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La Rioja Wine Festival
Spain: La Rioja Wine Festival
(Options: Customized Group or Individual Wine Tours)
Rioja, Spain - 4 nights
 Welcome to La Rioja, internationally famous region for its acclaimed wines and gastronomy. Join us for an outstanding gourmet wine vacation, tailor-made for groups or individuals who enjoy excellent wine and amazing food. Visit La Rioja, one of the most famous and prestigious wine-producing areas in the world.
We visit an amazing range of wineries, all different with their own special features, from Chateaux-style and traditional wineries to boutique or avant-garde wineries all regarded as the current leaders in both the New Rioja and the Traditional Rioja. Winemakers and winery owners will guide you through their prestigious estates explaining their unique wine-making methods and sampling their renowned wines with you.
 Gastronomy plays an important role in our thrilling wine journey. You will experience delicious gourmet meals in top wineries overlooking the vineyards, private clubs and distinguished traditional restaurants. Renowned cooks will entertain you with their typical regional meals and new innovative culinary creations.
For accommodations you will be staying in a beautiful building founded as a convent, now its walls house a lovely hotel in which it is a true privilege to be a guest and a carefully selected boutique hotel, beautifully decorated with a truly impeccable service.
The visit to The Dinastia Vivanco Museum is a must on our tours. A privileged guided tour through the history and culture of wine not only in Spain but also in Europe. After visiting this astonishing temple of wine you will be delighted with a truly outstanding gourmet lunch.
 We have also included a guided walking tour of two amazing cities and a unique medieval village full of wine history, landmarks, historic mansions, glorious views of the Cantabrian Mountains and surrounded by a valley of vineyards.
If you want to visit remarkable wineries, sample splendid wines, enjoy unforgettable meals in gorgeous surroundings, improve your knowledge about the history and culture of wine combined with striking medieval village tours, in one of the most tourist-free areas in Spain: La Rioja, this a journey that you must not miss.
ACCOMMODATIONS
HISTORIC-BUILDING 4 STAR (First 2 nights in Haro)
Founded as a convent in 1373, Los Agustinos hotel is a beautiful and protected building, now its walls full of history play host to exceptionally comfortable facilities where it is a privilege to stay.
 It has an impressive courtyard where you can relax reading your favourite book or having a glass of Rioja.
The rooms are decorated in a rustic style and enjoy all the modern comforts.
It offers one conventional, modern and regional cuisine based on fresh products from the area and also having an outstanding wine-list and everything in historic surroundings.
This four star property is located right in the historic centre of Haro, centre of the wine production in Rioja, surrounded by a valley of vineyards and the Cantabrian Mountains. Within walking distance you can experience numerous and excellent tapas.
BOUTIQUE HOTEL (Last 2 nights in Logrono)
Situated in the historic and cultural centre of the town of Logroño, this emblematic building, built in 1911, was known popularly as Posada de las Animas (Inn of the souls).
 In May 2004, Hotel Marques De Vallejo had a meticulous work of restoration, interior design and decoration, always with the aim of offering a more comfortable and pleasant stay for our guests.
Nowadays they keep on working/betting on the innovation and the improvement of our services and facilities with the aim of satisfying each and every need of our guest.
This boutique hotel is located right in the centre, walking distance of the main gastronomic streets, where you can find the best pinchos and tapas in northern Spain, the old part with the cathedral and numerous churches and the outdoor dining area full of terraces where you can have delicious meals accompanied by excellent wines.
Itinerary
Rioja, Spain
Day One
 Arrival at Bilbao or Vitoria airport
You are welcomed and escorted by our guide to our carefully selected hotel in La Rioja in our vehicle.
Check in at our pre selected hotel in Haro
Evening free
Optional: Guggenheim museum visit in Bilbao
(Subject to arrival time)
Day Two
 8.30-09.30 Buffet Breakfast
10.00-12.00 Extraordinary guided tour of the world’s largest wine museum, experiencing the wine culture of centuries. A unique experience learning the history of wine not only in Spain, but in Europe.
12.15-13.00 Visit to the fabulous Remelluri Estate, one of the most important wineries in Rioja for its successful style of blending the modern technology with the wine-making traditional methods. One of the few Chateaux-style wineries in Rioja, located in a peaceful setting, at the base of the Cantabrian Mountains
13.00-15.30 Superb typical lunch from the area, overlooking the vineyards and accompanied by the much acclaimed wines from Remellur
 16.30 -17.30 Private guided walking tour of Haro. The city of Haro is acknowledged as being the centre of Rioja wine production.
18.00-19.15 (Optional) Tutored wine tasting of a selection of the best wines of La Rioja conducted by a wine expert at a historic building. You will learn different techniques to taste wine as well as the unique characteristics of the wines of Rioja wine region.
19.30 Free evening. Time to relax in your hotel or to enjoy the numerous bars and restaurants around the city. We highly recommend the restaurant: Las Duelas, situated by the impressive hotel courtyard.
Day Three
 8.00-9.00 Buffet Breakfast and check out of hotel
10.00-11.30 Spectacular guided tour to one of the best wineries in Rioja. Situated in a medieval village in Rioja Alavesa wine region. Tour of medieval winery (entirely made of stone) and walks around its vineyards.
Wine tasting
12.00-14.00. Guided visit to one of the oldest and prettiest Wine Estates in Europe: Lopez de Heredia. Tour conducted by one of the members of the family. A visit to this traditional wine estate will demonstrate more clearly than a thousand words or pictures just what tradition in the making of fine wines really means in the 21st century. Wine tasting
 14.15-16.30 Traditional restaurant in La Rioja. One of the best to experience the art of combining traditional and nouvelle cuisine.
17.45-18.45 Guided tour of the old quarter of Logrono, capital of La Rioja, visiting Calle Laurel one of the mostfamous gastronomic streets in SpainA unique guided tour seeing hundreds of small bars, each one specializing in a different tapa (small portions of food, an authentic delicacy)
19.00 Check-in at our second hotel.
Free evening in Logrono, the capital of La Rioja
Bars and restaurants recommended
Day Four
 8.15-9.00 Buffet Breakfast
10.00 -11.30 Guided tour of the one and only Marquesde Riscal, Pioneer in the Rioja wine region. Its wines have earned some of the most distinguished international awards including the amazing Hotel Marques De Riscal designed by world renowned architect Frank Ghery. Wine tasting
12.00-14.00 Private guided tour conducted by local expert of one of the most astonishing medieval towns in Europe. Located on a hill, surrounded by a valley of vineyards, overlooking the back-drop of the Cantabrian Mountains. You will walk through the narrow-cobbled streets of the town enjoying stunning views as well as visiting small wine/food shops and bars.
 14.30-16.30 Gourmet lunch in a private club of wine estate owners and entrepreneurs.
16.30-19.30 Free afternoon.
Time to relax in the hotel or go shopping in Logrono
20.00-22.00 (Optional) Guided tapas tour of the best tapas of the area some of them never seen before. You will sample authentic fresh food from the North of Spain, while you mix with the locals.
 Day Five
8.00-9.00 Buffet Breakfast
Return to Airport
Optional:
Private guided tour to The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao (subject to flight times)
| BOOKING INFORMATION |
2008 FEES PER PERSON
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DEPOSIT |
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Double Room/US$1700
Single Supplement/US$350
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After availability is confirmed, a non-refundable deposit of
US$400 and the completed and submitted registration form will secure your reservation. Final payment is due in full 30 days before your arrival date. |
| 2008 DATE |
INCLUDED |
Fixed Departure Date: September 17-21
*Also available year round for
individual or group custom
departures; please inquire about
alternate pricing
|
*Transport for 3 full days
*Transfers from and to Bilbao Airport
*Personalised English/Spanish speaking expert guide throughout the tour
*Four (4) nights' accommodation based on double occupancy with private bath.
(two (2) nights in a convent/conversion hotel and two (2) nights in a boutique hotel)
*Four (4) full breakfasts
*Four (4) exclusive wine estate visits
*Three (3) premium wine tastings
*Three (3) gourmet lunches including wine
*Visit to the world's largest wine museum
*Three (3) guided walking tours of medieval villages
*A personalised bottle of wine and case per person stating name and occasion in the label
*All Taxes
Airfare, personal expenses, travel insurance, meals not specified in itinerary and tips are not included. |
For further inquiries or to register, click here.
CANCELLATION POLICY
Deposit is non refundable
If client cancels 31 days or more no cancellation fee (and no refund on deposit)
If client cancels, 30 days to tour date 100% penalty.
If operator cancels tour, all monies returned.
CLIENT REMARKS
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