Tour Summary
Highlights
- Unique locations for cooking classes.
- Fabulous food including tapas.
- Spectacular scenery.
- Great wineries.
- Excellent variety of menus.
- Fabulous cook.
- Fantastic tapas and local atmosphere.
This culinary vacation program will really allow you to discover first hand why Rioja and Basque Country and its food have become so popular. With a few hands-on classes of approximately three hours each and a combination of restaurant meals, tapas tours, food market visits and class preparation meals, a very good knowledge of Riojan and Basque cuisine can be attained. Four visits to unique Rioja wine producers and vineyards, along with wine tasting and a tutored professional wine tasting will allow you to discover and appreciate the fantastic Rioja wines. A fantastic olive oil tasting presentation will let you discover two of the best extra virging olive oils in Spain. A guided walking tour of Laguardia, the city of Haro and Logrono will enable you to learn of the area's history as well as indulge in the landscapes of this beautiful and unspoiled region.
Our gastronomic-wine tour will appeal to those with an insatiable appetite to learn more about the regional food and wine of Northern Spain. Whilst the region is known worldwide for its wines, it hides a wealth of epicurean delights that can only be experienced in person in the restaurants and bodegas of Rioja.
Here’s a chance to get hands-on experience of the unique gastronomy of Rioja. Learn from experts, prepare the food yourself then sit down to enjoy the result.
Four inspiring meals to prepare over five days. Wine tasting, too, to find the best wine to crown your achievements.
Vineyards: Deep within the hillside crowned by the village of Laguardia are the great vine vaults of Bodega El Fabulista - the name says it all! Contino is unusual for its estate-bottled wine from the rare Graciano grape. At López de Heredia you will discover how the soil and the weather combine to create its exceptional wines. You will visit the pioneering chateau-styled Remelluri Estate wherein great treasures lie and the wines of Roda as well as their renowned olive-oil will impress the most sophisticated palates.
FOOD: 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. The dishes you will create for yourself include: canapés , a Mediterranean menu, a traditional Rioja lunch, and a variety of typical regional dishes at Laguardia The highlight is an invitation to one of Rioja’s oldest gastronomic societies. But between times you will be introduced to the most entertaining of food, tapas, and plenty of it.
HOTELS:
Laguardia. Villa Laguardia
Traditional and modern hotel at the same time, using only the finest materials and perfectly combining fabrics, wallpaper, colour schemes and furniture. This hotel brings together in one building, all the necessary elements for a state of the art property with extraordinary quality, service charm and harmony. It has a swimming pool and wonderful gardens.
Logroño. Our selection of hotels work overtime to impress it guests! Nicely presented these hotels keep reinventing itself to even higher standards of excellence. The rooms are a delight with very modern facility without detracting from their individual character. The hotels are centrally located near the cathedral and the gastronomic cornucopia of Calle Laurel.
This 6-day accompanied cultural hands-on culinary tour starts and finishes at Bilbao Airport and allows plenty of time to go exploring on your own.
The cooking classes take place at a Mansion-Wine Museum in Laguardia famous for the breathtaking views of the Riojan landscaped and in the renowned Gastronomy Society: La Becada located in a Palace-Mansion in the old quarter in Logrono
Itinerary
DAY ONE- Bilbao-Laguardia
You are welcomed and escorted by our guide to our carefully selected hotel in La Rioja in our vehicle. Check in at our pre selected hotel in Laguardia. Welcome drink, menu hand out and introduction to the tour programme. Evening free. Optional: Guggenheim museum visit in Bilbao subject to arrival time
DAY TWO- Laguardia
Tutored wine tasting of a selection of the most representative wines of La Rioja conducted by a wine expert. You will learn different techniques to taste wine as well as the unique characteristics of the wines of Rioja wine region.
First hands-on cooking class directed by British born who lives in Rioja followed by lunch.
Tapas tour in the amazing town of Laguardia, you will sample the best tapas of this town in Rioja Alavesa as well as mixing with the locals and experiencing the evening life in such a lovely town. (5 tapas and 5 small drinks included-dinner).
DAY THREE- Laguardia- Logroño
Private guided tour conducted by local expert of one of the most astonishing medieval towns in Europe: Laguardia. You will walk through the narrow-cobbled streets of the town enjoying stunning views as well as visiting small wine/food shops and bars.
Privileged visit to one of the best underground cellars in the medieval town of Laguardia. It is located under the Palace of the Samaniegos. The cellar elaborates its wines in a traditional way. Wine Tasting
Second hands-on cooking class followed by lunch
Guided visit to Winery Campillo or Contino and vineyards walk followed by wine tasting.
Transfer to Logrono, capital of Rioja for the last two days of our food and wine adventure.
DAY FOUR- Logroño-Cameros-Logroño
Guided visit to the food market. Logrono is located by the river Ebro and this area is named as the garden of Spain. You will be nicely surprise by the size, quality and taste of the vegetable and fruit in this area. Selection of ingredients for our dinner cooking class.
Next, we head to Cameros a region of contrasts in the Mountains. On the way we stop in an almazara (Oil Mill) where we learn how they make extra virgin olive oil, essential ingredient in our gastronomy. Olive oil tasting included. If we have time we can also visit a beehive yard, learning how honey is obtained and different applications and products from honey. After this interesting experience we have a traditional lunch in a local restaurant based on a menu typical of this quiet and mountainous area: Los Cameros.
Return to Logroño. Free time to relax and enjoy Logrono before our our third hands-on cooking class that will take place in our gastronomy society palace for followed by dinner.
DAY FIVE – Logroño-Haro-Logroño
Today we leave behind our passion for cooking and we relax to visit and experience two unique wineries including a tasting of two of the best extra virgin olive oils. We will also be lucky enough to have one of the best traditional lunches in a fabulous setting.
Guided visit to one of the oldest and prettiest Wine Estates in Europe: Lopez de Heredia. Tour conducted possibly by one of the members of the family. Wine tasting
Guided visit to one of the most prestigious wineries in Spain for its winemaking methods, they have mastered one of the best wines in Spain: Cirsion. Wine tasting. Extra virgin olive oil tasting: Dauro
Superb typical lunch from the area, overlooking the vineyards and accompanied by the much acclaimed wines from Rioja.
In the evening we have a fabulous treat: Guided tapas tour in the famous gastronomic street: Calle Laurel, sampling the best tapas of the area accompanied with wine or beer. You will experience authentic and unique tapas from Rioja, while you mix with the locals. Highly enjoyable.
DAY SIX- Logroño-Bilbao
Return transfer to Bilbao airport. (Time, subject to participant schedules)
Accommodation
IN LA RIOJA
HOTEL VILLA LAGUARDIA 4 STAR
Location
The Villa de la Guardia Hotel is ideally situated in the capital of the Rioja Alavesa, Laguardia, and 50 Km from Vitoria and 18 Km from Logrono.
With the hill upon which the original town stands as a backdrop and set against the Cantabrian Mountains. San Sebastian and Bilbao are approx. 150 KM away, about a 1 hr. drive from both international airports.
General Facilities
This charming 4 star hotel is a luxurious but traditional and Provencal style hotel, using only the finest materials and perfectly combining fabrics, wallpaper, colour schemes and furniture Hotel
This hotel brings together in one building, all the necessary elements for a state of the art property with extraordinary quality, service charm and harmony.
Restaurants, free Wi-Fi, and outdoor and private parking. It also has spacious well-groomed gardens surrounding it, and an outdoor swimming pool.
The on-site spa offers a range of treatments, based on wine and oil therapies. The hotel also has its own extensive wine cellar and shop, where guests can take part in wine tastings.
The rooms
Villa de Laguardia has 84 guest rooms
Rooms have different exclusive decoration with views to Rioja Alavese wineries. There are 69 standard double rooms, 6 superior double rooms, 4 junior suites, 5 suites. Rooms provide satellite tv, blowdryer, mini-bar and all modern facilities.
Besides walking through the wonderful vineyards of the region, it is a unique setting for any kind of activity related to gastronomy, wine, culture and nature.
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 (Logroño) in the centre 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
