SpainRIOJA VINEYARDS
Self-Guided Cycling Holiday
Spain
Starting in the Medieval town of Laguardia, you ride between charming villages and historic towns, while visiting UNESCO World Heritage sites and some of the region's best wineries. You also stay in incredible boutique hotels, housed in stunning historic buildings, as you become immersed in the local culture.
This is a leisurely cycling holiday and is suitable for riders of all levels, with different route options depending on how far you wish to ride. Below you can find a detailed itinerary, and click on the tabs to see more highlights, as well as all the practical information about the holiday.
We also run a guided tour in the Rioja region.
Day 1 - Laguardia
Here we do the bike fitting and, depending on your arrival time, there is the possibility of doing a short circular ride around the town. In the evening you can visit one of several excellent tapas bars housed within the city walls.
Laguardia Castle
Day 2 - Haro
The day finishes in the charming town of Haro - the wine capital of the province. Many of the best vineyards are based in the town and you can visit them for a tasting of the local produce!
Cycle Routes:
Shorter Route: 35km (20 miles)
Longer Route: 54km (33 miles)
San Vicente Castle
Day 3 - Santo Domingo de la Calzada
The destination is the town of Santo Domingo de la Calzada. Dating to the 12th century, Santo Domingo was originally built as a stopping point for pilgrims who were walking the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route. Today the narrow streets of the old town are fun to explore, and you stay in one of the town's most impressive buildings - a hotel housed in a former 16th century convent.
Cycle Routes:
Shorter Route: 29km (18 miles)
Longer Route: 47km (30 miles)
Santo Domingo de la Calzada
Day 4 - San Millán de la Cogolla
San Millán is home to the UNESCO World Heritage listed Yuso and Suso monasteries. These are superb examples of Medieval and Visigothic architecture, which were constructed between the 6th and 11th centuries.
You will have plenty of time to look around the monasteries, because your impressive hotel for the night is housed inside one of them.
Cycle Routes:
Shorter Route: 28km (17 miles)
Longer Route: 48km (31 miles)
The picturesque Ebro Valley
Day 5 - Eguren Ugarte Winery
This is an excellent place to stop for lunch, before continuing the short distance to the hotel, which is housed in a winery amidst spectacular surroundings. Here you can enjoy a wine tasting and tour of the charming wine cellars underneath the hotel, and relax in its impressive gardens.
Cycle Routes:
Shorter Route: 31km (19 miles)
Longer Route: 43km (27 miles)
Rioja is home to some of the finest gastronomy in Spain
Day 6 - Logroño
The destination is the city of Logroño, the capital of the Rioja region, and one of the most historic cities in northern Spain.
Logroño also has a fine gastronomic tradition, and is famous for its pintxos and tapas bars. Of course, as you would expect from the capital of Rioja, there are also many delightful bodegas where you can sample the local wine!
Cycle Route:
Shorter Route: 27km (17 miles)
Longer Route: 50km (32 miles)
Riding through the Vineyards
Day 7 - Departure / Extensions
If you prefer not to extend your stay, we will transfer you to Logroño airport, train or bus station in time for your onward journey.
To find out more information about this holiday; including practical information, prices, dates and more tour highlights; return to the top of the page and click on the various tabs.
Extend your stay in the Rioja region or elsewhere
On the routes we ride through delightful villages, we ride past ancient monuments and we explore the history and culture of the region. We stay in hotels housed in stunning historic buildings, and we sample some of the finest wine and gastronomy in this charming part of Spain.
Vineyards
Vineyards are simply everywhere in the Rioja region.
San Vicente Castle
This charming castle is situated on a small hill overlooking the River Ebro, which was an important frontier in the Middle Ages.
River Ebro
This birdseye view of the river is from San Vicente castle. From the castle we enjoy a fun descent and then cross the Medieval bridge.
Wine Tasting
You can visit many of the local wineries for a tasting.
Rolling Rioja
The routes here are mostly rolling; not completely flat and not too hilly. This variety, along with the stunning scenery, always keeps it interesting.
Riojan Gastronomy
This is a great trip for foodies as well as wine lovers.
Quiet Country Roads
There is very little traffic on this tour. You can ride for long periods of time without seeing a single car.
River Ebro Cycle Route
A charming cycle route alongside the River Ebro.
Hybrid Bikes
We recommend doing this tour on hybrid bikes or e-bikes. But we can also provide road bikes if you prefer.
Roman Bridge
This beautiful bridge is one of several remains from ancient times. The Romans brought the first vineyards to Rioja, and the Ebro Valley was one of the first regions that they conquered in Spain.
Winery Hotel
You spend a night in this stunning winery hotel, surrounded by vineyards.
Santo Domingo de la Calzada
This historic city is situated on the Camino de Santiago route.
Wine Caves
These underground wine caves are quiet spots where friends enjoy a bottle or two while shaded from the hot sun.
Open Scenery
The open scenery of the Ebro Valley is framed by the mountains of the Basque Country, which provide an impressive backdrop.
Traditional Paella
About to tuck in to a couple of paellas!
Logroño Vineyards
Some of the best vineyards are right on the doorstep of the region's largest city.
Included
- ✔ 6 Nights Accommodation (see the Hotels section for more details)
- ✔ Continental breakfast each day
- ✔ Bicycle Hire (Hybrid, road or e-bike)
- ✔ Transfers to and from the arrival and departure points (see below for details)
- ✔ Luggage transferred between hotels
- ✔ Wine tasting and tour on Day 5
- ✔ GPS routes and mobile app to easily follow the routes
- ✔ Detailed information pack
Not Included:
- ❌ Flights
- ❌ Tour Extensions
- ❌ Travel Insurance
Bicycles
More details about our bikes can be found on our bicycles page. All of our bikes come with helmets and handlebar bags if required, as well as a Cycle Fiesta water bottle.
Difficulty Level & Roads
The longer routes have a few more hills and we classify these as being a medium level. You can choose whether to do the shorter or longer ride on any given day.
This is a leisurely tour, designed for you to stop frequently at cafes, or to check out places of interest. If you would prefer to do something more sporty, please let us know and we can provide more challenging routes.
We hate cycling alongside traffic, and so ride on a combination of quiet paved roads and cycling greenways. The majority of the route is paved, but there are some light gravel sections. These can be avoided if you are on a road bike or prefer to stay entirely on paved roads.
Find out more about our tour difficulty levels.
Arrival and Departure
We can pick you up from the airport or train station. If you would prefer to be transferred from Bilbao, please let us know and we can arrange that for you.
Also contact us if you would like any advice or more information regarding getting to and from the region.
Frequently Asked Questions
Please browse through some of the frequently asked questions about this cycling tour. If you have any further questions, or would like any more information, please contact us and we will answer by email.
Should I do the longer or shorter routes?
This depends entirely on you! The longer and shorter routes all start and finish at the same place, and so you can decide on any given day which you would prefer to do. There is no need to commit until the day of the ride itself.
On the longer routes you see more and are able to visit more places, while the shorter routes are more relaxing and ideal if you like to take your time and go at a slower pace.
If you would like to visit the extra towns and monuments on the longer routes, but are worried about the distances, then we recommend hiring an e-bike, which will give you more flexibility.
When is the best time of year to go on this holiday?
We recommend going on this holiday from April to the end of June and from September to November. The weather then tends to be dry and sunny, with pleasant temperatures for cycling, and the vineyards are also at their most picturesque.
It is also possible to do this trip in July and August, but it can often be very hot (above 30°C (85°F), and so this is only recommended if you are used to riding in the heat.
In the winter and early spring it can be quite cool and wet in the Rioja region, so it's not the ideal time to visit.
Can I change or customize this tour?
Yes, absolutely. The itinerary is very flexible and we would be happy to customize it however you wish. If for example, you would like to stay in a particular town or hotel we can arrange this.
Likewise, if you would prefer to do longer or shorter rides, including evening meals, or stay somewhere for extra nights, please let us know and we can adjust the itinerary accordingly.
Another possibility is to do more of the riding on gravel routes instead of paved roads. Rioja is a great region for gravel riding, and you can find out more information in
our guide to Gravel Riding in Rioja.
Can I extend the tour?
Yes, we would be happy to arrange any tour extensions for you. If you would like to spend more time in Rioja, the Basque Country, or elsewhere in Spain, we can help you with the bookings and transport.
Do you run this as a guided tour?
Yes, for more details, check out the guided version of this holiday.
Why book with us?
We are a small and independent company who are locally based, which offers several advantages:
- We have a lot personal experience of all of our tours, which have been refined over many years. We believe we are genuine experts in the regions where we run tours, and we are also close at hand to offer support and a personalized service.
- We are flexible and can tailor our itineraries to suit your requirements.
- We have low overheads. We don't spend money on advertising and don't use third party agents. We only sell our tours through this website.
By cutting out the middle man, you can be sure that more of what you pay is
being spent on the important things: like hotels, equipment and other services.
- We are a registered and fully bonded tour operator in accordance with EU regulations.
What is your cancellation policy?
The full cancellation policy can be found in our terms and conditions.
Where can I find more information about the region?
We have plenty more detailed information on the website.
Check out our pages on Bilbao
And we also have some more indpeth articles looking at the fascinating history and culture of Rioja:
Hotel Mayor de Migueloa
Los Agustinos
Hotel Parador Santo Domingo
San Millán Monastery Hotel
Eguren Ugarte
Hotel Calle Mayor
| Starting Date | Price (per person)¹ | Single Supplement | Bike Hire | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15th July - 30th August | €1,720 EUR | €520 EUR | Included | |
| Any other date | €1,570 EUR | €480 EUR | Included |
¹Price is based on two people sharing a double or twin room. If you would prefer to stay in a single room, the single supplement is applicable.
To reserve a place on the tour, click the button above and complete the reservation form. We will then get back to you within 24 hours to confirm the reservation, and to arrange for payment of the deposit.
For more details on the booking process, please check out our Reservations page.
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