La Rioja and Ribera del Duero Bike and Wine Tour

Your Bike Spain Tours guide will pick you up from your hotel in Madrid, and we’ll travel together by van up to La Rioja.

On the way, we’ll stop off in the historic city of Burgos, which dates back to the 9th century, and is well-known for its UNESCO World Heritage Site Cathedral. You’ll enjoy some time at leisure in the city to stretch your legs and sample some excellent local tapas, before continuing the journey north.

Our first hotel is Hotel Viura, a luxury hotel set in its own vineyard. Once we’ve checked in, we’ll adjust the bikes and enjoy a short cycle loop around the local area to warm up your legs for the rest of the week!

In the evening, we’ll celebrate the start of our bike and wine tour with a gourmet dinner at the hotel, paired with local Rioja wine.

We’ll discover San Vicente de Sonsierra, where you can visit the medieval city centre, which boasts a castle, several watchtowers and the remains of the original city walls.  Our next stop will be Haro, one of La Rioja’s centres of wine production, and world-famous for the wine battle that takes place every June, in which locals and visitors alike attack each other with thousands of litres of wine!

Next, we’ll enjoy a delicious lunch at one of the region’s best wineries, paired with wines produced and bottled in-house.

In the afternoon, we’ll travel in the van to the charming little city of Laguardia, the fortified medieval capital of the Rioja Alavesa. As you approach, the town looks like something plucked straight from a fairytale: standing atop a hill, still partly surrounded by walls, towers and fortified getaways.

Tonight, dinner is not included in your tour package, so you can explore Laguardia and have dinner at your leisure.

We’ll head south to the town of San Millán de Cogolla, considered to be the cradle of the Spanish language, thanks to the influence of the Yuso (lower) and Suso (mountainside) monasteries. The monks worked for almost a hundred years to create the first comprehensive Spanish grammar and the two spectacular monasteries are now UNESCO World Heritage Sites. We’ll stop here to enjoy a delicious lunch in beautiful surroundings.

After lunch, our van will take us to the historic town of Lerma, in the Ribera del Duero wine region, where we’ll stay in the hilltop Ducal Palace, which once played host to Napoleon!

Tonight, we’ll enjoy a dinner ot traditional Castilian fare at the hotel restaurant.

The day begins with a short drive to Santo Domingo de Silos, famous for its 12th century monastery, which boasts a beautiful Romanesque cloister. The monastery became famous all over the world when the first ever CD of Gregorian chants was recorded there.

From here, we’ll begin a charming route through the Ribera del Duero, cycling through vineyards and countryside towards the beautiful medieval village of Peñaranda de Duero, dominated by its imposing castle and boasting a well-preserved medieval town square. The town is situated on the Ribera del Duero wine route, and wines produced here are famous world-wide.

Next, we’ll continue cycling south all the way to the Duero river, where we’ll have lunch at a traditional local winery, set in the cellars of a former 15th century bodega.

We’ll spend the night in one of the best-preserved 12th century Cistercian monasteries in Europe. Overlooking the Duero River, the views from the hotel stretch across over the surrounding vineyards and countryside.

Tonight, we’ll enjoy a delicious dinner at the hotel, paired with excellent locally-produced wines.

We’ll visit the town of Pesquera del Duero, known for growing some of the best grapes in the region, and dedicated almost exclusively to wine production.

Next, we’ll follow the course of the Duero river to the historic fortified town of Peñafiel, one of the region’s centres of wine production. The town’s castle, the oldest part of which dates back to the 9th century, has been repurposed into a Wine Museum. We’ll visit the charming Plaza del Coso, which retains its original traditional wooden balconies. During the summer, the square fulfils its original medieval function as the town bullring. We’ll enjoy lunch in Peñafiel before returning to our hotel by van.

Tonight, we’ll head to a nearby town to enjoy a gourmet dinner of traditional fare in a refurbished historic windmill.

The day begins with a van transfer to the town of  Ortigosa del Monte, where we’ll begin our final cycle route. We’ll discover the Palacio Real de Riofrío, constructed in the 18th century and still in use today by the Spanish Royal family. The palace is surrounded by some 600 hectares of forest, making for a very pleasant cycle ride.

Next, we’ll pass through the beautiful mountain village of Valsaín, where the Spanish kings used to hunt in centuries gone by, before continuing on to the majestic Palacio Real de La Granja de San Ildefonso, another official residence of the Spanish Royal family. The Palace is surrounded by expansive gardens, which are considered to be one of the best examples of 18th century landscaping in Europe.

Finally, we’ll finish the route in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Segovia. Here, we can visit the impressive Roman acqueduct, which was in use from the first century AD up to 1973; the enormous Gothic Cathedral; and the Alcázar Castle, said to have inspired Walt Disney!

After lunch in Segovia, we’ll continue to Madrid by van.

In the evening we’ll enjoy a farewell dinner, as well as a fiery flamenco show. ¡Olé!

Arrival/Departure airport: Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas (MAD)

Direct flights to Madrid are available are widely available from many international destinations.

Your guides will pick you up from Madrid airport, or your city centre hotel, and transfer you by van to the start of the tour in La Rioja.

Please consult with your Bike Spain Tours travel coordinator if you wish to book extra nights in Madrid before or after the tour. Some of our favourite hotels are:

• Ocean Drive Madrid****: Elegant, modern option with a rooftop pool.
• Petit Palace Posada del Peine****: Charming historic option, in operation for over 400 years.