Want to do this tour self guided?
Highlights
- Staying at the fantastic San Millan de la Cogolla monastery, a World Heritage Site.
- Cycling high along the limestone cliffs of the Sierra de Cantabria
- Enjoying the atmospheric, medieval towns of Ezacary and Laguardia
- Wine tasting in a Riojan bodega (or two!)
- Cycling through Mediterranean forests, along mountainsides and through endless vineyards
- Rolling along the Rio Ebro into Logroño for an authentic slice of tapas heaven in Calle Laurel
We thoroughly enjoyed the holiday and we will be recommending it to our friends. A good range of cycling in wonderful surroundings! The tour leader and guides were all excellent and made a great team.
Itinerary
Following arrival at Bilbao airport we transfer as a group to the capital of Rioja, the beautiful and historical city of Logroño situated on the banks of the majestic Rio Ebro.
After bike building and fitting, schedules permitting, it’s well worth stepping out to discover this wonderful city, where a visit to the Museo de La Rioja is highly recommended.
Logroño is gaining a culinary reputation to rival anywhere in Spain and no visit to the town would be complete without a visit to Calle del Laurel. The district perfectly showcases the best pincho and tapas bars in the city and provides a great opportunity to go shoulder to shoulder with the locals and soak up some typical Riojan atmosphere.
Day 2 Logroño to San Millan de la Cogolla
- Meals: Breakfast, lunch
- Ascent: 1,100 Metres Approx.
Our first day in the saddle begins by following the route of the Camino de Santiago. We leave the city via the ‘Puerta del Camino’ and head into the seemingly endless vineyards; quiet, single lane strips of asphalt lead us through pretty sandstone village as we head towards the imposing Sierras de Cebollera.
By mid-morning we’ll reach the tiny village of Ventosa, a traditional traveller’s watering hole, with never-ending views across the Ebro.
Refreshed, we proceed west from Venrosa and descend steadily on winding roads which lead us into the medieval town of Nájera where we will have lunch on the banks of Rio Najerilla.
Heading into the afternoon we continue through more medieval villages such as Codovin and Villar de Torre before one final climb delivers us to the majestic monasteries of San Millan de Cogolla (designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites). Here we will spend our evening in the shadows of San Lorenzo’s towering peaks.
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Day 3 San Millan de la Cogolla to Quintanar de la Sierra
- Meals: Breakfast, lunch
- Ascent: 1,375 Metres Approx.
The views across the Ebro Valley and the Cordillera Cantábrica are nothing less than spectacular as leave out hotel we continue our journey into the into La Demanda Mountains. We wind our way through foothills and farmlands, before dropping into the beautiful Najarilla Valley. Later, the dramatic road weaves along the valley, leading us past the Anguiano monastery until we reach a point high above the rushing river where we will take a break for coffee and, if we are lucky, observe vultures soaring in the skies overhead.
As we creep further away from the fertile Ebro Valley, it feels that we are becoming ever more enclosed by the magnificent mountains that surround us as we head toward the Mansilla reservoir. Leaving the reservoir, a virtually traffic-free road winds its way up a beautiful narrow canyon and takes us high into the Demanda mountain range where cross over into the Castille y Leon province. The road eases us gently into a beautiful glacial valley before leading us to Neila, a small, picturesque village where we will stop for a well earned lunch by the village spring.
We continue, riding higher into the forested sierra and over the Collado pass, ending our day with a beautiful descent to the village of Quintanillar de la Sierra. The isolated village situated in the midst of a vast and tranquil wilderness, will be our home for the evening.
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Day 4 Quintanar de la Sierra to Ezcaray
- Meals: Breakfast, lunch
- Ascent: 1,670 Metres Approx.
As we continue our journey deeper into the La Demanda mountain range, it isn’t long before we are warming our legs as we find the road pointing unmistakably uphill! Thankfully the discomfort is only temporary as a fantastic 20km descent down a narrow forested valley follows.
We’ll stop for coffee upon reaching the Valley floor and Rio Pedroso before the narrow road rises again, dramatically switching back multiple times on its way to the summit. A second 20km descent follows, dropping us down to the Uzquiza Reservoir.
Through pine trees we once again begin to climb as we head for Pradoluengo, a beautiful spot located between pastures of wild flowers and towering mountains where we will break for lunch.
We complete our ride by descending once again, this time through the Ciloria and Rio Oja valleys, until we reach Ezacaray. The quintessentially Riojan village with its cobbled streets and bustling plazas is renowned for its cuisine making it a perfect place to spend an evening.
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Day 5 Ezcaray to Laguardia
- Meals: Breakfast, lunch
- Ascent: 1,120 Metres Approx.
Our day begins gently as we leave Ezacaray and head down the Rio Oja valley. The landscape, dominated by limestone cliffs, flattens and opens widely as we approach the plains of the Ebro.
Riding through woodlands and wheat fields we eventually arrive at Santo Domingo de la Calzada where we encounter the Camino Santiago for a second time in our journey. If time allows we might spend a few minutes exploring the town’s medieval streets and 12th century cathedral before moving on through the vineyards to Haro, the hub of the Riojan wine industry and home to some of the world’s most famous wineries for the last 150 years.
From Haro we meander downstream, passing the the wine village of La Bastida before climbing into the beautiful Sierra de Cantabria and the Alava province of the Basque country. As we descend back towards the Ebro valley and the village of Elciego, we can marvel the architect Frank Ghery’s dramatic creation, the Marques de Riscal Winery and Hotel.
As we begin to rise out of the Ebron Valley once again, with vineyards as far as the eye can see, this evening’s destination, Laguardia eventually comes into view.
The beautiful medieval village sits high on a rock foundation and is surrounded by pristine fortressed walls. Hardly changed since the 13th century, below the village is a honeycomb of tunnels built to store food and provide refuge to residents when under siege. These cellars have, for the last few centuries, been used to produce and store wine and this evening, before dinner, we’ll head into the depths to a 13th century bodega to enjoy a fascinating tour and a little wine tasting.
Show ProfileDay 6 Laguardia to Logroño
- Meals: Breakfast, lunch
- Ascent: 1,235 Metres Approx.
As the sun rises and lights up the ancient golden sandstone of Laguardia, our final stage sees us heading for the stunning Sierra de Cantabria.
Griffon vultures fly high above the impressively craggy landscape as we rise steadily through vineyards and pedal past the bronze-age dolmens that scatter this ancient land. Golden wheat sways in the breeze as we pass the village of Lapoblacion and cross into the Navarra, a region which stretches all the way to the border with France high in the Pyrenees. The roads here are eerily quiet and surfaces fantastically smooth which only adds to the joy of the 15km descent down the Linares valley.
A shot or two of fine Spanish coffee should set us up for the last real challenge of our journey, a 5km climb past the impressive Santuario de Condes.
Having completed the climb we leave the sierra via 20 rollercoasting kilometres through deciduous forests and wheat fields until we reach, once more, the beautiful vineyard blanket of the foothills.
The final few kilometres after lunch complete our journey and deliver us back to where our adventure began in Logroño in time for a few celebratory sips of the local produce and evening of tapas along Calle Laurel.
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- Meals: Breakfast
Alas, it’s time to pack our bags for the last time before heading back to Bilbao and saying our farewells.
Understanding Profiles
Use these profiles to see:
- Distance in Km (horizontal axis)
- Ascent / Descent in metres (vertical axis)
Click 'see gradient' to see:
- Distance in Km (horizontal axis)
- % Gradient (vertical axis)
Please check the scales on both graphs, and both axes as they both may differ from day to day.
White vertical lines indicate unpaved sections or slightly rougher terrain. Using both graphs, alongside the grading and terrain information provided, will give you a full picture of how flat, bumpy or steep the climbing on your particular tour is going to be. Please keep in mind this is an indicative guide and GPS units and software produce different statistical information.
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Gallery
The Cycling
Terrain
The ride through Rioja will be 100% on asphalt roads. The route uses a full mixture of different types of road from single lanes, and quiet double roads but traffic is kept to a minimum. Please be aware that there will be some busier roads which we’ll cycle on, especially when close to towns and villages. Overall the quality of the roads is excellent as throughout most of Spain, although there are sections that are potholed and gravelly at times. It’s a mountainous region, hemmed in by 2 mountain ranges, so we can expect lengthy climbs and descents.

Road Cycling Grade
45-60 miles / 70-95 kms per day
For riders with experience, good fitness & a decent level of skill
Some features that may be experienced more frequently in a higher grade tour
Most days include a couple of significant climbs
Some long days & some steep to very steep sections
Not for beginners
Our grading guidelines have been carefully created based on our many years of cycling experience, as well as customer feedback from our trips. Of course, if you're still struggling to figure out where you fit on the scale, do feel free to give us a quick call and we'll be more than happy to help!
For more information about our grading system click here.
Is this suitable for you?
You’re definitely not a novice rider, you’re fit, you ride regularly at weekends, sometimes staying on the bike for much of the day, you love your bike! You also enjoy a challenge and if you haven’t already done so you’re keen to attempt a semi-serious to serious mountain pass or two. You’re as comfortable with the prospect of descending from the top of a col as you are with the idea of climbing it and you’re confident that you have the skills to do so safely. You’re not necessarily a “racer” but you can crank up the pace a little when it’s necessary and you don’t mind forgoing a coffee stop if the schedule demands it occasionally. You probably own and use clipless pedals. You have good control of your bike and can take a drink from a water bottle without having to unclip and put your feet on the ground. Whilst you find a full day in the saddle fulfilling you’re not obsessed and as much as you are looking forward to the riding on your holiday, you’re also looking forward to a little local culture and cuisine. Grade 3 would be a good option for you.
For more information about the grading of this holiday in particular, please check out the terrain section which will give you some specifics of what to expect on this tour.
Really enjoyed the different types of accommodation each night on this trip from Lograno to the monastery, country hotel, Michelin type hotel. The food and wine could not be faulted!
Dates & Prices

Secure Your Holiday With A Deposit
Book now with a $500 deposit and nothing more to pay until 60 days before departure. Choose a date to start your booking and see all prices, including bike hire and single room supplements.
Want to do this tour self guided?
Whats Included 
A) Accommodation (shared twin / double en suite rooms)
B) Meals as per the itinerary (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
C) Full tour service, including Skedaddle guides
D) Unless stated, at least one leader qualified in first aid
E) Support vehicle and luggage transfers
F) GPX files available on request
G) 1 wine tasting session
H) Group airport transfer on scheduled arrival day from Bilbao airport (BIO)
I) Group airport transfer on scheduled departure day to Bilbao airport (BIO)
J) Financial Protection through ABTOT
What's not Included 
A) Bike rental (available if required)
B) Flights and charges for travelling with your bike (if applicable)
C) Meals not stated in the itinerary
D) Single room (available if required)
E) Travel insurance
F) Personal clothing and equipment
G) Personal expenditure (souvenirs, bar bills, hotel facilities etc)
H) Entrance fees to museums and other attractions en route
I) Airport transfers on days other than the scheduled arrival / departure days
J) Tips for guides, drivers, support staff

Private Departures
Are you keen to only travel with your family or friends? Struggling to find the right date? Well, we can organise a private departure for this tour and tailor aspects to suit your group's specific needs. Contact our friendly team and we'll help you turn your dream into reality.
The Essentials
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Reviews
Andrew, Toronto, CanadaAbsolutely beautiful...Riding through the valley on day 2 was absolutely beautiful with the changing landscape and terrain.
Also our guides Dan, Stew & Nacho were spectacular! Everything was done professionally, and all the rides were carefully planned out and executed. A pleasure to ride alongside. Showed great dedication to our group. Great work, guys!
Nicola, AustraliaBest bike tour holiday yet.Best bike tour holiday yet. Perfect grading. Some challenging sections but great sense of achievement to complete them, still felt like a holiday not a boot camp. I will be back! Fab service and communication throughout. My favourite day was probably La Guardia to Ezcaray with the big climbs. Tough, but great achievement!
Els, UKBeautiful riding and stunning scenery with climbs nicely paced out...Skedaddle is my go to company for cycling trips, deliver great balance of gorgeous routes, great guides, accommodation, lunches and general support.
Longest day the ride to Ezcaray was the highlight, beautiful riding and stunning scenery with climbs nicely paced out through the day meaning it was achievable for everyone. Dan provided great range of snacks and the picnics were fantastic quality. On long climbs Dan was always around ensuring that everyone had water and snacks they needed.
Alistair, Cheshire, UKWe thoroughly enjoyed the holiday.We thoroughly enjoyed the holiday and we will be recommending yourselves to our friends. The tour leader and guides were all excellent and made a great team, nothing was too much bother and they were also really easy to get along with. They were very professional, always on hand ensuring that the trip ran smoothly so we could concentrate on the cycling and enjoy the relaxing evenings. A good range of cycling in wonderful surroundings – we enjoyed the challenging climbs! Great tour leader – professional, organised, supportive and with excellent leadership skills. On top of that he’s a really friendly guy who made everyone feel at ease and helped gel the group. I’m very grateful that the guides supported my wife down the descents until she gained confidence – it made our holiday so much more enjoyable. The guides are great guys, again very professional, we always felt safe with them. They are also very easy going and friendly and we enjoyed socialising with them and our tour leader in the evenings.
Samantha, London, UKAmazing trip.The guys were great on the tour, really helpful and knowledgeable. Our tour leader was really passionate about his home region, which made an amazing trip even better.
Emily, Aberdeenshire, UKCould not be faulted!Really enjoyed the different types of accommodation each night on this trip from Lograno to the monastery, country hotel, Michelin type hotel. All contributed to the enjoyment of the trip. The food (& wine) could not be faulted. The lunches were fantastic as ever and Gabrielle put in a lot of effort into looking after us.
Great leader! Came up with solutions on the two occasions when the weather turned against us, kept the group together when required and ‘released’ the front runners whenever possible. All the junctions were marked and I had no worries at all about getting lost. Enthusiastic and cheerful at all times. The three guides worked very well together as a team and could not have been more helpful.
Alison, UKA fabulous holiday - everything came together fantastically...Everyday was fabulous – great rides with just the right amount of climbing and the sense of achievement, fabulous route. Thank you Skedaddle once again for a fabulous holiday- everything came together fantastically – the cycling our guides and the group – it?Ts a beautiful part of Spain to explore and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.
Erica, Dorset, UKFantastic cycling and excellent hotels!A mixture of fantastic cycling and excellent hotels, food and wine. Hotel at Ezcaray was superb but every hotel offered what you needed and were in excellent locations. One hotel had the sound of cow bells in the background which was magical.
The third day of cycling finishing in Ezcaray was a favourite. Wonderful climbs culminating in a fantastic down hill finish. Amazing! Dan (Tour Leader) really kept control of the group. Excellent pacing and pausing.