We’d love to follow along with the photos and videos from your fabulous bike tour!
Follow us on Instagram at @bikespaintours and on Facebook at BikeSpainTours, and don’t forget to tag us in your travel posts.
Be sure to join our Strava club so we can give you kudos for all your amazing rides!
Please leave your luggage in the hotel reception each morning (by 9am at the latest) so that it can be transferred to your next hotel. Make sure that your luggage is clearly labelled with the nametag provided.
Your bike fitting is scheduled for Monday, 22nd September at 10am at Hospedería Los Parajes. In case of any issues, please contact Jota on (+34) 606 72 73 78.
Call the Bike Spain Tours office on +34 915 590 653, or out of office hours call +34 677 356 586. We will get you where you need to be and get you the help you need.
Please note that the legal limit for blood alcohol content, which is set at 0.5 g/l of alcohol in blood, applies to both cyclists and drivers in Spain. If you test positive on a breathalyzer, you may be fined between 500 and 1,000 euros. Please drink and cycle responsibly.
Please be aware that Spaniards follow a very particular routine in terms of their daily meals, and this is often strictly enforced by restaurant opening hours, especially in small towns!
You can expect restaurants to be open for lunch from approximately 1:30pm – 4pm. Many places will offer a menú del día: a set menu with 2/3 options for each course, usually including a drink, bread and dessert or coffee. Remember that lunch is the main meal of the day in Spain.
Dinnertime in Spain is any time from 8pm onwards. Dinner in Spain is typically a lighter meal.
La Rioja is Spain’s most celebrated wine region, with viticulture dating back over 2,000 years to Roman times. By the Middle Ages, monks were cultivating vineyards, and in the 19th century, winemakers adopted French barrel-aging techniques, giving Rioja wines their distinctive character.
Rioja reds: Made with predominantly Tempranillo grapes, often blended with Garnacha, Mazuelo, or Graciano.
Rioja white (Viura): Crisp, floral, and fresh when young; rich and nutty if barrel-aged. Pairs beautifully with fish, chicken, or roasted vegetables.
Clarete: A pale rosé with a tradition of being fermented from a mix of red and white grapes — refreshing and lightly fruity.
Mosto: Non-alcoholic grape juice, freshly pressed — sweet, vibrant, and loved by kids and designated drivers alike.
These wines pair beautifully with local Rioja specialties:
Patatas a la Riojana: A rustic stew of potatoes, chorizo, onion, and paprika. Warming, earthy, and deeply tied to local home cooking.
Pimientos del Piquillo: Sweet roasted red peppers, sometimes stuffed with salt cod (bacalao) or meat, often served warm with olive oil.
Chuletillas al Sarmiento: Lamb chops grilled over dried grapevine cuttings (sarmientos) for a delicate smoky, wine-infused aroma.
Caparrones: Small, dark-red beans slow-cooked with chorizo and pork belly. A hearty village dish, best in autumn or winter.
Bacalao a la Riojana: Salt cod in a rich tomato and roasted pepper sauce — a beautiful balance of sweet, smoky, and savory.
Please note that guided visits to bodegas must be booked in advance. Let us know if you would like us to book any visits for you.
It’s also a good idea to bring extra layers of clothing with you if you are planning to visit any bodegas, because the temperatures in the wine cellars are often several degrees cooler than outside.
Click here for our packing suggestions for a self-guided bike tour.
Click here for our recommendations for cycling safely and legally in Spain.
Click here for our recommendations on what to do if you experience mechanical issues with your bike during your tour.
Sunday 21st September: Laguardia (Alava)
Arrival day
Accommodation: Hotel Hospederia Los Parajes
Meals included: Dinner
Welcome to La Rioja, and the start of an amazing tour!
Laguardia is the unofficial capital of the Rioja Alavesa – the Basque section of La Rioja – and many of the town’s 320 wine cellars, which date 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.
Dinner tonight is included in your tour package. Upon arrival at your hotel, please advise reception of your preferred dinnertime.
Uncork your tour with a visit to Laguardia’s very own wine interpretation centre: the Villa-Lucía Gastronomic Space (tours available Tue – Sun at 11am, 12:30pm, 5pm and 6:30pm, prior reservation recommended), where you can get to know La Rioja’s famous vintage through a multi-sensory experience, and discover modern and historical wine-production techniques.
During the 16th and 17th century, as Laguardia became important as a centre of wine production, a network of underground bodega cellars were constructed, some of which can still be visited today: Casa Garcetas, which now houses the tourism office (open Mon – Sat 10am – 2pm/4pm – 7pm and Sun 10:45am – 2pm) and Cueva Dorretxe (open Tue – Sun 10:45am – 1:30pm/4:45pm – 7:30pm).
Other visitable bodegas include El Fabulista, located under a 17th century palace (open daily, tours in English available on request) Bodegas El Campillo (open Mon – Sat, tours in English available on request) and Solar de Samaniego (open Wed – Sun, tours in English available on request).
One of Laguardia’s most important historical monuments is the Church of Santa María de los Reyes, which dates back to the 12th century and is considered to be a jewel of medieval Basque art.
For a truly indulgent experience, book a wine massage treatment at the Wine Oil Spa at Hotel Silken Laguardia!
Monday, 22nd September: Villabuena de Álava
Route: 36 km/22.4 miles
Elevation:+500 m/+1642 ft
Accommodation: Hotel Viura
Hotel services: Bar, restaurant, spa, laundry
Meals included: Breakfast
10am: Our colleague Jota will meet you at your hotel for yor bike fitting. In case of any issues, please contact Jota on (+34) 606 72 73 78.
Please have your luggage ready to leave in reception, so that Jota can take it to your next hotel.
You’ll hit your first bodega within 2km! The majestic architecture of Bodega Ysios (wine bar open daily 10am – 4:30pm, guided tours and tastings available on request), created by famous architect Santiago Calatrava, seems to blend into the surrounding mountains.
The ride continues along the banks of the Ebro River, winding its way through endless vineyards. Stop for a photo opportunity at the Mirador del Risgo viewpoint just before arriving into Lapuebla de Labarca, which got its name from the small skiff that once transported people and goods across the Ebro. Here, you can visit “Balbino’s Balcony” at Bodega Don Balbino (open Mon – Sat 12pm – 2pm/4pm – 6pm) to enjoy a glass of the bodega’s own wine with fabulous views over the vineyards.
As you enter the next town, Elciego, you’ll notice the unmistakable titanium waves of a Frank O. Gehry building. This is the famous Marques de Riscal hotel and winery (guided tours in English available Mon – Sun 9am – 7pm, prior reservation essential), which also has its own Michelin Star restaurant (open for lunch Wed – Sat 1:30pm – 3pm, prior booking essential) and is worth visiting for its fabulous futuristic architecture alone.
While in Elciego, ee also highly recommend a visit to Valdelana Bodega and Wine Museum (open Mon – Sat 8am – 6pm and Sun 8am – 3pm), set in a 15th century underground cellar and whose exhibition covers everything from local prehistory, traditional wine-making techniques, an introduction to wine tasting theory and a wine and olive oil tasting at the end!
Before you reach the next town, Baños de Ebro, make a quick stop for a photo opportunity over the River Ebro at Mirador Alto del Ramo. If you’re feeling thirsty, you can take a break here at Bodega Amador García, which has a wine bar and terrace (open Mon – Fri 8am – 7pm), before the last gentle ascent to Villabuena de Álava.
As with many other Riojan towns, much of the activity in Villabuena de Álava is connected with wine-making. In fact, it has more wineries per inhabitant than any other town in the world: one for every eight people!
Take a stroll aroung the historic centre and admire the stately homes, built in Rennaissance and Baroque styles: evidence of the wealth that wine production has brought to this small town over the centuries. Some notable examples are the Casa del Indiano and the Marquis of Solana.
If your legs are up to it after your cycle ride, a short walk from the town you can visit the El Montecillo Dolmen, a Bronze Age tomb discovered at the end of 2009 by a local inhabitant.
Tuesday, 23rd September: Villabuena de Álava
Route: 51.4 km/31.9 miles
Elevation: +721 m/+2364 ft
Accommodation: Hotel Viura
Meals included: Breakfast
Today’s route follows small, quiet country paths along the Ebro River, giving you a chance to explore some of the area’s most beautiful and historic little towns.
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. You can also visit the 13th century church of San Juan de Arriba, which houses the Vera Cruz Brotherhood, who precede their Easter Week processions with self-flagellation to show their faith. We also recommend a visit to the interesting Bodega Castillo de Mendoza, formerly housed within the castle walls (shop open and tastings available Mon – Fri 9am – 2:45pm and Sat 11:30am – 1:30pm).
Next, your route takes you up to the tiny mountaintop hamlet of Rivas de Tereso, (pop. just 15!) where you can enjoy a bite to eat with fabulous views at the excellent Asador de José Mari (open Wed – Mon, 10am – 6pm).
Your next stop is the tiny village of Remelluri, famous for the large 10th century necropolis, where 300 anthropomorphic tombs are clearly visible, and the little hermitage of Santa Sabina. You can also stop by the excellent Remelluri Bodega, set in a 15th century monastery (shop open Mon – Fri 8am – 3pm).
You’ll continue on through vineyards, through the town of Bastida to the pretty riverside hamlet of Briñas, where you can stop off at Bodega Tobelos (wine bar open Mon – Sat 12:30pm – 3pm, guided tours available on request).
Your next 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!
Haro itself is a fascinating town, and it’s well worth taking a stroll to discover the sculptures of ordinary inhabitants performing traditional tasks, many of which are, of course, related to winemaking! We also recommend a visit to the Baroque Basilica of Nuestra Señora de Haro, and a walk around the palaces of the old own. You might even like to treat yourself to a Michelin Star lunch at Restaurante Nublo (open for lunch Wed – Sun, 1:30pm – 4pm, prior booking essential).
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 (wine bar open Mon – Sat 9am – 4:30pm, tours in English available Mon – Sun on request), or the wine bar at Bodegas Muga (open Mon – Fri 9:30am – 2:30pm, Sat 10:30am – 2:30pm).
From Haro, you’ll head back towards Villabuena de Álava.
Wednesday, 24th September: Villabuena de Álava – Santo Domingo de la Calzada
Route: 42.3 km/26.3 miles OR 60.1 km/37.3 miles
Elevation: +581m/+1,906 ft OR 837m/+2,747 ft
Accommodation: Parador Santo Domingo de la Calzada
Meals included: Breakfast
Please leave your luggage with reception by 9am at the latest, so that it can be collected and transferred to your next hotel.
Long acknowledged as the oldest tourist trail stretching throughout Europe, the Camino de Santiago (Saint James Way, in English) is the dividing line between the upper and lower Rioja regions.
You’ll pass through San Vicente de Sonsierra and into the atmospheric hilltop town of Briones, whose north side overlooks the River Ebro. Here, we highly recommend a visit to the fascinating Museum of Wine Culture, which explores two millennia of the history of wine (open 10am – 6pm Wed – Sun) 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 (open Tue – Fri 11am – 5pm, Sat 10:30am – 5:30pm and Sun 10:30am – 3pm). Opposite the monastery, La Casona de Cañas is a great spot for lunch!
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 (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. Yuso is open Tue – Sun 10am – 1:30pm/4pm – 6:30pm, and Suso is open 10am – 1:30pm/4pm – 6pm (prior reservation required to visit Suso; you can buy tickets at the Reservations Office in Yuso).
In San Millán, you have a few options for lunch: Yuso’s very own restaurant, In Vino Veritas (open 1:30pm – 3pm, and a historic flour mill, Restaurante El Molino de San Millán (open daily 1pm – 4pm).
Today’s route finishes in Santo Domingo de la Calzada, an important stop on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route. If you would like to collect your credenciales (pilgrim passports) here, you can do so from the Albergue Cofradía del Santo, located just next to the Parador. Please note that the credenciales cost 2€ each, payable in cash.
The most important attraction in Santo Domingo is the spectacular 16th century Cathedral (open Mon – Sat 10am – 2pm/4pm – 7pm, Sun 10am – 3pm), which includes a sculpted chicken coop in honour of one of the miracles of Saint Domingo, the town’s patron, who brought a roasted chicken back to life in order to save an innocent pilgrim from being hanged.
Before leaving Santo Domingo, you must try ahorcaditos, small cakes shaped like the shell of St James (due to the town’s importance on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route). The best place to buy these is Pastelería Isidrio (open Tue – Sun 10:30am – 2pm/5:30 – 8pm)
The Parador de Santo Domingo de la Calzada has an excellent in-house restaurant; however, if you would like to explore the town further we recommend Restaurante Los Caballeros (open Tue – Sat 1pm – 3:30pm/7:30pm – 10pm and Sun 1pm – 3:30pm), which is set in a historic manor house.
Thursday, 25th September
Departure day
Meals included: Breakfast
HORA: Private transfer to Logroño.
Ask us about the best options to continue your trip through Spain.
Hospederia Parajes
In the heart of Rioja-Alavesa, Laguardia, there is a unique place to live an experience around wine: The “Hospedería de los Parajes”.
A new hotel concept, where history and modernity combine to accommodate a range of rooms and services full of sensations. Passing through the main gate in the wall of Laguardia, you will find an exceptional building. Inside the walls we have built our hotel. Spa and a great restaurant.
Hotel Viura
The design hotel Viura is a tourist attraction on itself, with its ultramodern architecture surrounded by ancient buildings.
The name of this hotel comes from the most planted white grape in Rioja, which is the Viura grape. All rooms are spacious with a modern design, offering a great view on the surrounding buildings and the countryside in the distance. Delightful dinners are offered in the restaurant, based on Riojan and Basque cuisine and accompanied by local wines.
Parador Santo Domingo de la Calzada
Comfortable guest rooms decorated with exquisite taste where you will find a warm, harmonious environment.
The hotel occupies a former 12th-century hospital near the cathedral, erected by St. Dominic to take in pilgrims traveling on the Way of St. James. It has a regal, elegant style, with majestic function rooms and a lobby filled with Gothic arches and wood coffered ceilings.
