The group will meet in Bilbao, the wine capital of Rioja located in northern Spain. Bilbao is one of the Great Wine Capitals, a global network that promotes wine tourism and culture. We will spend three nights in Bilbao’s historic center at the very comfortable Bilder Boutique Hotel. We have made this our base for three years, and the friendly staff, good-sized rooms, and great bar make it a wonderful temporary home in Bilbao.

One day will be devoted to enjoying this beautiful area, taking a guided electric bike ride to the coast and learning a little about the history of the region along the way. For those who prefer a less strenuous morning, a guided city tour will be available. A light seaside lunch will provide a break before we return to the city center for a tapas tour. Bilbao is well known for its diverse selection of amazing tapas bars. It even has Michelin-recommended ones!

We will also venture into Txakoli country, the quirky, quaffable wine of this region. Not very well known outside of Basque Country, it is what you are automatically served when you request a vino blanco. Light and refreshing in most forms, it can also be oak-aged and very complex. This gives us an excellent excuse to visit the exceptional Txakoli Museum in Bakio, followed by a beachside lunch at the Michelin-recommended Gotzon Jatetxea.

Before any wine and food, we will visit the Ermita de San Juan de Gaztelugatxe. This famous coastal hermitage, perched atop a craggy islet just north of Bakio, is accessible by a winding pathway and stone stairs. Known as a spiritual place and a “Game of Thrones” filming location, it is the most iconic site in the region. We will spend a few hours walking the famous path and enjoying the stunning views of both the hermitage and the ocean.

Then we are off to Rioja. This is Spain’s most famous wine region, with a system of quality control that started over 100 years ago. We will stay at the Michelin-recommended Santa Maria Briones Hotel for three nights. This stunning boutique hotel was named the 2023 Wine Tourism Hotel of the Year. From our Briones base, we will visit nearby wineries, including Bodegas Vivanco with its internationally acclaimed wine museum.

Logroño is the commercial and historic center of Rioja. En route, we will stop for a tour and tasting at the impressive LAN Winery, an amazing state-of-the-art facility offering a full range of remarkable wines. In contrast, we will also visit the very historic Franco Españolas Winery, located right in Logroño. This was famously Ernest Hemingway’s favorite wine. Lunch will be tapas on Calle Laurel, one of the most densely populated streets in Spain for tapa bars.

The absolutely amazing Ajonegro Restaurant, our favorite one-star Michelin restaurant, will be where we finish off the day, enjoying an eight-course dinner perfectly paired with Rioja wines, both highly recognized selections and new upstarts.

We will spend an entire day in the nearby village of Haro, where we can walk from winery to winery. Famous bodegas are literally side by side in El Barrio de la Estación — La Rioja Alta, Cvne, Muga, Ramón Bilbao, Gómez Cruzado — and we will see how many we can get to! Early evening will find us back at our hotel to take a break and prepare for a delicious meal in the hotel’s restaurant, another Michelin-recommended experience.

Everyone will appreciate how close the wineries are in Rioja — no long drives, so more time for tasting! As usual, this is a seven-day, six-night wine tour with all expenses covered: ground transportation, meals, accommodations, wine tours and tastings, and bike and food tours and experiences.

What is not included are the transportation costs to arrive at the Bilder Boutique Hotel, our meeting point on October 18, 2026. Upon departure from the Santa Maria Briones Hotel on October 24, 2026, transportation will be provided to both the train station in Logroño and the airport in Bilbao. We highly recommend arriving early or extending your holiday afterward, as there is much to see and do in this historically significant and culturally diverse region of Spain.

To secure your spot, a 50% deposit is due on December 18, 2025. The balance is due six months before departure, on May 18, 2026. Up until April 18, 2026, your deposit is fully refundable less a $500 administration fee. Once final payment is made, we cannot offer a refund, so please secure trip cancellation insurance. Brien will send out an invoice requesting the trip deposit once you confirm you would like to join us.

Peggy is available to answer questions by phone or email.