By Helena Baker

For the Post

As the masses head again for the Spanish Costas, the Greek isles or the Dalmatian coast, some have started to look for a more imaginative alternative. After all, why swap a panelák in Prague for one by the beach? In that spirit, a new trend is emerging in this country, as it has elsewhere over the past decade or so: agritourism.

One country where agritourism is big is Italy, in particular Tuscany. In the area around the small town of Rufina, for instance, the possibilities are great and varied. Whole families can stay in the relaxing atmosphere of restored farm houses or villas set in the green beauty of the wooded hills, just 18 kilometers (11 miles) east of Florence. These stone buildings date back several centuries, and are designed to keep their cool even in the most blistering summers.

As the term agritourism suggests, such properties are actively engaged in agricultural endeavors, which can include animal husbandry, olive-oil production and of course viticulture — this is deep Chianti country. Some houses have fully modernized interiors complete with luxury suites, dining salons and outdoor swimming pools. Others choose to retain their rustic charm for self-catering, though they too have up-to-date facilities. Some even include the possibility of hands-on cookery courses.

In the Neusiedlersee region of Burgenland in Austria, along the shores of the shallow Neusiedl Lake abutting the Hungarian border, which has a warm microclimate all its own, cycling is a favored mode of transport. The land is flat, obviating the need for any machine with over three gears; consequently, the ones for rent have a functional if old-fashioned look. You can spend an entire week circumnavigating the lake bit by bit, or biking among the vineyards with such luminaries as Willi Opitz of Illmitz, sweet winemaker of the year, for this is also home to many of the lushest of the world's sweet wines, including his own famous Mr. President (for Bill Clinton) and Opitz One labels. High gastronomy is also evident in the form of CIA (Catering by Iain and Angela) — Willi's daughter and her Michelin-starred fiancé, who offer criminally good food.

Visitors to the Spanish Costas, meanwhile, may not be aware of the wine treasure trove a few kilometers inland. The name Miguel Torres has long been synonymous with good and innovative Spanish winemaking, and although the enterprise is now enormous, there is no bulk-standard wine produced here. At his headquarters in the old farmstead at Mas Rabell, near the town of Vilafranca del Penedes, a spanking new winery has been built, complete with a visitor center and a restaurant whose head chef formerly worked at legendary El Bulli, just up the coast from Barcelona. Over 100,000 visitors come through the gates each year for a free guided tour and tasting. Included is a train ride and a sensory wall that gives people a hint as to the sights and sounds of the vineyard through the seasons. The museum includes an array of ancient wine-related artifacts as well as the legendary bottle of Gran Coronas Cabernet that caused a scandal in France by daring to beat the best of Bordeaux in a competition.

For more information, check www.agriturismo.it for Italy, www.willi-opitz.at for Austria and www.torres.es for Catalunya.

Winery of the month

Valihrach

This is a smallish family firm founded right after the Velvet Revolution in 1989. The winery itself has moved from its original premises at the village of Krumvíř (now a sales point) to larger facilities in nearby Kašnice, on the Brno-Hodonín road. The emphasis is on producing wines with special attributes, including late-harvest and ice wine. Prize medals adorn the family home, including recent additions from competitions such as Vinoforum, Vinex and Víno & Destiláty. Valihrach wines are often served at Prague Castle functions. The emperor of Japan, too, has tasted and purchased several crates. At the moment, the Valihrachs are busy cultivating their 12 hectares (30 acres) of vines and looking forward to a fine harvest this autumn. The Valihrachs also have their own vinotheque run by daughter Božena in České Budějovice, south Bohemia.

For more information, write vinvalihrach@centrum.cz