La Rioja Self-Guided Bike Tour

Laguardia is the unofficial capital of the Rioja Alavesa – the Basque section of La Rioja – and many of the 320 wine cellars dating back from the late 18th century are still functioning today. 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 gateways. Once in Laguardia, you’ll have a chance to sample some famous Rioja vintages in a nearby wine interpretation centre, set in a traditional Basque farmhouse.paraj

The majestic architecture of Bodega Ysios, created by famous architect Santiago Calatrava, seems to blend into the surrounding mountains. Next, you’ll come to Elciego, you’ll notice the unmistakable titanium waves of a Frank O. Gehry building. This is the famous Marqués de Riscal hotel and winery, which is worth visiting for its fabulous futuristic architecture alone.

You’ll spend tonight in the tiny village of Ábalos (population just 255!), which is almost completely dedicated to winemaking.

The first of these is San Vicente de Sonsierra, a former fortress town where coats of arms still decorate historic palaces. Here, you can visit the medieval city centre, which boasts a castle, several watchtowers and the remains of the original city walls.

Next, you’ll visit Remelluri, which boasts a fifteenth-century monastery that has been converted into one of the region’s most memorable wineries.

The final stop is 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! Of course, no visit to Haro would be complete without stopping by a winery, and our recommendation here is CVNE, which belongs to one of Spain’s biggest wine companies and boasts a wine barrel cellar designed by Gustave Eiffel

After a leisurely tour along the Ebro, you’ll ride through the atmospheric town of Briones and head along quiet secondary roads to the town of Santo Domingo Calzada. We highly recommend a visit to the fascinating Museum of Wine Culture, which explores two millennia of the history of wine at Bodega Vivanco.

From Briones, you’ll continue south through Azofra and Alesanco towards Cañas, where you can visit the imposing 12th century Monastery of Santa Maria de San Salvador.

OPTIONAL: If you fancy a bit more cycling (approximately 15 km extra) you can head south from Cañas to the town of San Millán de Cogolla, considered to be the cradle of the Spanish language, thanks to the influence of the Yuso and Suso 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.

Fifteen kilometres of pure biking pleasure between the floodplain of the River Oja and the foothills of the Sierra de la Demanda, dotted with picturesque medieval hermitages and flanked by agricultural fields. As you head towards Ezcaray, the route gradually becomes more forested until you reach the limestone cliffs of the Peña de San Torcuato, an important habitat for birds of prey.

Ezcaray is considered to be one of the most beautiful towns in La Rioja: set in the mountains, surrounded by unspoilt nature, and retaining the traditional architecture of its historic town centre.

Arrival/departure airport: Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas (MAD) or Bilbao (BIO)

Direct flights to Madrid are available from a number of destinations worldwide, and direct flights to Bilbao are available from Newark (EWR), as well as from many destinations within Europe.

From Madrid, you can travel  by high-speed train to Logroño. The journey takes approximately 3 hours, and direct connections are available throughout the day. From Logroño, you can continue on to Laguardia either by taxi (approx 20 minutes) or local bus.

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

City centre

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

Chamartín train station

• Hotel The One Chamartín****: Comfortable modern property conveniently located inside Chamartin Clara Campoamor train station.

Alternatively, if you are planning to fly into Bilbao, the best way to get to Laguardia is by bus. The journey takes just under 2 hours. There are two direct buses to Laguardia every day, as well as many buses to Logroño. From Logroño, you can continue on to Laguardia either by taxi (approx 20 minutes) or local bus.

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

• Hotel The Artist*****: Luxury option located directly in front of the world-famous Guggenheim Museum.
• ABBA Euskalduna****: Convenient, central hotel located very close to the bus station.