Tour Summary
Highlights
- Excellent food and wine.
- Great accommodation.
- Unique tapas.
- Lively city atmosphere.
- Outstanding scenery..
- Picturesque medieval villages..
- Renowned diverse wineries.
LA RIOJA, INTERNATIONALLY FAMOUS REGION FOR ITS ACCLAIMED WINES AND GASTRONOMY.
An excursion into the sybaritic pleasures of Rioja: the sights, the tastes and the story of the great wines of Rioja, a chance to experience the flavours that make this region gastronomically unique. The pace is leisurely: fine wine and good food cannot be rushed. Nor, indeed can the pastoral beauty of the region. A getaway break to remember!
PLACES: Modern Bilbao, home of the Guggenheim Museum with its lustrous exterior and collection of modern art. Haro is a graceful town on the banks of the River Ebro. It has a lively old quarter where elegant wine mansions meet lively pavement cafés. Logroño, the region’s capital, has wide boulevards, a picturesque old part and plenty of charming restaurants. Laguardia is a medieval hilltop fortress city with narrow cobbled streets flanked by bodegas and tapas bars.
WINES: To set the scene, you will be guided through the world’s largest wine museum, The Dinastia Vivanco. On to the chateau-styled Remelluri Estate embracing the cultures of Bordeaux and Burgundy in a modern Riojan context, and to an exclusive winery by the River Ebro including an extra virgin olive oil tasting on top of their acclaimed wines. We will take you to the distinguished Marques de Riscal Estate, pioneer of the region and master of the tempranillo grape. This winery continues its innovative reputation exemplified by its flamboyant Frank Ghery hotel. You will also discover the unique cellar construction of the Palace of the Samaniegos.
FOOD: Gastronomy plays an important role in our thrilling wine journey. Locations play a major part in creating just the right ambience for both wine tasting and dining on the region’s extraordinary variety of ingredients and culinary styles. A memorable dining experience is set in Posada Mayor De Migueloa part of Laguardia Palace hotel whose wine cellar and restaurant provide fine examples of Basque and Riojan cuisine.
Itinerary
DAY ONE – Bilbao- Haro
You are welcomed and escorted by our guide to our carefully selected hotel in La Rioja in our vehicle. Evening free.
Optional: Guggenheim museum visit in Bilbao,Subject to arrival time
Extraordinary guided tour of the world’s largest wine museum, experiencing the wine culture of centuries. A unique experience learning the history of wine not only in Spain, but in Europe.
Free evening.Time to relax in your hotel or to enjoy the numerous bars and restaurants around the city
DAY TWO- Haro- Logroño
Guided visit to one of the oldest and prettiest Wine Estates in Europe: Lopez de Heredia.
Wine tasting
EITHER
Visit to the fabulous Remelluri Estate. One of the most important wineries in La Rioja for Its successful style of blending the modern technology with the wine-making traditional methods.
Superb typical lunch from the area, overlooking the vineyards and accompanied by the much acclaimed wines from Remelluri (Exclusive tour)
OR
Roda. Private visit to one of the most prestigious wineries in Spain for its winemaking methods, ,their constant research in perfecting the Wines as well as experimenting with the Grapes.They have mastered one of the best wines in Spain: Cirsion. Wine tasting included (Traditional tour)
Lunch at the restaurant in your hotel and transfer to Logrono
(Optional) Guided tapas tour of the best tapas of the area some of them never seen before.You will sample authentic fresh food from the North of Spain, while you mix with the locals. Highly enjoyable.
DAY THREE- Logroño- Elciego- Laguardia- Logroño
Guided tour of the one and only Marques de Riscal, Pioneer in the Rioja wine region Its wines have earned some of the most distinguished international awards including the amazing Hotel Marques De Riscal designed by world renowned architect Frank Ghery .Wine tasting
Private guided tour conducted by local expert of One of the most astonishing medieval towns in Europe.
Privileged visit to one of the best underground cellars in the medieval town of Laguardia. Wine Tasting
Gourmet lunch held at Posada Mayor De Migueloa in Laguardia. Palace hotel, wine cellar and restaurant providing superb dishes as fine examples of Basque and Riojan Cuisine, based on fresh ingredients and excellent service. (exclusive tour)
Lunch at this renowned restaurant in Laguardia. A prized establishment (Plato de Oro de la
Gastronomía Española 1999), the restaurant offers innovative dishes based on the traditional, local cuisine and is a lovely vantage point from which to admire the grapevines. There is also a gourmet shop where you can purchase the quality, local Riojas. (traditional itinerary)
After sampling local dishes with wines from La Rioja before heading back to Bilbao.
Return transfer to the Airport
Optional: Private guided tour to The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao (subject to flight times)
Accommodation
IN LA RIOJA
Hotel LOS AGUSTINOS (Haro)
HISTORIC-BUILDING , 4 star
Location
This four star property is located right in the historic centre of Haro, centre of the wine production in Rioja, surrounded by a valley of vineyards and the Cantabrian Mountains. Walking distance you can experience numerous and excellent tapas.
General Facilities
Founded as a convent in 1373, Los Agustinos hotel is a beautiful and protected building, now its walls full of history play host to exceptionally comfortable facilities where it is a privilege to stay. It has an impressive courtyard where you can relax reading your favourite book or having a glass of Rioja.
Particular mention should be made of the Las Duelas Restaurant; the Bistrot de las Duelas; Bar-Cafeteria; 24-hour room service; and free WIFI throughout the Hotel.
They offer conventional, modern and regional cuisine based on fresh products from the area and also having an outstanding wine-list and everything in historic surroundings.
The rooms
There are 62 guestrooms, most of which are outward-facing, whilst the Hotel's most salient feature is the impressive, glass-domed cloisters, which are air-conditioned and enclosed. All rooms are decorated in a rustic style and enjoy all the modern comforts: satellite TV, wifi, private bathroom with hairdryer. Guests also have access to the hotel’s fitness center.
Hotel MARQUES DE VALLEJO ( Logroño )
BOUTIQUE HOTEL - for the Exclusive tour, three or four star modern city hotel in the centre for the Traditional tour.
Location
This boutique hotel is located right in the centre, in the historic and cultural heart of Logroño, at a walking distance of the main gastronomic streets, where you can find the best pinchos and tapas in northern Spain, the old part with the cathedral and numerous churches and the outdoor dining area full of terraces where you can have delicious meals accompanied by excellent wines.
General Facilities
Built in 1911, was known popularly as Posada de las Animas (Inn of the souls).
In May 2004, Hotel Marques De Vallejo had a meticulous work of restoration, interior design and decoration, always with the aim of offering a more comfortable and pleasant stay to our guest.
Nowadays they keep on working/betting on the innovation and the improvement of our services and facilities with the aim of satisfying each and every need of our guest.
The rooms
The 50 contemporary rooms at Hotel Marqués de Vallejo feature parquet floors and air conditioning. They contain an LCD TV, and the private bathrooms come with a hairdryer.
Wifi access, safe and temperature controller as well as mini bar, are also available in the rooms.
or
3 or 4 STAR CITY HOTEL in the centre (Last 2 nights in Logrono) for the Traditional tour.
Our selected 3 or 4 star hotels are located in the central business and leisure area of Logroño. Ideally situated for guests seeking a culturally-rich break in this great city.
Discover the old quarter with the cathedral and numerous churches and the outdoor dining area full of terraces where you can have delicious meals accompanied by excellent wines. Enjoy the famous tapas’ area ‘The Elephants path’, which is situated just a few minutes walk from your hotel.
The furnishings throughout are of a good quality, the rooms are clean and the modern conveniences plentiful and state-of-the-art, including fully equipped bathrooms, air-conditioning, satellite TV and mini bar. n the well-appointed public areas of the hotels, guests are treated to friendly service and a range of excellent facilities.
