Vineyards of La Rioja: Self-Launched Cycling Adventure

Arrive in Logroño, the compact and walkable capital of La Rioja. The city is easily reached by train from Madrid (Renfe, ~2.5 hrs, from £20) or Bilbao (~1.5 hrs, from £10). Check in to your guesthouse or budget hotel near the old town. Spend the evening exploring the famous Calle Laurel and Calle San Juan pinchos bar strips — order a pincho and a glass of Rioja for around £2–3 a round. Pick up a free cycling map from the Logroño tourist office on Calle Portales.

🚌Train to Logroño from Madrid (~£20–30) or Bilbao (~£10–15) via Renfe

🛏Hostal Niza or similar budget guesthouse in Logroño old town (~£40–55/night for a private double)

• →Arrive by train from Madrid or Bilbao (book via Renfe.com)
• →Pick up a free cycling map and local wine region leaflets from the tourist office
• →Explore the historic old town and the Calle Laurel pinchos bar crawl
• →Enjoy your first glass of Rioja wine — many bars charge as little as €1.50

Collect your hire bike today — rent from a local shop such as Bici Rioja or similar (book in advance, ~£15–20/day including helmet and basic kit). Download the GPX route from Wikiloc or Komoot before you set off — search 'Logroño to San Millán de la Cogolla' for well-rated community tracks. You'll follow sections of the famous El Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route on quiet lanes and gravel tracks through vineyards. The ride is approximately 38 km with modest climbing. On arrival in San Millán de la Cogolla, visit the stunning UNESCO World Heritage monasteries of Suso (6th century, carved into the cliff) and Yuso (11th century, below). Entry to Yuso is by guided tour (~£6); Suso is a short uphill walk.

🚌Cycling (self-propelled, 38 km)

🛏Casa Rural or pension in San Millán de la Cogolla (~£35–50/night for a private room)

• →Hire a bike in Logroño (~£15–20/day) — book ahead from Bici Rioja or similar
• →Download the GPX route from Komoot or Wikiloc before departure
• →Cycle a section of El Camino de Santiago on quiet country lanes (~38 km)
• →Visit the UNESCO twin monasteries of Suso and Yuso (~£6 guided entry for Yuso)

Start the morning with another look around the monasteries if you didn't get your fill yesterday — Suso opens from around 10am. Then set off on an easy 33 km ride through rolling countryside and oak forest in the foothills of the Sierra de la Demanda. The route follows quiet back roads with minimal traffic. Ezcaray is a charming, well-preserved mountain village famous for its textile heritage and excellent local restaurants. Explore the old town on foot and try the local lamb dishes at a traditional mesón — a hearty meal costs around £10–14.

🚌Cycling (self-propelled, 33 km)

🛏Hostal Echaurren or similar budget guesthouse in Ezcaray (~£40–55/night)

• →Optional morning revisit to the monasteries of Suso and Yuso
• →Cycle 33 km through rolling countryside to Ezcaray via quiet rural lanes
• →Explore Ezcaray village on foot — seek out the 15th-century Church of Santa María la Mayor
• →Dinner at a local mesón — try the regional lamb dishes (around £10–14 for a set menu)

Today's 35 km ride is one of the most enjoyable of the week — much of it follows a dedicated greenway cycle lane (vía verde) converted from an old railway, keeping you well away from traffic. Stop for coffee in the medieval pilgrimage city of Santo Domingo de la Calzada, whose cathedral is free to enter and houses a live hen and cockerel as part of a centuries-old legend. Continue through Casalarreina with its impressive Renaissance monastery before rolling into Haro, La Rioja's wine capital. Spend the evening visiting the famous Barrio de la Estación — a cluster of iconic bodegas including CVNE and López de Heredia, many of which offer drop-in or bookable tastings from around £10–15.

🚌Cycling (self-propelled, 35 km)

🛏Hostal Los Agustinos or similar mid-range hostal in Haro (~£45–60/night)

• →Cycle 35 km largely on a dedicated greenway (vía verde) cycle lane
• →Coffee stop in Santo Domingo de la Calzada — visit the cathedral with its famous live hen (free entry to the nave)
• →Pass through Casalarreina and admire the 16th-century Monasterio de la Estrella
• →Evening bodega tasting in Haro's Barrio de la Estación — book via the winery directly or GetYourGuide (~£10–15)

A rest-day option or a relaxed circular loop — your choice. If cycling, ride ~30 km out to the beautiful hill town of Briones, where the Wine Museum at Vivanco (one of Spain's best wine museums) is a must-see — entry is around £10 and includes a tasting. Continue through the vineyards via Labastida and back to Haro. Alternatively, spend the day bodega-hopping in Haro itself — López de Heredia, CVNE and Roda all offer bookable tours. The town's weekend market is also worth a browse if your dates align.

🚌Cycling (self-propelled, 30 km loop) or on foot within Haro

🛏Hostal Los Agustinos or similar in Haro (~£45–60/night, 2nd night)

• →Optional 30 km circular cycle to Briones and back through vineyard landscapes
• →Visit the Vivanco Wine Museum in Briones — book online (~£10 including tasting)
• →Bodega tour at López de Heredia or CVNE in Haro's Barrio de la Estación (~£10–15, book direct)
• →Browse Haro's market and explore the old town plaza

Leave Haro and follow quiet roads along the River Ebro, passing through vineyards with the Sierra Cantabria ridge as a backdrop. Stop at the dramatic hilltop fortress village of San Vicente de la Sonsierra — the views over the Ebro valley are spectacular and the village church is worth a quick visit. Continue on country roads through the colourful Rioja Alavesa landscape into the Basque Country (Álava province) until you reach Laguardia, a perfectly preserved medieval walled town perched on a hilltop. Explore the ancient streets, the Church of Santa María de los Reyes with its polychrome Gothic portal, and the underground wine cellars (bodegas) that honeycomb the hill beneath the town — many offer tastings.

🚌Cycling (self-propelled, 36 km)

🛏Casa Rural or pension within Laguardia's walled town (~£45–65/night)

• →Cycle 36 km from Haro to Laguardia along the River Ebro and through Rioja Alavesa vineyards
• →Stop at San Vicente de la Sonsierra for panoramic views over the Ebro valley
• →Explore Laguardia's medieval walled old town on foot
• →Visit the Church of Santa María de los Reyes — free entry, stunning Gothic polychrome portal
• →Join an underground bodega tasting tour beneath the town — book via local tourist office (~£8–12)

The final cycling day takes you back to Logroño via some of the trip's most memorable scenery. Leave Laguardia and head quickly to El Ciego, home of the spectacular Marqués de Riscal hotel and winery — a Frank Gehry-designed titanium ribbon building that looks like a crumpled wine wrapper. While the hotel itself is luxury-only, the winery offers bookable tours and tastings from around £15 (book via their website in advance). Rejoin the River Ebro on winding country roads for a satisfying return to Logroño. Return your hire bike and celebrate the week's riding with a final pinchos crawl on Calle Laurel.

🚌Cycling (self-propelled, 30 km)

🛏Hostal Niza or similar budget guesthouse in Logroño old town (~£40–55/night)

• →Cycle 30 km back to Logroño via El Ciego and along the River Ebro
• →Visit the Marqués de Riscal winery in El Ciego — book a tour online (~£15–20)
• →Admire the Frank Gehry-designed titanium winery building from outside (free)
• →Return hire bike to the rental shop in Logroño
• →Farewell pinchos and Rioja crawl on Calle Laurel

Enjoy a final breakfast in Logroño before departing. Trains run regularly back to Madrid (~2.5 hrs, from £20) and Bilbao (~1.5 hrs, from £10). Alternatively, consider a spontaneous extra night or a day trip to Bilbao to visit the Guggenheim Museum (~£18 entry, book in advance online) — it's easily reached by direct bus from Logroño (~1.5 hrs, ~£10).

🚌Train from Logroño to Madrid or Bilbao (Renfe, from ~£10–30)

• →Final breakfast in Logroño
• →Depart by train to Madrid (~£20–30) or Bilbao (~£10–15) via Renfe
• →Optional day trip to Bilbao's Guggenheim Museum (~£18 entry, book at guggenheim-bilbao.eus)