DOMINIO de RIOJA

LAGUARDIA + EZCARAY

BIKE & WINE holidays in SPAIN along the tarmacs, paths, mountains, vineyards and wineries of LA RIOJA

Our PUNTO BIKE in LAGUARDIA is set in the Hotel VILLA de LAGUARDIA, a 4-star establishment located among vineyards, with a delightful SPA, and fully specialized in receiving cyclists and their bicycles.

For certain people, accommodation in the old Palacio de Viana, rehabilitated as a hotel and besides located within the walls of LAGUARDIA, may be more attractive than a 4* hotel. If that is your case, then the option is our PUNTO BIKE Posada Mayor de Migueloa.

EZCARAY PUNTO BIKE - Hotel Echaurren 4*

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.

LAGUARDIA - 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.

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

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.

www.echaurren-portal.com

El Portal del Echaurren is closed Sunday nights, Mondays and Tuesdays. If your Stage matches these days we will offer an alternative.

Ezcaray, Gastronomic Experience...

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 ...

www.echaurren-tradition.com

LAGUARDIA - CUEVA DE LOBOS

Embedded between the stones of the wall is the "cave" that we have chosen for one of our Gastronomic Experiences in LAGUARDIA.

We think that it should have been called "Pirates Cave" more than wolves cave -if you visit it you will understand why- but if in 1933 when it was inaugurated they decided that it should be "Wolves ", of wolves remains.

The forcefulness of the opinion of some of our clients; in the style of "the best restaurant of our trip through La Rioja" reaffirms our belief that sometimes there are factors that escape the "stars" and "suns" of the dominant gastronomic classifications.

With a warm environment, one of those that introduces you to another time, the "only drawback" that we can cite is its authentic cave format, something that makes it difficult for us to accommodate our bikers when they make up a large group. For the rest, in terms of restoration, the watchword is listen to the "pirates" who serve us and let ourselves be carried away by their recommendations; Local products in the dishes, paired with the best possible selection of wines from always local wineries.

Format 1 Tracks & Wine

• These tours combine cycling with culture, history and nature.
• The sporty character of the route is not the main attraction, but is a measured combination of elements that make this category of travel perfect for those who are looking for an experience that captures our country, along with its countryside.
• This format is flexible and allows you to make decisions; whether you prefer a lighter ride and focus more on cultural aspects of the region than on sports.
• The cycling routes are between 20 and 60 kilometers, variation enough to pass from SLOW to demanding routes.
• These tours do not include major mountain passes, but instead offer delightful medium to easy country roads.
• We take it easy, no rush here. We make several meaningful stops and make visits to relevant points of the route, monuments, historical centres, etc. We pop off our cycling shoes and really get a chance to visit sites.
• Every day ends with experiences off our bikes, including activities such as wine-tasting, museum visits or visits to historic villages and towns.

Format 2 Road & Wine

• This second travel format combines visits to places of historical and cultural interest, yet is clearly centered on cycling the region; essentially mountain passes.
• The stages are between 70 and 100 kilometers and an unevenness of between 1000 and 2000 meters.
• The speed of the group is something depends entirely on the challenge and goals of the group.
• The same philosophy of offering flexibility applies to cultural stops in relevant monuments, or other points along in the route. Our refreshment stops are usually chosen for their cultural points of interest, so that we get as many "wow moments" into the route.
• When we finish the route, the program includes follow-up activities like wine-tasting, or visits to museums, and interesting villages and towns.

Format 3 ProWine

• This format offers an entirely sporty profile with cultural touring only after the cycling has concluded for the day.
• The cycling stages are between 110 and 180 kilometers and an unevenness of between 2000 and 3000 meters.
• We adapt the tour to the volume of kms that you are looking to reach. This is particularily interesting for clubs and teams that are looking for a certain volume of kms by the end of the tour. For example, the group can decide if prefers to prefers stages of 120 kms per day or closer to 180 kms.
• The speed of the group is something depends entirely on the challenge and goals of the group.
• Given the physically demanding character of the stages, and as a consequence, the added fatigue, the events preceding cycling, like wine-tasting, historical tours, are optional. You will be given the opportunity to make those decisions as a group.