On arrival, you’ll make your own way to the capital of Rioja, the beautiful and historic city of Logroño. (Please let us know if we can organise an airport transfer for you if flying into Bilbao today!)

During your welcome meeting, your bikes will be fitted (if renting) and you’ll be briefed on the adventures to come. Arrival times permitting, a visit to the Museo de La Rioja is highly recommended to learn a little about the diverse and fascinating area you are about to discover by bike.

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 which showcases the best pincho and tapas bars in the area. A great chance to go shoulder to shoulder with the locals, soak up some fantastic Riojan atmosphere and wash down local culinary delights with fruity red ‘de la tierra’.

• Meals: Breakfast
• Ascent: 500 Metres Approx.

Your first day in the saddle begins by following the Camino de Santiago, an ancient pilgrimage route, heading into the seemingly endless vineyards of Rioja. Gravel tracks will lead you through charming, sandstone villages and you may even pass the occasional pilgrim! By mid-morning, you’ll reach the 12th-century town of Navarrete. You’ll marvel at the Baroque church of La Ascensión and can enjoy a well-deserved coffee.

You will meander alongside ancient vineyards, bodegas and villages in the Ebro basin. Most bodegas will welcome spontaneous visitors to show off their vines, production process and end product.

Cycling west, a steady climb brings you to the dramatically located medieval town of Nájera. You’ll soon reach the Rio Najerilla, a beautiful, shady spot for a post-ride drink before exploring the ancient, bustling lanes for a traditional evening meal.

• Meals: Breakfast
• Ascent: 910 Metres Approx.

Heading south, the route will lead you to the majestic monasteries of San Millan de Cogolla, guarded by the towering peak of San Lorenzo (2,270 m). San Millán de la Cogolla, home to the UNESCO World Heritage Suso and Yuso monasteries, is known for being the birthplace of the first written words in the Spanish language. Enjoy a tour of the monastery and sip on the local Bodega’s Moreno reds over lunch.

Following this, it’s time to head a little deeper into the La Demanda mountains where you can visit the 11th century Monastery de Suso. The view over the Ebro valley and across to the Cordillera Cantabrica mountains is splendid as you wind your way through the foothills. Climbing steadily you will be rewarded as the route begins a great traverse, contouring the hillside and passing tiny hamlets beneath the Sierra de la Demanda.

At the top of the climb you’ll find the farming village of Pazluengo, and from here, you’ll begin a fantastic descent through the wooded Santurdejo valley. The route swings up the Rio Oja valley on back lanes and traffic-free cycle ways, arriving in the beautiful Riojan village of Ezcaray, which is home for the night. Here cobbled lanes link inviting plazas where some of the best cuisine in the region is served.

• Meals: Breakfast
• Ascent: 20 Metres Approx.

Today is a little more leisurely, taking you from the mountains back into the Ebro Valley. For the majority of the route, you will follow the Vía Verde (Green Way) of the Río Oja. Car-free and gently descending, the trail lets you sit back and enjoy the Riojan countryside. The first section twists its way past Peña de San Torcuato, a spectacular rock outcrop that dominates this section of the route. You’ll continue towards Ojacastro, from where there is a magnificent view of the River Oja and its wooded banks. The route stays high as the valley drops, giving you an exhilarating descent from Monte Bellifera down to the village of Santurdejo, where you will enter a carpet of deciduous woods stretching up the hillsides.

From here, you’ll continue towards the monumental town of Santo Domingo de la Calzada, where you’ll join the Camino de Santiago once again. It’s worth taking your time to stroll around the town’s network of medieval streets and its 12th-century cathedral. Back on the Vía Verde, you’ll cruise past vineyards to reach the pretty sandstone village of Casalarreina. Now, it’s only a short ride through the vineyards to enter the beautiful city of Haro, a place that lives and breathes wine and is the hub of the Riojan wine industry.

If you’d like to extend your holiday by a day, we recommend an extra night in Haro. From here you can enjoy wine tasting and visit the popular wine museum.

• Meals: Breakfast
• Ascent: 585 Metres Approx.

This morning, you’ll leave Haro behind and set out on a beautiful route along the Rio Ebro. You will soon arrive at San Vicente de la Sonsierra, whose 16th century Church of Santa María dominates from a hilltop. The town is home to many important wineries, and a short distance away is the Museo Vivanco de la Cultura del Vino in Briones.

A little further down the river you pass the impressive fortification of the Castillo de Davalillo, built in the 12th-century to protect Castilla from Navarrese attacks. From here, the route begins to ascend and the sight as you head through villages is quite something, with undulating vineyards as far as the eye can see.

Following the picturesque Rio Rozanco you will arrive in the medieval wine village of Laguardia. Sitting high on a rock foundation, the village is located within pristine fortress walls and has 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; today these cellars are used to store wine. If you arrive in the early afternoon, you’ll have time for a tour of a historical bodega dating back to the 13th century. We’ll also arrange a wine-tasting, of course (included in holiday price).

• Meals: Breakfast
• Ascent: 420 Metres Approx.

Today is yours to spend as you please in Laguardia (the capital of Rioja Alavesa). This medieval gem and the surrounding bodegas are a highlight of the Rioja region and are definitely worth an extra day. Laguardia, standing proudly on a hill surrounded by vineyards, has a number of inviting bodegas to visit and plenty to see in the town. Enjoy wandering around the cobblestone streets filled with inviting restaurants and wine shops where red peppers hang, drying in the windows. The El Collado walk in the northern part of town is highly recommended offering up gorgeous views of the breathtaking Sierra de Canatabria.

Alternatively for those looking to ride today, there’s a lovely loop available. Taking you west back towards Haro, you will pass the splendidly situated neolithic dolmens of Sotillo before looping south to the wine producing village of Eskuernaga with its abundance of quality small bodegas and inviting places to lunch.

The route back to Laguardia passes through vineyard clad countryside back to your accommodation, along undulating tracks and asphalt.

• Meals: Breakfast
• Ascent: 260 Metres Approx.

Unfortunately today is the last day in the saddle, but it’s a delight (and has a downhill bias)! Upon leaving Laguardia you will join a fantastic trail that takes you out into the vines and descends to the pretty sandstone village of Elciego. Sharing the skyline in Elciego are the new buildings of the famous Marqués de Riscal winery and hotel, designed by architect Frank Gehry. This visually stunning building may seem a little incongruous next to the medieval village but is certainly eye-catching, with the pink hues of the titanium ribbon reflecting in every direction.

Heading back down to the River Ebro, you will pass the villages of Lapuebla de Labarca and Assa. The limestone cliffs grow closer as the tracks become faster, our legs will feel that the end of the ride is near. By the early afternoon you’ll enter the inviting city of Logroño again to enjoy a celebratory dinner of fantastic Riojan cuisine. It has been said that many a good story has been found in the bottom of a bottle of Rioja…let the festivities begin!

• Meals: Breakfast

It’s time to pack your bags after some last-minute shopping for that bottle you can’t go home without, and say adios to this lovely region of Spain.

Please let us know if we can organise an airport transfer for you if flying from Bilbao!

If you would like to extend your trip and build in a rest day, Haro and Laguardia are perfect for exploring ancient and modern Riojan bodegas, with many offering ‘degustaciones’ (tastings). Please contact us for more details.