Most important features
- 9 DAYS – 8 NIGHTS
- Countries visited: Spain / Basque Country – Navarre and Rioja
Short introduction
This fly & drive in Rioja, Navarra and Basque Country is the perfect wine tour if you are passionate about wine, want to know more about Spanish grape varieties and discover Spanish Basque Country including Bilbao. During your trip you will visit bodegas with wine tastings on the one hand and more cultural visits to cities such as Bilbao, San Sebastian or Pamplona on the other hand.
The Basque Country not only seduces by its coastline with beautiful beaches and big waves, it attracts surfers from all over the world, this part of Spain is also beautiful thanks to its mountainous landscapes, its culture and its preserved identity. The gastronomy is one of the best in the world and its architecture is a living example of the modern avant-garde. Between the dynamic Bilbao, the gateway to the Basque cultural universe with its Guggenheim museum, the innovative San Sebastian and its star restaurants, and the beautiful villages overlooking the ocean, the Basque Country will bring you unforgettable memories.
Highlights
- 7 wine tastings and 1 cider tasting
- Welcome drink in a rooftop bar in Bilbao
- Guggenheim museum
- Cities such as Bilbao, Pamplona, and San Sebastian
- Discovery of the Rioja wine region by bicycle
- Discovery of the lesser known wine regions of the Basque Country and Navarro
- Picnic in the vineyards
- Sleeping in a wine hotel in the vineyards designed by Frank O., the architect of the Guggenheim museum
- Cultural attractions such as Pamplona Cathedral
- Plentzia bay and its underwater wine cellar
Program
DAY 1 – FLIGHT TO BILBAO, SPAIN
Today you take your flight to Bilbao, Spain. After arrival at Bilbao airport, you will be met by your driver and transferred to your hotel. After check-in you will be offered a glass of wine as a welcome drink at a rooftop bar in Bilbao.
Rest of the day / evening for free.
Overnight.
DAY 2 – FLIGHT TO BILBAO, SPAIN (B, L)
After a relaxed breakfast, you have some free time. In the middle of the morning you will look for the good addresses of the city to taste the best pintxos of the moment in various local bistros and restaurants. Also taste different, matching wines, including the famous txakoli, while discovering the history of Bilbao.
The rest of the afternoon is at your own expense.
Overnight.
DAY 3: BILBAO – HARO – LOGROÑO (B, L)
Today your breakfast will be served in the Guggenheim museum just a 5-minute walk from your hotel. After breakfast, travel about 1h15 from Bilbao to Haro which is considered the wine capital of Spain. To introduce yourself to the world of Spanish wine, spend the day with an excellent oenologist. You start your day on a beautiful wine estate in the heart of the Rioja wine region near the village of Haro. The visit naturally ends with the traditional tasting.
After the visit, you will be offered a lunch with 6 pintxos food before heading back to further explore the world of wine with a visit to the Vivanco Museum and its beautiful wine cellar. This museum is a reference, where it is considered the best wine museum in the world. At the end of this day, the wine has no secrets for you …
Overnight.
DAY 4: LOGROÑO (B)
After breakfast you will discover an impressive Spanish winery, also known as a bodega. Here you can see the largest barrels in the world in the storage room. At the end of the visit you will taste 2 wines with matching cold cuts. Please note that this visit is linked to certain times. Possible hours are 10 am, 12 pm, 1 pm, and 6 pm. The visit can last up to 2 hours.
After this you will explore the vineyards of Rioja by bike. This 35 km bike tour gives you an excellent idea of the landscapes of the region. During this route, you will drive a few kilometres by road to Santiago de Compostela and continue through the vineyards. Along the way you can stop in one of the many bodegas (wine estates). Moreover, you cannot get lost because we offer you a GPS during this bike ride which will take about 45 minutes. If you want a guide, please let us know.
Have you always wondered when inviting people home which wine would go well with the dish you just cooked? Today you will have the opportunity to impress all your future guests by learning more about how to choose beautiful and matching wines with a dish. In addition, your guide will also give you a short wine tasting course. This tasting takes place in the busiest street in Logroño: la calle Laurel.
Overnight.
DAY 5: LOGROÑO – CUZCURRITA DE RÍO TIRÓN – ELCIEGO (B, L)
After breakfast, drive about 40 minutes from Logroño to the small village of Cuzcurrita where you will visit a beautiful winery. You visit this beautiful family business with “Leire”, the owner himself. Heir to the know-how of his grandparents and his father, he will explain you his activity with passion. An exciting visit full of feelings that will end with a wine tasting of wines that are poured directly from the barrel. You can taste the difference between a wine aged in French oak, American oak or Central European oak! The visit is followed by a picnic in the winery’s vineyards, made up of excellent local produce. Note: If the weather does not allow, the meal is taken indoors.
After lunch, continue your journey to the second winery of the day where you will also spend the night among the vineyards. The tour starts in the vineyards of the property from where you can admire the beautiful hotel. The hotel was designed by Frank O. (architect of the Guggenheim Museum). Then you will see a short documentary that will help you better understand the world of wine before going to the bottling room (if you visit this morning you can see the employees in action). The tour ends with a wine tasting. You will taste the white Verdejo wine and the red Reserva wine, all accompanied by matching cold cuts.
Overnight.
DAY 6: ELCIEGO – ARINZANO (B, D)
After breakfast, travel from Elciego to Arínzano. Upon arrival at the winery you are going to visit, you will be offered a welcome drink. You will then set off to explore the vineyards in a 4X4. On your return, you will visit the traditional wine cellar and the facilities of the estate. At the end of the tour of the vineyards, you will participate in a wine tasting. You can spend the rest of the day at leisure, for example to relax.
Dinner and overnight on the estate.
DAY 7: ARINZANO – PAMPLONA (B)
After breakfast, travel to the capital of the Spanish region of Navarra, Pamplona. Today you will have all the space for a cultural visit in which you will learn more about the history of Pamplona through the different eras. You will discover and learn about Pamplona during the medieval era, the Camino de Santiago and the influence of this pilgrimage on the formation of the three medieval cities. You will visit the chapel of San Fermín (with respect for the religious services) and / or the cathedral (closed on Sundays) and the diocesan museum.
Overnight.
DAY 8: PAMPLONA – SAN SEBASTIÁN – ASTIGARRAGA (B, L)
After breakfast you will go from Pamplona to San Sebastian. Did you know that one of the typical Basque Country drinks was cider? In Basque, cider is called Sagardo and literally means apple wine. You will have the opportunity to learn more about this during a visit to the Ciderhuis. You can see the orchard, the pressing, the cellar and the farm. The visit ends with a juicy traditional menu accompanied by natural cider on tap. Two possible times: 11:30 am and 6:30 pm. A visit is only possible at these two times and with a guide.
After visiting the Cider House, you will discover San Sebastian. You explore its history and gastronomy. Basque cuisine is internationally known for the quality of its products and the know-how of its chefs, both in terms of traditional dishes and creative dishes. A pintxo and a drink are planned during your visit. You will also visit the Basilica of Santa Maria (entrance included).
Overnight.
DAY 9: ASTIGARRAGA – PLENTZIA – BILBAO (B)
After breakfast you will leave for Plentzia about 1 hour away. It’s a unique and incredible experience waiting for you today … You will go by boat to Plentzia Bay to taste an old wine in an underwater cellar just under your feet. In addition to tasting two wines aged at sea, you will also be offered a Pintxos tasting.
Afterwards, travel back to Bilbao and hand in your rental car at the airport at the end of the morning. Then you fly back home… or extend your trip to another beautiful wine region of Spain, for example Galicia or why not France and the Bordeaux wine region.
Included / Excluded
What’s included / not included in this wine tour ?
Included
- 7 wine tastings and 1 cider tasting
- Flee
- Glass of wine as a welcome drink in a rooftop bar
- Accommodation in a standard double room
- Rental car (category C – type Leon) available. Unlimited mileage, all-risk insurance and second driver included. GPS and automatic gearbox not included (consult us).
- Guide to the cider house
- Transport and activities as described in the program
- Breakfast and other meals where stated (B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner)
- 24/7 local assistance
Excluded
- Surcharge single room
- Optional activities
- Guide on request
- Other meals, half or full board on request (B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner)
- Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks unless otherwise stated
- Cancellation and travel insurance (we can arrange this for you if desired)
- Tourist taxes
- Tips
- Personal expenses
- Anything else not listed in Included or Optional
Request a quote for this wine tour and we can work with you to determine what will and will not be included. The choice is yours.
All flights and hotels are always subject to availability until the time of final booking. The booking will be made when the deposit has been received on our account.
Prices are subject to change without prior notice due to seasonality and availability.
