Wine Connoisseur’s Tour Across La Rioja & Northern Spain

Wine cellar at a vineyard in Spain

What to expect on this itinerary

La Rioja is the essence of Spain, fiery and passionate yet subtle and elaborate. Untrammeled tradition weaves through its cobblestoned streets while rows of vines dominate every horizon. Escape into its beauty and indulge in the sensual flavors with this unique wine connoisseurs’ tour. Starting in Basque Bilbao, you slowly wind through La Rioja before finishing the journey in French Biarritz. Enjoy exclusive tastings, boutique hotels, Michelin restaurants, and luxury transfers throughout.

Countries Visited

Spain

Places Visited

Bilbao, Burgos, Covarrubias, Lerma, Penefiel, La Rioja, Haro, Laguradia, Samaniego, Paganos, Logrono, Puentellarreina, Pamplona, Hondarribia

Suggested Duration

14 Days

Customizable Itinerary

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Day 1

Bilbao – Innovative Introductions to Northern Spain

Bilbao's history dances across the ages, its continual demise and revival an ode to Northern Spain's innovation. Terraced windows are flanked by a juxtaposition of styles that span many centuries. Land in Bilbao and your first unique stop is the Guggenheim, a bizarre concoction of steel that twists its way across the harbor. One of Europe's most unusual museums and galleries, the Guggenheim follows a mantra that art is in the mind of the observer, not incorporated within the object itself. Spend a couple of hours exploring the postmodern art before sitting down at Nerua, the museum's Michelin-Starred restaurant. Like the building's design, expect the food to be unusually Spanish and alluringly futuristic.

What's Included:

Transfer
Accommodation
dinner at nerua
Dinner
Day 2

Burgos to Covarrubias to Lerma – Medieval Towns and Country Wine Estates

Day 3

Lerma – Exclusive Tastings in Ribera del Duero Wine Country

Day 4

Haro – First Scents and Samples of Deep Red Rioja Wineries

Day 5

Haro – Prestigious Wineries and the World's Largest Wine Museum

Day 6

Laguardia – The Charming Streets and Underground Cellars of Laguardia

Day 7

Laguardia – Chateaus and Private Estates in the Heart of La Rioja

Day 8

Logrono – Gastronomic Delights in La Rioja's Capital

Day 9

Logrono – Sensual Journeys Through Rioja's Boutique Farms

Day 10

Navarra to Olite to Pamplona – A Sumptuous Taste of the Navarra Wine Country

Day 11

Pamplona to Hondarribia – Enchanting Towns and Michelin Dining

Day 12

Biarritz – Chocolate, Cheese, and Wine on the French Coastline

Day 13

Biarritz – Free Day in Europe's Aristocratic Playground

Day 14

Biarritz – Departure

Trip Highlights

  • Enjoy six days of exclusive tasting in La Rioja region, exploring both family-owned farms and world-famous international exporters
  • Start the journey in Basque country and discover Ribera del Duero Wine Country, a place of medieval enchantment and vast country chateaus
  • Explore Navarra wine country and soak up the sensual subtleties of this sublime corner of Europe
  • Sprinkled through the itinerary, a selection of Michelin-Starred restaurants and traditional eateries imbue the gourmet brilliance of the region
  • Feel the pull of history as you get lost in hamlets and castles that radiate antiquity
  • Boutique hotels submerge you in the old-world tradition of La Rioja's towns, like La Guardia, where labyrinthine red wine cellars run beneath the streets
  • Finish the trip by crossing the border to boutique Biarritz, pairing the French wines with cheese and chocolate

Detailed Description

Chateaus dominate the skyline in La Rioja, rising above pristine rows of vines and imbuing a sense of medieval history. Narrow roads wind through valleys of green splendor connecting these chateaus and wineries with alluring hamlets made from cobblestone. Wine is everywhere; in the landscapes, in the al fresco culture that pervades throughout the region, in the thoughts of Michelin chefs, and in the labyrinthine cellars that roam beneath the streets. La Rioja is Spain's most celebrated wine region, a historic land where sensual reds inhabit every corner. Flanking the charming hills of La Rioja are three equally sensual wine lovers' destinations: Ribera del Duero, Navarra, and French Bourdeaux. Exclusively tailored for wine connoisseurs, this 13-day tour ventures into the high-end vineyards and boutique farms of Northern Spain. Using La Rioja as a base, it explores the full range of gastronomic inimitability found in a beautiful corner of Europe.

Start the trip in Bilbao, the bizarre Guggenheim a glimpse at the innovation to be found in the surrounding Basque region. Ribera del Duero tantalizes the senses for the first three days, the wine tasting combined with hilltop towns of bewitching glamor. Tempranillo is a unique specialty here, along with wild game roasted in wood ovens. On day four you cross into La Rioja and the 19th century chateaus that dominate the center of the Rioja Alta subregion. The days are spent on private wine tasting sessions while the evenings are filled with the quaint atmosphere of historic town streets. Continue to Laguardia on day six, where an art nouveau castle hotel is an example of the luxury accommodation throughout this itinerary. With the Cantabrian mountains as a backdrop, you visit underground town cellars and the region's finest estates.

La Rioja's capital, Logrono, is your base on days eight and nine. Throughout this vacation, a diverse collection of restaurants add further tones to the gastronomic experience; paired lunches at country wine estates, Michelin Star dining in tiny towns, and the ambient tapas bars of Logrono, full of Riojan character and atmosphere. All tours are by luxury Mercedes and the pace is adapted to your tastes. On any given day, the exploration can focus on a couple of favorite wineries, or delve into the offerings of up to half a dozen different estates.

Day nine takes you into Navarro wine country, switching to renowned whites as the mountain slopes rise higher. Take in the famous town of Pamplona before settling into the border town of Hondarribia. Biarritz is merely 30 minutes away, Europe's aristocratic escape an ideal seaside base to complete the trip. French cheese and chocolate provide additional flavors as you uncork a few bottles north of the border, Bourdeaux's finest the culmination of this unique wine vacation.

Starting Price

$5,500 per person (excluding international flights)

Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.

What's Included

  • Accommodations
  • In-country transportation
  • Some or all activities and tours
  • Expert trip planning
  • 24x7 support during your trip

Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.

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Customizable Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary to inspire a personalized trip designed with your travel specialist.

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