FUENTES del VINO LA DEMANDA
4 Exceptional stages of cycling among the Wineries and Mountains of La Rioja in Spain
Bike route in stages through the roads of La Rioja Alta, Sierra de la Demanda and Rioja Alavesa.
Self-guided BIKE & WINE LUXURY TOUR in LA RIOJA,
style - ROAD -
BIKE & WINE = Cycling + Vineyards + Mountains + Caves + Gastronomy + Wines
THE ROUTE
FUENTES DEL VINO LA DEMANDA is a PREMIUM format proposal trip that we have exclusively developed for road cycling.
Located in the north of SPAIN, the small Community of LA RIOJA is one of those places where high mountain passes coexist with more "ludic" territories where the world of wine and its "pleasures" seem to inundate everything, inducing us to dream of one of those "almost perfect" journeys.
Summarizing it in geographical terms, we can say that the route initially traverses the BASQUE COUNTRY, straddling the sheer cliffs of the Sierra de Cantabria and the Álava Mountains to the north, and later crosses the forests and meadows of the Sierra de La Demanda to the south, already in territory shared by the province of BURGOS.
In between: LA RIOJA, endless vineyards, designer wineries, monumental towns saturated with history, and the central, structuring axis of the Ebro River feeding it all.
Summarizing it in broader terms, we can say that LA RIOJA is one of those territories that, despite having a relatively small geography, has nonetheless earned undeniable international recognition when it comes to "High Cuisine." We have incorporated this factor into the trip as a whole. The Gastronomic Experiences we include during the initial stays in LAGUARDIA and LOGROÑO reach their point of maximum tension when we arrive at the "Gastronomic Sanctuary" of EL ECHAURREN, located in EZCARAY, at the foot of the Sierra de LA DEMANDA. This is the point where we will spend 2 nights and where we can "test" both the traditional cuisine of ECHAURREN TRADITION, which was originally the source of the location's current fame, and the one that is now regularly recognized by the universe of Michelin stars and is known as EL PORTAL del ECHAURREN.
- Global data
- Stage 1
Laguardia - Logroño - Stage 2
Logroño - Ezcaray - Stage 3
Circular Ezcaray - Stage 4
Ezcaray - Laguardia
Stage 1: Laguardia - Logroño
Distance 82 / 158 km - Unevenness 1.460 / 2.740 m
Stage 2: Logroño - Ezcaray
Distance 94 / 122 km - Unevenness 1.340 / 2.220 m
Stage 3:Ezcaray - La Demanda Range
Distance 105 / 123 km - Unevenness 1.350 / 1.900 m
Stage 4: Ezcaray - Laguardia
Distance 80 / 171 km - Unevenness 2.000 / 2.250 m
Standar Option 4 Stages
Distance: 361 km Unevenness: 6.150 m
PLUS Option 4 Stages
Distance: 574 km Unevenness: 9.110 m
Herrera Mountainpass and Montaña Alavesa
From the river to the mountains
La Demande Range
From the mountains to the river
THE ROUTE IN DATA
What you could feel!
- Stage 1
Laguardia - Logroño - Stage 2
Logroño - Ezcaray - Stage 3
Circular Ezcaray - Stage 4
Ezcaray - Laguardia
Herrera Mountainpass and Montaña Alavesa
End of the day in the Lagunas de Laguardia complex.
Herrera Mountain Pass, the "fearsome" kilometer at 12%. Cicloturista Vitoria 2016.
La Rioja Viewpoint
In the Montaña Alavesa the oak forest fills everything.
Montaña Alavesa, Muela de San Román.
In the vicinity of Logroño the Ebro is already a lonely river.
Sea of vineyards Logroño in its ambience.
From the river to the mountains
Professional peloton crossing the bridge over the Ebro in La Puebla de Labarca
Today´s stage goes through the Rioja "Zero Zone". Marqués de Riscal winerie.
An obligatory stop, Yuso Monastery -San Millán de la Cogolla- World Heritage Site.
Long sections among crops in the Riojilla burgalesa
Long sections of solitary tarmacs under the omnipresent presence of the La Demanda Range.
The village of Ojacastro in La Demanda Range.
Sunrise in Ezcaray
La Demande Range
Serious threat of rain. The group, nonetheless, ventures into La Demande Range.
The demanding ascent of the day's first mountain pass. Continuous and challenging ramps in the high zone of La Cruz de La Demanda.
Exhausted cyclist cresting the 1,855 meter summit.
Rounded summit of Monte Mayor in the foreground, the 2nd difficulty of this 3rd stage.
In certain areas of the mountain range, the lushness of the beech forest becomes prominent.
Refilling water bottles at the monumental medieval fountain of Tres Aguas during the ascent to Bonicaparra.
Winter meadows at the 1,265 meter summit of the Bonicaparra pass.
From the mountains to the river
Ascent to Pradilla Mountain pass, which leads to the province of Burgos.
Group of "Women on Bike" at the top of the Pradilla Pass
Medieval ruins in Cerezo de Río Tirón
Demanding ramps during the ascent to Pulpito de La Rioja, the Cellorigo viewpoint, one of the few heights of a certain entity of today's stage.
Harvest days in the Rioja Alavesa, around Labastida.
Historic Winery Quarter in San Vicente de la Sonsierra
Stop to recharge energy among the vineyards of the Ebro Basin.
Spectacular Chozo de La Veguilla in the vicinity of the Ebro
A stop among the vineyards of the Marqués de Riscal wineries in Elciego.
THE ROUTE IN PICTURES
Expect to feel it!
ENO-GASTRONOMY
The Soul of the Trip
Below you can see the selection of Gastronomic Experiences selectable for this Tour (one per stage).
You will guess, from the labels of some of the images, that you are going to share the Experiences designed for 2 of our LUXURY proposals in LA RIOJA, DOMINIO de RIOJA and Journey to the Center of the Rioja
As told up, here you have the Gastronomic Experiences selectable for this Tour (one per stage).
You'll have to choose... It's not an easy task, we know. The shorter the trip, the more difficult the choice.
LAGUARDIA - POSADA MAYOR de MIGUELOA
Palacio de Viana, 17th century, Nobility and Tradition... uninterrupted winemaking tradition since 1690, absolute winner by public votes in the Best Of awards People´s Choice Award 2.023, and production of their own wines in their cellar/calao, a space that will also be our restaurant....
We have not needed more, the curriculum shown in the previous paragraph has been enough to make us incorporate without any doubt its owner in the list of Gastronomic Experiences that shape DOMINIO de RIOJA.
The rest... is not history, is future, and it is waiting for you.
LAGUARDIA - LOS PARAJES
2 Restaurants, a Wine bar, and a 16th-century Wine cellar intertwined with the building's foundations set the stage for our Gastronomic Experience Los Parajes de Laguardia.
Several generations of the same family keep the gastronomic "tension" of the place alive over time.
The recognition with the Best Of Wine Tourism award given by GREAT WINE CAPITALS for 2.026 tells us about the modernity of what's ancient turned contemporary, the essence that permeates the Gastronomic Experience FUENTES del VINO CULINARY BIKE TOUR Los Parajes de Laguardia.
LOGROÑO - LA GALERÍA or TONDELUNA
For the arrival to Logroño we have proposed two differents options of "encounter" with the Riojan gastronomy.
One of them by Luisa Barrachina and the well-known Riojan chef Francis Paniego (3 Michelin stars) in the TONDELUNA Restaurant, and another one by the chef José Félix Rodríguez in the innovative LA GALERÍA
TONDELUNA is a modern, informal and fun place that has prepared a FUENTES del VINO menu to introduce cyclists of the route to some of the secrets of modern Riojan cuisine.
LA GALERÍA is a space with minimalist architecture whose walls periodically house traveling exhibitions of painting artists, filling the space with art and color.
The menu FUENTES del VINO menu consists of a tasting always adapted to the season in which we visit the city, and we leave it in the hands of José Félix Rodríguez, a cook who trained at the Santo Domingo School and then continued to cultivate and develop his art in houses like Arzak, Martín Berasategui, Koldo Royo, Aitor Basabe and Ferrán Adriá.
EZCARAY - ECHAURREN
We arrive at Ezcaray... we are looking for Gastronomic Experiences... the destination is inevitable, we enter
EL PORTAL del ECHAURREN.
Beyond the undoubted importance of the premises´ 2 Michelin stars, at LA RIOJA PUNTO BIKE we believe that the quality of EL PORTAL del ECHAURREN stems from the constancy maintained by a team with its feet firmly on the ground. In this case, on the ground of LA RIOJA.
Under the direction of the dynamic Chef Francis Paniego... direction + enthusiasm + determination -we know that he has something of a cyclist- over the years, the word Echaurren has simply become synonymous with Gastronomy. We will have to check it ...
The Experience EL PORTAL del ECHAURREN will consist of a Tasting Menu that will begin in the hotel lounge, continue at the bar and end at EL PORTAL.
Images of dishes that are shown in this proposal can or not correspond to our menus. During our Stage "we will submit ourselves" to a regime regulated by seasonal products and by the criterion of the Staff of the Echaurren.
El Portal del Echaurren is closed Sunday nights, Mondays and Tuesdays. If your Stage matches these days we will offer an alternative.
And since we spent two nights in Ezcaray on our trip, we'll also have the privilege of experiencing the more traditional cuisine of El Echaurren, which was the origin of the current "Gastronomic Temple."
An old carriage stop from the 17th century converted into a Gastronomic Hotel. A woman, Marisa Sánchez, architect back in 1957 of a revision of the traditional Riojan cookbook and who also back in 1987 earned her the National Gastronomy Award for the best Chef. Like mother Like Son...
We enter the TRADITION.
We are in Ezcaray, we are in the Echaurren, we are on vacation ... better to think little.
As almost always when we are in this place, we "submit" to the Echaurren TRADITION Tasting Menu paired with the wines that they tell us to taste.
Images of dishes that are shown in this proposal can or not correspond to our menus.
The season rules ...
OUR LODGES
The half of the Trip
- Lodging for stages with start in LAGUARDIA
- Lodging for stages with start in LOGROÑO
- EZCARAY - Hotel Echaurren 4*
For the stay at LAGUARDIA we must choose between 2 different Lodges, each one with its own Gastronomic Experience (both inside the walls of the village)
Posada Mayor de Migueloa
Palacio de Viana, an old space rehabilitated as a hotel, absolute winner by public votes in the Best Of Wine Tourism 2.023 awards, and located within the walls of the town of LAGUARDIA. We have not needed more information, without any doubt this is one of our PUNTOs BIKE in LAGUARDIA.
Hospederia Los Parajes
Hotel - Restaurant - Spa - Vinotheque - Wine Cave, A unique Palace in the village. This is how, with a touch of humility and no more fuss, one of our "star" PUNTO BIKE in LAGUARDIA defines itself.
The recognition with the Best Of Wine Tourism 2.026 award in the Accommodation category, granted by GREAT WINE CAPITALS, confirms our choice.
Our PUNTO BIKE in LOGROÑO, is set in the Hotel GRAN VÍA, the best choice in town if we need to blend lodge and BIKE.
We are talking about a 4-star establishment well sited in the center of the town and strongly involved in a large part of the sports and gastronomic activities linked to LOGROñO.
Hotel FG Logroño
We have chosen this hotel located on the banks of the Ebro for our days in Logroño. In addition to its unbeatable location, their quality is unquestionable, we are talking about a four star service "camouflaged" in one of three.
To the usual services of a hotel of these features we add that we have free access to the relaxation of the hotel zone, which consists of a jacuzzi, sauna and gym.
The base of LA RIOJA PUNTO BIKE in Ezcaray for this Stage is the ECHAURREN Hotel. The indisputable "Sanctuary Riojano, both in terms of Accommodation and Gastronomy. Nowadays, an establishment with renowned and enduring international recognition.
For us, in addition, the services for cycling such as garage and bike cleaning areas that the hotel has, adds to the whole the missing fifth star.
4 Stages / 5 Nights
2.060 €
Price per person for groups of 6 or more people
2.186 €
Price per person for groups of 5 people
2.152 €
Price per person for groups of 4 people
2.372 €
Price per person for groups of 3 people
2.408 €
Price per person for groups of 2 people
3.290 €
Price for a single person
Single room supplement: + 390 €
When the group consists of an even number of people, an even number of applications will also be necessary to access this supplement.
In these proposals when the groups are odd, the accommodation is offered in double rooms and a single room.
- TRIPLE ROOMS ARE NEVER USED -
Rates for the whole year, subject to availability.
The prices may vary when the dates coincide with the Easter holidays or with the Patron Festivities of any of the places of accommodation.
- 5 nights of accommodation with breakfast
- 4 Dinners in format of Gastronomic Experience
- Transport of luggage between hotels
1 bag or package per person - Tracks of the route in GPX format for mobile phones or GPS devices
Warn us if you prefer them in another format - Explanatory printed map-sketch of the different route options for each stage
One per stage Download sample - Presentation of the route and delivery of information in hand the day of the arrival of the group to the hotel or the morning of the next day
- Telephone assistance for incidents or consultations during the days of the contracted activity
Beers or other consumptions outside the proposed menus in the dinners or during the stay in hotels
Meals in restaurants at the time of the noon, unless it has been agreed previously to replace dinner with meals
Any kind of sports material, helmets, shoes, etc.
Mechanical Assistance during the activity
If possible, we will try to help you in case of a breakdown, but in many situations this help can be very limited due to lack of specific spare parts or other circumstances. The cost of the service if it can be done is € 18 per hour + € 0.40 per kilometer.Anything not expressly indicated in the offer
- Airport/station pick up
We put you in contact with the transfer companies that provide these services. We do not include its cost in our proposal. - Hire Travel Assistance insurance
- Bicycle rental
We put you in touch with a rental service in the nearest place to the route start point - Hire individual room
When the group consists of an even number of people, an even number of applications will also be necessary to access this supplement.
- Orientation: The route must be followed with a GPS device or with the mobile phone App that you are used to using for the same purpose.
It is not advisable to try to learn how to use an App on the fly.
We do not provide Apps or GPS user manuals. It is up to the users to have this knowledge.
There is no on-site signage. - Best time to go: The route can be done at any time of the year as long as there is no snow, something unusual in La Rioja.
Spring and Autumn are usually the most pleasant seasons; In summer it can be hot and it is advisable to get up early.
Anyway, at the end of autumn the days are short, but more than enough for our purpose. The vineyards of La Rioja "burn" red in those days, and the experience of immersing ourselves in that sea of red vineyards becomes something almost. So if you can afford to choose those dates, there is no question. This is the "Star" moment to visit LA RIOJA - Philosophy: The tour is designed so that the stages can be completed and we still have a large part of the day to enjoy the place where we are.
However, if you want more hardness, all stages have their PLUS option. - Provisioning: La Rioja is not a desert. We will find towns with water and other services without too many difficulties.
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