandy en route to the Belgian border. Along the way, marvel at Normandy’s famous beaches, the Gothic crown of Mount-Saint-Michel silhouetted against the sky, and the atmospheric coast that inspired Claude Monet.

Experience it: Pedal through history on our six-day Normandy Bike Tour, where we’ll explore Mount-Saint-Michel, hit chic beach towns like Étretat and Deauville, and stay at La Ferme Saint-Siméon—a lovely five-star hotel and spa where Monet once lived and painted. On our rides, we’ll use plenty of the Vélomaritime’s sections to enjoy blissful, car-free days on the bike.

The Problem: With views stretching to Mt. Vesuvius, and neighborhoods teaming with baroque beauty and a gritty gorgeousness, Naples is a destination not to be missed. But this Mediterranean city’s future is in danger thanks to steadily rising heatwaves. By 2081, scientists predict that 93 days of extreme heat will assail the capital of Campania.

The Solution: From solar panels to free clean electricity provided to impoverished neighborhoods to a tourism initiative that encourages exploring the city by foot, Naples is doing its best to stem the tide of climate change.

Experience it: Head to Naples on the last day of our brand new Amalfi Coast Cycling + Adventure Trip (tour to be announced soon), where you can explore the city via a walking network that includes the 400 steps of the 14th-century Pedamentina—a historic route that the Times says, “cannot be missed.”

The Problem: According to a recent World Economic Forum study, Morocco ranks 144th of out 156 countries when it comes to gender parity.

The Solution: From foundations to shops to cooperatives, a new crop of Moroccan entrepreneurs are seeking to empower women through employment and education. Now there are boutiques whose textiles are sewn by disabled women, carpet ateliers committed to paying female employees fair wages, and restaurant non-profits training women in culinary skills.

Experience it: Immerse yourself in all of Morocco’s beguiling beauty with our seven-day Morocco Bike + Adventure Tour. You’ll peruse souks, ride into the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, indulge in fragrant cuisine, and visit an Argan Oil shop that is 100% female run and operated.