LUXURY bike trip by stages in SPAIN along the paths, villages, vineyards and caves of LA RIOJA

Below we show our usual selection of accommodations for Journey to the Center of the Rioja

LOGROÑO

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.

ELCIEGO

One of the most relevants LODGES of LA RIOJA PUNTO BIKE in any of our wine areas is without any doubth the stay at the "The City of Wine," that is; the Hotel / Winerie of MARQUES de RISCAL in Elciego.

A stunning 21st-century chateau, the only hotel designed by internationally renowned architect Frank Gehry, a true masterpiece where each of the unique 61 guestrooms promises to enchant with exceptional designer touches and enviable views of the countryside, medieval town of ELCIEGO or the striking architecture of the building itself.
This 5-star hotel is LA RIOJA PUNTO BIKE selected lodge for Journey to the Center of the Rioja, truly an Experience of a Lifetime.

HARO

Our PUNTO BIKE in HARO, is set in the Eurostars Los Agustinos, a hotel bursting with history in the center of the city. Located in a building that was once a convent, military barracks, prison and hospital, it is the ideal choice if we need to blend Lux, lodge, and BIKE.

We are talking about a 4-star establishment perfectly located in the center of the Capital of Rioja from which we will have within easy reach of the "tapas" places in the old part of the town and from where in a short walk of 10 minutes we will reach the essential "Barrio de la Estación", one of the largest accumulations of century-old cellars in the world.

SAMANIEGO

We have not had much doubt to decide that Palacio de Samaniego is our PUNTO BIKE in SAMANIEGO. The Boutique dreamed by Ariane de Rothschild for the first Edmond de Rothschild Heritage hotel abroad is as they themselves point out:

THE LUXURY OF A HOTEL IN A FAMILY HOME

This is one of those cases in which the "stars" do not express everything.
The EXCLUSIVITY in a building of these characteristics gives the stay a PLUS that makes it clearly compete with theoretically higher quality accommodation.

We are not going to go on too long talking about the details of the place, since we are sure that it is the appropriate choice.
If you have any doubth, just browse for a while on their own website.

www.palaciodesamaniego.com

Below we show our selection of Gastronomic Experiences for Journey to the Center of the Rioja

Gastronomic Experiences

LOGROÑO - TONDELUNA - LA GALERÍA

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.

www.tondeluna.com

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.

www.restaurantelagaleria.com

ELCIEGO - MARQUÉS de RISCAL

One of the most relevants GASTRONOMIC EXPERIENCES of all the Stages of LA RIOJA PUNTO BIKE is without any doubth the afternoon / night that we spend in the "The City of Wine," That is; the Winerie of MARQUES de RISCAL in Elciego.

We could talk about the spectacularity of this building built in the purest Guggenheim style, but it would not be fair since there is much more.
The complex encompasses the oldest winery in Rioja alongside the spectacular bulding designed by internationally renowned architect Frank O. Gehry and 3 different restaurants. We have chosen the one awarded with the prestigious Michelin Guide award with 1 Star and 2 Suns by the Repsol Guide.
That is, we have decided that for our Gastronomic Experience we put ourselves in expert hands and do not think too much ourselves.

Life at Marqués de Riscal turns around food and wine. From its inception in 2006, the hotel´s gastronomic personality has been dominated by chef Francis Paniego, whose admired restaurant "El Portal del Echaurren" in nearby Ezcaray has long been a leading light in the culinary world of La Rioja.
The chef brings to the hotel both his peerless command of traditional riojano cooking and the contemporary flair that has won him two Michelin stars in Ezcaray and one star here at Elciego.

So this is what awaits us after the visit to the winery, which we will do in the last tour of visits, the one before dinner.

www.riscal-restaurant.com

HARO - TERETE and / or CASA NUBLO

The two "Gatronomic Sanctuaries" that we have chosen in the Capital of Rioja are the centenary and traditional Restaurant-Cave TERETE and the maximum exponent of modern gastronomy in the city, CASA NUBLO.

If your trip includes just one night in HARO you must decide which of the two Gastronomic Experiences you want to enjoy.

In 1.877 Alberto Andrés Alonso inaugurated CASA TERETE; roasting oven, restaurant, butcher shop and wine shop. Currently, a century and a half later, the fifth and sixth generation of the TERETE keep the roots of the family alive while preserving the same art and dedication.

Our trip to the CENTER OF THE RIOJA in CASA TERETE begins by immersing ourselves in its Cave-Winerie - grote called CALAO - among other things, this will serve to let us know that we are in the Grotes Quarter.

The winery, founded at the end of the 19th century next to the lamb roaster, is the ideal complement for this high-level Gastronomy Experience.
The underground cellars where the winery is located make them the perfect place to age the wine in optimum conditions.
The wine pairing for JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE RIOJA s in the hands of the CASA TERETE staff. They will adapt their choice for the glasses to the one we make for our dishes.

The suckling lamb from La Rioja roasted slowly in the old wood-fired oven, with no other secret than good young and tender meat, is without a doubt the specialty of the house, but the Experience goes further, since we are in one of the "Sanctuaries" of Riojan gastronomy.

HARO - CASA NUBLO

Awarded with a Michelin star and a Repsol Sun.
This is our HARO Gastronomic Experience proposal.

A project located in a palatial house from the 16th century and led by chefs Miguel Caño, Llorenç Sagarra, Caio Barcellos and Dani Lasa.

A culinary proposal in which the fire, the grill, the oven and the firewood are the protagonists.
Ancestral cuisine with today's techniques.

The proof that Less is More taken to its maximum expression.
If you have doubts... check it on their website.

www.nublorestaurant.com

SAMANIEGO

The innate identity of the Edmond de Rothschild Heritage Group, TIERRA y VINO Restaurant.

The selection for our days in SAMANIEGO are EDMOND and / or BENJAMIN Experiences.
If your trip has a 2-night stay at Samaniego Luxury Resort, one of our best PUNTOS BIKEs in LA RIOJA, you will have both, EDMOND & BENJAMIN Experiences included in your travel plan. If your trip just includes one night, you will have to decide on one of them, it is not an easy task.

The Chef Bruno Coelho takes a bold and exciting new take on local specialties.
Dishes designed to ensure and preserve a farm to table lifestyle, offering a new take on Spanish and Basque specialties with the use of classic French techniques.

Orchestrating fine dining and Cellar, Miren Ormazabal, Maitre & Sommelier guiding us through a very personal cellar and service in order to make this oenological and gastronomical journey become pure Experience.

www.our-restaurant-samaniego.com

   
Up

Journey to the Center of the Rioja full trip schedule for the 6 stages option.

• Day 1
• Arrival at Logroño
• Lodge at Hotel GRAN VÍA 4*
• Gastronomic Experience LA GALERÍA
• Day 2
• Circular route: Iregua Valley - different bike levels and styles
• Lodge at Hotel GRAN VÍA 4*
• Gastronomic Experience TONDELUNA
• Day 3
• Stage: Logroño - Elciego - different bike levels and styles
• Lodge at Hotel MARQUÉS de RISCAL 5*
• Gastronomic Experience Rest MARQUÉS de RISCAL (1 Michelin Star)
• Day 4
• Stage: Elciego - Haro - different bike levels and styles
• Lodge at Hotel LOS AGUSTINOS 4*
• Gastronomic Experience - EXPERIENCIA NUBLO (1 Michelin Star) or
  TERETE JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE RIOJA EXPERIENCE
• Day 5
• Stage: Haro - Samaniego - different bike levels and styles
• Lodge at Hotel SAMANIEGO LUXURY RESORT 4* +
• Gastronomic Experience EDMOND - TIERRA y VINO
• Day 6
• Circular route: Rioja Alavesa - different bike levels and styles
• Lodge at Hotel SAMANIEGO LUXURY RESORT 4* +
• Gastronomic Experience BENJAMIN - TIERRA y VINO
• Day 7
• Stage: Samaniego - Logroño different bike levels and styles
• Lodge at Hotel GRAN VÍA 4*
• Gastronomic Experience LA COCINA DE RAMÓN
• Day 8
• After breakfast, end of LA RIOJA PUNTO BIKE services.
• Transfer to Airport or any other transport station - if hired -

Stage A: Circular Logroño Iregua Valley
Distance 53 / 39 km - Unevenness 740 / 280 m

Eastern Rioja

We start the day climbing over Logroño among the facilities of Bodegas Campoviejo. Already immersed in the first "sea of vineyards" of the day, we arrive at Fuenmayor along the old road that connects this town with Logroño.
After a comfortable section between the monumental towns of Fuenmayor and Navarrete, we cut the Camino de Santiago and without a clear transition we enter the Iregua lands where the 2nd part of the stage takes place. Vineyards now make it possible to intersperse other crops and activities in the landscape and stop monopolizing everything. Thus we enter what we sometimes call Iregua Valley, a place with reminiscence of the American National Parks. The vertical cliffs of Peña Bajenza and the Portal de Cameros give the final character to the stage.
Once we have reached the banks of the Iregua, the thousand-year-old Roman path which linked Soria with Logroño will guide us back to the end of the stage in the capital of La Rioja.

If we opt for the SLOW option of the route, the essential difference will be that we will eliminate the initial 17 kilometers between Logroño and Navarrete and replace them with the section of the Camino de Santiago that joins these points.

The walls of Portal de Cameros close the Iregua Valley to the South. The Village of Islallana will be the return point in this first circular stage A of JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE RIOJA

Vineyards of Iregua Valley in La Rioja Oriental.

Medieval town of Entrena, ecuador of today stage.

Bikers of La Rioja Bike Race 2021 crossing the Iregua Valley .

Terraced "Singular" vineyards, typical of the Iregua Valley. Below, the "result", the renowned 200 Monges wines from Vinícola Real winery.

Long sections of lonely tarmacs between Logroño and Fuenmayor.

Los Silos, clasical Terroir in La Rioja Oriental.

Stage B: Logroño - Elciego
Distance 35 / 25 km - Unevenness 325 / 260 m

Ebro Basin

Today's stage zigzags upriver to the rhythm of the meanders of the Ebro and the hard-working vineyards lined up on its stony soils. The Terroir of Viña Lanciano stands out for its exaggerated curvature on the map, one of the "singular wines" of Bodegas LAN. It shares geography with the medieval -perhaps Roman- bridge of Mantilbe, a construction that crossed the Ebro at this point -its current state makes its function impossible.

We change shore in Lapuebla de Labarca, a place name that tells us about the boat that for years was located in the place performing the functions that the bridge that replaces it does now. Leaving the last streets of the village behind, we headed back to the banks of the river and approached a long section (12 km) of powerful isolation that ends "abruptly" with the sudden appearance of the Villa de ELCIEGO and the Guggenheim-style wine cellar of Marqués de Riscal, one of the first wineries of La Rioja, and the end of today´s stage.

The SLOW option practically maintains the essence and potential of the standard route.
The route will be smoother as the great meander of Viña Lanciano and the ups and downs that the standard route faces when leaving Logroño are eliminated from the track.

In the vicinity of Logroño the Ebro is already a lonely river.

Autumn atmosphere in the surroundings of El Cortijo.

Riding through the "singular" vineyard Viña Lanciano, of LAN caves.

Demanding ramps in the tarmacs among the vineyards of Marqués de Riscal.

We advance parallel to the Ebro. The river hides behind the line of trees fed by itself.

Spectacular end of the stage in The City of Wine the Luxury Resort of Marqués de Riscal Wineries in Elciego.

Stage C: Elciego - Haro
Distance 53 / 32 km - Unevenness 440 / 390 m

Rioja Alta

The large extensions - in quite solitary sections - of the vineyards of La Rioja Alta located to the South of the Ebro are the common denominator of this stage C.
The iconic wine-producing towns of Cenicero and San Asensio -which we will find at the beginning of the stage- are followed by a long section in which the "why" of the importance of the Rioja Denomination of Origin is intuited. Large plantations of vineyards interspersed with cereal crops, lead almost suddenly to the Wine Cellars Quarter of Rodezno, one of the pioneers in terms of enhancing the value of these groups of traditional wineries semi-submerged in the earth.
From its viewpoint we will observe the territory - already more humanized - that we still have to cover to reach the end of the route in Haro.
The Villa de Ollauri, 4 kilometers from the end, hides under its subsoil the almost 2 kilometers of surprising tunnels-calaos - covered with its old collection of centuries-old wines - of the Conde de los Andes Winery. The popularity of other adjoining wineries such as Beronia or Valenciso reminds us that we are very close to Haro, and that there must be some reason for this Villa-City to be known as "La Capital del Rioja"

The SLOW option is totally different from its "big sister". After a few initial kilometers through the lands of La Rioja Alavesa, passing through unique and renowned vineyards, at km 8 the route clings to the river in Baños de Ebro and does not leave it until its end in Haro.
The medieval town of Briones, with a balcony overlooking a spectacular double meander of the Ebro between Briones and San Vicente, is by all accounts the "must" stop point of the day. Narrow streets, walls and old palaces invite you to slow down and let yourself be in the place. At its feet, outside the walls, the Vivanco Wine Museum - one of the largest in the world in terms of its theme - also invites you to stop. It really is difficult to move forward with so much "entertainment". When we decide to continue, we will descend again to the Ebro to accompany it in the 13 kilometers that separate us from the end of the stage in Haro.

Chozos, characteristic element of the Riojan vineyard. Normally of simple construction and sometimes more spectacular, like this one in the La Veguilla vineyards.

Rodezno Wine Cellars Quarter - Rioja Alta

Variety of vines on the banks of Ebro river.

Impressive meander of the Ebro between Briones and San Vicente de la Sonsierra. Behind, the Cantabria Range.

Cantabria Range and Davalillo Castle in november.

The Vivanco wine museum, one of the largest wine-themed museums in the world, is well worth a visit. It just doesn't let anyone down. In the photo; view of it from the viewpoint promenade of the medieval village of Briones.

En of stage, Haro the "Capital of Rioja".

Stage D: Haro - Samaniego
Distance 39 / 25 km - Unevenness 445 / 350 m

La Sonsierra Vineyards

From Haro JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE RIOJA reorient its direction on the map and the kilometers begin to go east looking towards Logroño. The route follows the banks of the Ebro, this time along the Briñas meander. Halfway through the stage, the impressive Castillo/Church of San Vicente de la Sonsierra complex, protecting -or guarding- the hamlet at its feet, undoubtedly becomes the stopping point of the day.
The section that continues until we reach Baños de Ebro is one of the most solitary and beautiful sections of the route in which we will always pedal under the gaze of the Castle of Davalillo -strategically located to watch over the ford-pass that the river hides at its feet.
The last kilometers of the ascent to Samaniego compensate for the demand of its upward trend with the increasingly enveloping presence of the Cantabria Range´s cliffs, which block all views to the North and at whose feet the town sits.

The SLOW option maintains the essence of the route. Due to the need to shorten the itinerary, the Briñas Meander is simply eliminated at the start of the stage and later, from San Vicente de la Sonsierra, the route leaves the Ebro and ascends directly but in a more concealed way than the original route towards the foot of the Cantabria Range under whose cliffs the stage ends in Samaniego.

Chozo inside the wineyards on the country near Haro. The Cantabria Range closes the picture.

Imposing monumental complex Church / Castle and medieval bridge in San Vicente de la Sonsierra.

Replenishing energy and water San Vicente de la Sonsierra.

Sometimes the river recovers its area of influence and saturates the vineyards with water. Flood in the Briones Meander.

Impresive landscape; MACAN winerie under the Cantabria Range, the Benjamin de Rothschild & Vega Sicilia project in La Rioja Alavesa.

Stage E: Circular Samaniego
Distance 52 / 33 km - Unevenness 1.050 / 630 m

Rioja Alavesa

The steep slopes of the southern face of the Cantabria Range bring together in its geography one of the largest concentrations of unique Terroirs of La Rioja. This environment of terraced slopes, remains of prehistoric wine presses, ancient medieval tombs carved into the rock and the aforementioned Terroirs has been what has justified doubling the night and adding a circular stage with its own identity in Samaniego.
As can be guessed from the profile, the stage is somewhat more demanding than usual in terms of sports.
hen we decide to take the inevitable breather in any of the restaurants in Labastida, the most difficult will already be done. However, we will not fail to make an effort again in the ascent between the old vineyards of Puerto Rubio to Las Mugas Viewpoint, one of those privileged points in which we will realize again that we are on a JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE RIOJA.

It has been necessary to remove Labastida from the route to ensure that the SLOW option can be considered as such. The stage, however, maintains the same intensity of the aforementioned elements that give character to the route. In this case, from the Terroirs of Puerto Rubio we will descend directly to Baños de Ebro, one of those towns that, regardless of what the official statistics say, we dare to include among the possessors of the most wineries per inhabitant on the entire planet.

Chozo El Bombón, Contador and Macán Wineyards.

Harvest days in Labastida vineyards.

Terraced Terroirs in Labastida

Terroirs the Ebro Basin

Necropolis San Andres, tombs excavated in the rock over the Singular Vineyards of La Nava.

Terroirs of Puerto Rubio

Stage F: Samaniego - Logroño
Distance 50 / 33 km - Unevenness 795 / 405 m

Cantabria Range - Terroirs and Dolmens

The slopes of "Sierra de Cantabria" monopolize the territory that houses practically all the kilometers of this last stage which runs almost entirely through the Rioja Alavesa.

Small terraced vineyards "terroirs" adapt to the complicated morphology generated by the ravines that descend from the mountain range. From this complexity and from the multitude of microclimates that this generates, the possibility of "playing" with the modern concept of singular and author wines that characterize current oenology arises.

La Huesera, La Hechicera and El Encinar, the 3 dolmens that almost unintentionally link the track, reinforce backwards in time the historical sequence that began in the architectural contemporaneity of modern wineries and continued in the homogeneous medieval profile present in all the villages that we pass through, Elvillar, Kripán, Vinasperi, Iekora, the monumental Labraza... Demanding sequence of village-valley village-valley that gives the stage a PLUS in sporting terms over the previous stages of JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE RIOJA. In our favor is the detail that all the valleys we cross allow us to "escape" -if the forces falter- in a southerly direction and downhill, towards the end of the stage in LOGROÑO.

Spectacular autumn in La Rioja. Carralogroño dry lagoon in the vicinity of Laguardia. In the background the Cantabria Range.

Dolmen de La Hechicera in the vicinity of Elvillar, a good place to rest in "eternity".

On the way to Logroño.

During today's stage the Cantabria Range is the clear protagonist.

Dolmen La Huesera, prehistoric monument between Laguardia and Elvillar.

Dolmen El Encinar, the last of the series of 3 dolmens that are visited in today's stage.

A large part of today's stage takes place in the lands of Navarra. On the horizon the mountain called "The Sleeping Lion".

In the walled town of Labraza the route leaves the slopes of the Cantabria Range and descends towards the Ebro basin. We leave behind the sections with slopes that have given this last stage a somewhat more demanding character.

If you want, it´is posible to add 2 more circular stages to the JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE RIOJA standar packs.
If that is the case, we use stages G and H, that is: Circular Stages with start points in ELCIEGO or in HARO.
No just add, it is also posible to make variations of the principal set of stages which goes from stages A to F. We use stages G and/or H for that purpose.
If you are interested in making any changes, simply let us know.

Below we show you what you will find if you decide to add any of these stages to the route.

Stage G: Circular Elciego
Distance 53 / 29 km - Unevenness 530 / 470 m

Ebro South

As we move further South, and especially after crossing the Ebro river in Manueta, the Cantabria Range is left behind and paradoxically it is showing its true dimensions.
She is the "culprit" of generating the slopes full of Terroirs from which many of the best wines in Spain emerge.

Davalillo Castle, impressive watchtower over the territory of La Rioja. Among its main functions was to watch over the ford that the Ebro river hides at that point.

Barrio de Bodegas of San Asensio and the Cantabria Range, a geographical barrier always delimiting La Rioja to the North.

November in Najerilla basin near Najera.

Descent towards the CENTER OF THE EARTH in the calaos of Bodegas Lecea.
These calaos - caves - are largely responsible for the name of the route. Both they and the vineyards that fill their barrels -located on a slight elevation that resembles an island in a sea of vines in the very CENTER OF THE RIOJA Alta- colluded and "ordered" the name of the route.

The owner of the winery, Luis Alberto Lecea -a lifetime dedicated to the world of wine- directing the visit of the group of cyclists GIRLS BIKE Experience 2018.

Terroirs in Alto Najerilla.

Stage H: Circular Haro
Distance 45 / 28 km - Unevenness 650 / 310 m

Ebro West - Obarenes Vineyards

Today's stage starts and ends in the city of Haro, the "Capital of Rioja". We will be able to verify it crossing the famous Barrio de la Estación with its impressive accumulation of century-old cellars.

The Obarenes Mountains delimit La Rioja to the West

The castle and the village of Sajazarra warn us that we are in the "ecuador" of the track.

Cellorigo, the "Púlpito de La Rioja". As soon as we arrive we will know why.