Vacations Blog

A Vineyard in Rioja

The Rioja region is Spain’s largest and most famous wine region, yet it’s still relatively undiscovered by tourism. There are over 500 wineries in operation, but many do not offer tours, or offer tours only by appointment or only in Spanish. It can be difficult to get around the area without a car. But, with some careful planning, you can arrange a few days of touring and tasting even if you are traveling without a car or don’t speak fluent Spanish.

You can still tour the wineries of the Rioja region by bus and train, but a bit more coordination is necessary, and you may have to spring for a taxi to reach a few of the further out wineries.  The rail company Renfe services Logrono and Haro, and Alsa runs regional buses between most of the smaller towns.

Several wineries offer onsite accommodations and there is no shortage of tucked away rural inns scattered around Rioja. But those traveling without a car should stay in Logrono, which has frequent connections to the other towns via train and bus. It also offers the most options for dining and drinking, and especially for taking part in the famous tapas crawl. There is one winery in the town of Logrono, Bodegas Ontañon, which is a short taxi ride or long walk from the city center. There are plenty of hotels to choose from, including the modern, eco-friendly Hotel Marques de Vallejo.

Wineries in the Rioja region offer wine tasting as a part of the winery tour, which usually lasts an hour. Most wineries don’t open before 11am and many close for siesta (plus Mondays and holidays) so plan on no more than 3 wineries per day. Most wineries operate tours on a set schedule and require reservations. Unlike in California’s Napa Valley, there’s no simply showing up for a few samples. Most tours are under 5 euros per person.

If you only visit one town for wine tasting, make it Laguardia. A small medieval town about 15 minutes by bus from Logrono, it is truly a site to behold. Perched on a hilltop, the town is still surrounded entirely by its original walls and no cars are allowed inside. Underneath the village are over 300 wine cellars. Two – El Fabulista and Bodega Carlos San Pedro – welcome visitors underground for a tour and tasting.

Underground Tasting in Laguardia

The medieval streets of Laguardia

For Dining and Drinking after the tine tours, head to Calle Laurel in Logrono for the nightly tapas crawl. There are over 50 tapas bars on this street, serving everything from grilled shrimp and pineapple skewers to prosciutto and cheese sandwiches. Hop from bar to bar, sampling a few dishes and enjoying more Rioja wines.

Photo credits: Laguardia – Katie Hammel, vineyard – grazzc via Flickr