Best of La Rioja

Top itineraries and travel advice in and around La Rioja
La Rioja is the small yet scenic province home to Spain's most famous wine region, Rioja. Though the area is famous for its delicious Tempranillo and seven wine valleys, there's plenty more to enjoy in the whole of La Rioja. From visiting medieval castles (favorites are Castillo de Sajazarra and Castillo de Aguas Mansas) and UNESCO monasteries to hiking or skiing in Parque Natural Sierra Cebollera, the region is surprisingly varied. 

Still, the wine draws the crowds to La Rioja, and you can experience this cultural aspect in more ways than just taking a vineyard tour. If you visit in June, you can participate in the unique Battalo del Vino, Rioja's "Wine Battle," which is just as it sounds: throwing grapes and wine at one another! Or, check out the picturesque city of Logroño, the province's capital, in September for the annual Wine Harvest Festival, where you can stomp grapes. And if you're truly invested in the red stuff, no trip to La Rioja is complete without visiting the Vivanco Wine Museum in Briones, known as the best wine museum in the world. Not only can you taste varietals, but you can also participate in workshops and dine at the museum's restaurant.
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San Sebastián, Spain
Best Things to Do in San Sebastián

Coastal San Sebastián sits in Spain's scenic north, in Basque Country. Known as a foodie hub, you can enjoy the city's culture with walking or e-bike tours and dive into the renowned gastronomy with a cooking class. Get out of the city to visit farms, vineyards, and some of Northern Spain's most popular walking trails within this coveted region of Europe.

Settle into the Gehry-designed Hotel Marqués de Riscal in northern Spain's La Rioja region
Map of Luxury Northern Spain Road Trip: La Rioja & Basque Country - 7 Days
Luxury Northern Spain Road Trip: La Rioja & Basque Country - 7 Days

Discover the wonders of northern Spain on this luxury weeklong trip. Embark upon a self-drive adventure from Madrid to the lavish vineyards of La Rioja, then continue to Bilbao to sample the Basque Country's tasty pintxos and tour the world-famous Guggenheim Museum. End with a striking coastal drive to San Sebastián, where you'll stay at a lavish hotel overlooking the Bay of Biscay and explore the city's architecture and beaches with a private guide.

Tapas and wine in northern Spain
Gourmet Adventure in Northern Spain - 9 Days

Wine, cheese, tapas, pintxos — this gourmet tour around northern Spain is a treat for foodies! Start in the capital city of Madrid, where you'll go on a tapas tour around local bars to learn the proper way to order small plates paired with drinks. Then hop in a rental car and drive north to the wine country of La Rioja, where you'll tour family-run wineries and blend your own wine to take with you. Continue onward to the culinary hot spot of San Sebastian, sampling pintxos (Basque-style tapas) at traditional bars in the old city. Then finish the trip with a tour of Bilbao and an excursion into the surrounding countryside to see how Basque cheeses are produced.

Discover Basque Country with a stop in San Sebastián and explore La Concha Bay
Map of Self-Drive Northern Spain: San Sebastián, Pamplona, La Rioja & Bilbao - 10 Days
Self-Drive Northern Spain: San Sebastián, Pamplona, La Rioja & Bilbao - 10 Days

A road trip through Northern Spain offers a glimpse into the region's rich cultural roots and diverse landscapes, from the coastal heritage of San Sebastián to the rolling vineyards of La Rioja. This 10-day excursion includes opportunities to explore unique traditions, cuisine, and architecture that define this corner of Spain, with stops in historic Pamplona and vibrant Bilbao.

Visit wineries in the La Rioja region during this partial road trip
Map of Explore the Spanish Basque Country & More - 10 Days
Explore the Spanish Basque Country & More - 10 Days

Pack your bags for a 10-day escape to Spain's northern Basque Country. Discover the flavors, history, and culture of this beguiling region by tasting its delicious pintxos on the streets of San Sebastián, exploring the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, and crossing the border into France. If that's not enough, you'll visit wineries in La Rioja and hike above the Bay of Biscay to complete the adventure.

Visit stunning vineyards in La Rioja
Map of Luxury Northern Spain Road Trip: Madrid, La Rioja & Basque Country - 10 Days
Luxury Northern Spain Road Trip: Madrid, La Rioja & Basque Country - 10 Days

Take a luxury 10-day road trip through northern Spain's culture-soaked cities, historic vineyards, and beach-studded coastline. You'll stay at grand palaces and 5-star heritage hotels, enjoying private cultural tours of Madrid, Bilbao, and San Sebastián. Highlights include wine tasting in lush La Rioja, a gourmet pintxos food tour, visiting the world-renowned Guggenheim Museum, and hiking to the hilltop Guadalupe Fort for panoramic Basque Country views.

Take to the road in your rental car and pass through the mountains in Spain's La Rioja
Map of Self-Drive in Basque Country & La Rioja - 6 Days
Self-Drive in Basque Country & La Rioja - 6 Days

Explore two of Spain's scenic northern regions in your own car, the foodie-centric Basque Country with its scenic coastline and La Rioja, a famous wine region. You'll start in San Sebastián and discover the city's history, culture, and gastronomy, followed by a detour to La Rioja for wine tasting and charming towns. End in Bilbao with hiking, foodie adventures, and visiting the famous Guggenheim Museum.

Spain
Map of Northern Spain Road Trip: Madrid to Basque Country - 7 Days
Northern Spain Road Trip: Madrid to Basque Country - 7 Days

In just a week, you can embark on the road trip of a lifetime from Spain's capital to its stunning Basque Country. The adventure begins in Madrid with city tours before hopping in your rental and driving north to La Rioja, one of Spain's most beautiful wine regions. After a tasting, you'll continue on to Basque Country, where tours of San Sebastián's historic center and Bilbao's Guggenheim Museum await.

Buildings on Plaza del Castillo in Pamplona
Map of Self-Drive in Basque Country, La Rioja & Navarra - 7 Days
Self-Drive in Basque Country, La Rioja & Navarra - 7 Days

Spend one week exploring three provinces of northern Spain with a road trip starting in San Sebastián. Enjoy urban walks, hiking, and sailing, then head to La Rioja and Navarra to visit cities like Pamplona and Logroño and enjoy the countryside and its vineyards. End in Bilbao, uniquely known for its eclectic public art and modern aesthetic.

Make a stop to check out Gaztelugatxe, a Basque island with a dramatic coastline and hermitage
Map of Basque Region & Wine Country Road Trip: Bilbao, San Sebastián, La Rioja & Pamplona - 7 Days
Basque Region & Wine Country Road Trip: Bilbao, San Sebastián, La Rioja & Pamplona - 7 Days

For wine lovers and foodies, this road trip in northern Spain takes you along the incredible Basque coastline with its rugged sea cliffs, charming fishing villages, and gastronomic cities, then into the rolling vineyards and hills of La Rioja and Navarra. Blend city walks with small towns, food tours, and an overnight stay at a winery in Spain's most famous wine region, Rioja.

Visit the Basque country city of San Sebastián
Map of Luxury Northern Spain: Madrid, La Rioja, Basque Country & Barcelona - 14 Days
Luxury Northern Spain: Madrid, La Rioja, Basque Country & Barcelona - 14 Days

Explore northern Spain's highlights with a side trip to Barcelona on this two-week luxury tour. Exclusive adventures include VIP seats to a Real Madrid soccer match, a sunrise hot-air balloon ride over La Rioja's lush vineyards, and kayaking along the Costa Brava. Stay at 5-star heritage hotels and palaces, soaking up culture on city walking tours and private trips to UNESCO-listed treasures, from Gaudí's La Sagrada Família to the medieval town of Ávila.

Discover El Flysch, a hiking area, in Spain's Basque Country
Map of Northern Spain Road Trip: Madrid to Basque Country - 8 Days
Northern Spain Road Trip: Madrid to Basque Country - 8 Days

Eight days are enough to road trip through northern Spain. On this itinerary, you'll drive from Madrid north through the stunning La Rioja wine country, of course stopping for a tasting or two. The experience culminates on the coast of Basque Country with city tours of Bilbao and San Sebastián, both home to a rich culture and incredible food.

spain
Map of Northern Spain Road Trip: Madrid to Basque Country - 9 Days
Northern Spain Road Trip: Madrid to Basque Country - 9 Days

Nine days is enough time to immerse yourself in a couple of areas of Spain, ensuring you get the most out of the experience. This itinerary begins with a road trip from Madrid to wine country for a tasting of Spain's world-renowned varietals. You'll finish the trip on the Basque coast and its most beautiful cities, San Sebastián and Bilbao.

spain
Map of Northern Spain Road Trip: Madrid to Basque Country - 10 Days
Northern Spain Road Trip: Madrid to Basque Country - 10 Days

Over 10 days, you'll embark on a gourmet road trip from Madrid to Spain's northern Basque Country. This unforgettable excursion is a delight for the eyes and taste buds that includes tapas tours in Madrid, wine tasting in La Rioja, and sampling the great cheese and seafood of the Basque coast. A visit to the famous Guggenheim caps the trip, adding a cultural cherry atop an epic vacation sundae.