Cruising Through Culture: Wine, Wheels, And Wonders Across Europe

Europe has long held a special place in the Indian travel landscape—not just for its rich cultural heritage, but as a symbol of aspiration and experience, often celebrated and romanticised through Bollywood. Unsurprisingly, outbound travel from India to Europe remains strong and consistent year after year. According to sources, this year alone has seen a 29 per cent rise in Schengen visa applications, underscoring the continent’s enduring appeal to the Indian traveller’s imagination.

Yet, what is evolving is not just the volume of travellers but the way they experience Europe. The once-common approach of rushing through bucket-list sights is gradually being replaced by a more immersive and thoughtful style of travel. Today’s affluent Indian travellers favour deeper experiences that bring local traditions to life. This shift reflects a broader trend towards valuing quality over quantity, freedom over rigid schedules, and meaningful engagement over surface-level visits.

This transformation is most evident in three emerging travel preferences: wine country exploration, self-drive adventures, and curated cruising experiences.

Wine Country Calling

Perhaps nowhere is this shift toward slower, more meaningful travel more apparent than in Europe’s wine regions, where culture, cuisine, and landscape converge in perfect harmony. For affluent Indian travellers, vineyard tourism has evolved from a niche interest into an intentional way to experience Europe’s soul, one sip and story at a time.

Tuscany remains a favourite starting point, with many travellers pairing their city stays in Florence or Rome with countryside detours to Montepulciano or Le Crete. Here, private tastings, estate lunches, and villa stays have become integral to the itinerary—not rushed pit stops, but opportunities to savour Vino Nobile at its source, in settings that blend history with hospitality.

Others are choosing more active routes, particularly in France’s Loire Valley, where self-guided cycling tours are gaining remarkable traction. Travellers glide between vineyards and medieval towns like Montrichard or Amboise, pausing at family-run estates or dining riverside in villages such as Saint-Ouen-les-Vignes. It’s not just about wine, but about perspective—seeing Europe at the gentle pace of the countryside.

Portugal is emerging as a compelling alternative for those seeking a lighter, more playful wine experience. The Minho region, with its Vinho Verde tastings in sunlit towns like Ponte de Lima, offers an approachable, relaxed approach that often forms part of broader culinary trails featuring slow, multi-course lunches steeped in local traditions.

Increasingly adventurous Indian travellers are also looking eastward, discovering regions like Slovenia’s Brda Valley, Moldova’s Cricova, and Montenegro’s Lake Skadar as sophisticated add-ons to Eastern European city breaks. These destinations offer boutique wineries, less crowded routes, and an emphasis on local storytelling—perfect for travellers seeking authenticity without the usual crowds.

This wine-focused wandering naturally leads many travellers to crave even greater independence and control over their European journey—a desire that has sparked another significant trend in luxury travel.

The Rise Of The Self-Drive Sojourner

Building on this appetite for autonomy and authentic experiences, self-drive holidays are emerging as a powerful force in luxury European travel. What was once a market dominated by guided group tours is now giving way to the freedom of the open road, powered by high-end vehicle rentals, curated routes, and seamless concierge support.

For many Indian travellers, the car is no longer just a means of transport but an extension of the experience. Picture setting off in a 2025 Mercedes G63, Porsche Cayenne, or Maserati Levante—vehicles that elevate the journey to match the indulgence of the destination. These aren’t spur-of-the-moment road trips, but carefully orchestrated itineraries enriched by premium accommodations, curated stops, and dedicated on-ground support.

Certain routes are increasingly standing out. In Germany, the Romantic Road winds through charming towns and picturesque castles, stretching from Würzburg to Füssen. Meanwhile, Switzerland’s Grand Tour spans more than 1,600 km of scenic alpine roads, linking Zurich to Lake Geneva with luxury stays and breath-taking lakeside vistas along the way.

Scotland’s wild North Coast 500 is a favourite among travellers intrigued by whisky routes and sweeping coastal views. Norway’s Atlantic Road, with its striking island-hopping path framed by fjords and vast open skies, offers a dramatic, cinematic journey. Meanwhile, the Peloponnese loop in Greece—stretching from Athens to Nafplio and Monemvasia—seamlessly weaves together seaside drives, ancient landmarks, olive-dotted landscapes, and intimate boutique stays.

Yet for some travellers, even the freedom of self-drive touring can feel demanding. They seek the same immersive cultural experiences and luxury comforts, but with someone else handling the logistics entirely. This desire has fueled the renaissance of European cruising among Indian luxury travellers.

Cruising Into Culture

This evolution toward effortless luxury has transformed European cruising from a one-size-fits-all proposition into a sophisticated, culturally-rich travel option that Indian travellers are embracing with enthusiasm. Seasoned travellers looking for a different rhythm are discovering that cruises offer the perfect balance of exploration and ease.

River itineraries along the Danube, Rhine, Seine, and Douro provide an elegant alternative to traditional land travel, allowing guests to step directly into vineyard towns, baroque cities, and cultural landmarks—all without the complexity of transit logistics. Sea cruises through the Aegean, Adriatic, and Mediterranean complement these river experiences by offering access to hard-to-reach islands, historic coastal villages, and culinary-rich port cities that would be difficult to reach by car or train.

What’s particularly appealing is how these cruises are being experienced. Indian travellers are choosing full-service packages that combine premium cruise cabins with curated excursions, multilingual support, private transfers, and pre- and post-cruise stays in marquee cities like Budapest, Rome, or Lisbon. The result is a seamless blend of exploration and luxury that eliminates decision fatigue while maximising cultural immersion.

For today’s discerning Indian traveller, cruising offers something uniquely valuable: the ability to cover multiple regions without compromising comfort, and to do so at a pace that favours deep experience over hurried sightseeing. It’s not just about sailing—it’s about anchoring every day in a new story, whether that’s wine tasting in Portugal’s Douro Valley, exploring medieval villages along the Rhine, or discovering hidden Greek islands in the Aegean.

The New Definition Of European Luxury

At the heart of this transformation in European travel lies a fundamental shift—from indulgence for its own sake to intentional, meaningful luxury. These Indian travellers aren’t chasing status symbols; they’re curating experiences that resonate on a personal level. With expenditures ranging from €15,000 to €20,000 per person, they’re choosing private estates over chain hotels, villas over standard suites, and handcrafted itineraries over package tours. Room rates of €800 to €1,500 per night are selected not for prestige, but for the authentic settings they provide.

Their journeys reflect careful planning balanced with spontaneous discovery: vehicles reserved months in advance, yet itineraries that allow space to linger when something captures their imagination. The luxuries they seek transcend mere comfort—they’re participatory and transformative. Whether cooking alongside renowned chefs in Tuscany, learning about terroir from Loire Valley sommeliers, or pairing local honey with artisanal cheese in remote Portuguese villages, these experiences create lasting memories rather than fleeting Instagram moments.

This represents a traveller who doesn’t merely visit Europe—they inhabit it temporarily, forming genuine connections with places, people, and traditions. In doing so, they’re fundamentally reshaping what luxury travel means on the continent: it’s personal rather than prescribed, participative rather than passive, and profoundly memorable rather than simply expensive. Whether through wine country wanderings, self-drive adventures, or curated cruises, today’s affluent Indian travellers are writing Europe’s next chapter—one authentic experience at a time.

Authored by Vishal Suri, Managing Director & CEO, SOTC Travel Limited