Vintage Spain - Classical Wines Tour

NORTHERN SPAIN GOURMET WINE TOUR, Sep 3-9 2007
MADRID, RIOJA, RIBERA del DUERO, SAN SEBASTIAN and BILBAO - 6 nights

SUMMARY: Special tour combining Wine, Cooking, Gastronomy, Architecture and Art. The tour starts in Bilbao and finishes in Madrid, covering Madrid, Ribera del Duero, Burgos, Rioja, San Sebastian and Bilbao. The tour will take you through the wine, gastronomy and history of Spain, from the cathedral of Burgos to the new Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, including the wonderful town of San Sebastian. Guaranteed departure. Download PDF with all details.

Itinerary:
(Legend: H: hotel, B: breakfast, L: lunch, D: dinner, WV: Winery Visit)

Day 1. September 3. Monday. BILBAO. Overnight in Bilbao (H)

Arrive to Bilbao and free day in Bilbao. Suggested visit: the Guggenheim Museum. Designed by the North American architect Frank O. Gehry, this unique Museum represents an amazing construction feat. The perfect setting: architecture for Art´s sake. The building itself is an extraordinary combination of interconnecting shapes. Orthogonal blocks in limestone contrast with curved and bent forms covered in titanium. Glass curtain walls provide the building with the light and transparency it needs. As a whole, Gehry's design creates a spectacular, eminently visible structure that has the presence of a huge sculpture set against the backdrop of the city

Day 2. September 4. Tuesday. SAN SEBASTIAN. Overnight in San Sebastian (B, H)

After breakfast drive to San Sebastian. Free day to enjoy San Sebastian. If you want to have dinner in one of the Michelin star restaurant we can make reservations for you

Day 3: September 5. Wednesday. Rioja. Overnight in Rioja (H, B, L, WV)

After breakfast we will pick you up in San Sebastian and we will start the drive to Rioja. Visit two wineries in Rioja, before and after lunch. One can be a traditional winery, the other one will be a more modern winery. We can also visit an artisan winery in Laguardia, one of the ones that have underground cellars under the streets of Laguardia. Traditional Riojan lunch.

You also will take some time to tour the small medieval villages of Rioja, Santiago Pilgrimage Way and its monasteries and churches (Briones, Monastery of Canas, Santo Domingo de la Calzada, Laguardia). The medieval city of Laguardia (13th century) is the capital of La Rioja Alavesa. Under the stone paved streets and homes of Laguardia it is full of old subterranean bodegas, and over them there are many historic monuments and sites.

Day 4: September 6. Thursday. Cooking in Rioja. Overnight in Rioja (H, B, L)

After breakfast you will go to a private home for a cooking class. You will learn the Riojan specialties and have lunch in the house. Food will be paired with Riojan wines that will be tasted at the same time.
Free afternoon, different options, spa, golf, shopping in Logroño, etc. We suggest to spend the afternoon enjoying a spa treatment in the new Wine Spa of the 5 star hotel in the Marques de Riscal Winery designed by architect Frank Ghery.

Day 5. September 7. Rioja and Burgos. Overnight in Burgos (H, B, L, WV)

After breakfast visit the Wine Culture Museum Dinastia Vivanco in Briones. This new and impressive Wine Culture Museum was inaugurated in June 2004. The museum is situated in the heart of the vineyards adjacent to their Bodega in Briones, a unique and historic location in the Rioja Alta, on the outskirts of Sierra Cantabria.

Depart to Burgos and have lunch in the way. Visit the town of Burgos with the famous cathedral. Begun in the 13th century and completed in the 15th and 16th centuries. Our Lady of Burgos sums up Gothic architecture in all its beauty with a unique collection of reredos, tombs, choir, stalls, stained glass, etc. It has been also declared World Heritage monument by UNESCO.

Dinner on your own in Burgos. We suggest that you experience a real tapas dinner around Burgos beautiful Plaza Mayor or Main Square. This time we'll do some bar hoping, trying different tapas and wines (or beer, vermouth, grape juice, etc.) in different bars. You’ll discover why Spaniards love this fun and entertaining tradition! This is also a great opportunity to taste the different wines produced in the area of Castilla, besides red from Ribera, white from Rueda and rose from Cigales

Day 6: September 8. Ribera del Duero. Overnight in Ribera del Duero (H, B, L, WV)

After breakfast depart to Ribera del Duero. Visit a winery in Ribera del Duero. For lunch you will enjoy the typical meal from Ribera, roasted lamb in a wood fired oven with Ribera del Duero wines. Visit a family-owned winery that has cellars from the 16th century. Taste the different wines produced enjoying the company of one of the owners.

Day 7: September 9. Back to Madrid (B)

Breakfast and drive to Madrid. Drop off at the airport or center of Madrid. End of our services

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NORTHERN SPAIN GOURMET WINE TOUR, Sep 3-9 2007 MADRID, RIOJA, RIBERA del DUERO, SAN SEBASTIAN and BILBAO - 6 nights SUMMARY: Special tour combining Wine, Cooking, Gastronomy, Architecture and Art. The tour starts in Bilbao and finishes in Madrid, covering Madrid, Ribera del Duero, Burgos, Rioja, San Sebastian and Bilbao. The tour will take you through the wine, gastronomy and history of Spain, from the cathedral of Burgos to the new Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, including the wonderful town of San Sebastian. Guaranteed departure. Download PDF with all details. Itinerary: (Legend: H: hotel, B: breakfast, L: lunch, D: dinner, WV: Winery Visit) Day 1. September 3. Monday. BILBAO. Overnight in Bilbao (H) Arrive to Bilbao and free day in Bilbao. Suggested visit: the Guggenheim Museum. Designed by the North American architect Frank O. Gehry, this unique Museum represents an amazing construction feat. The perfect setting: architecture for Art´s sake. The building itself is an extraordinary combination of interconnecting shapes. Orthogonal blocks in limestone contrast with curved and bent forms covered in titanium. Glass curtain walls provide the building with the light and transparency it needs. As a whole, Gehry's design creates a spectacular, eminently visible structure that has the presence of a huge sculpture set against the backdrop of the city Day 2. September 4. Tuesday. SAN SEBASTIAN. Overnight in San Sebastian (B, H) After breakfast drive to San Sebastian. Free day to enjoy San Sebastian. If you want to have dinner in one of the Michelin star restaurant we can make reservations for you Day 3: September 5. Wednesday. Rioja. Overnight in Rioja (H, B, L, WV) After breakfast we will pick you up in San Sebastian and we will start the drive to Rioja. Visit two wineries in Rioja, before and after lunch. One can be a traditional winery, the other one will be a more modern winery. We can also visit an artisan winery in Laguardia, one of the ones that have underground cellars under the streets of Laguardia. Traditional Riojan lunch. You also will take some time to tour the small medieval villages of Rioja, Santiago Pilgrimage Way and its monasteries and churches (Briones, Monastery of Canas, Santo Domingo de la Calzada, Laguardia). The medieval city of Laguardia (13th century) is the capital of La Rioja Alavesa. Under the stone paved streets and homes of Laguardia it is full of old subterranean bodegas, and over them there are many historic monuments and sites. Day 4: September 6. Thursday. Cooking in Rioja. Overnight in Rioja (H, B, L) After breakfast you will go to a private home for a cooking class. You will learn the Riojan specialties and have lunch in the house. Food will be paired with Riojan wines that will be tasted at the same time. Free afternoon, different options, spa, golf, shopping in Logroño, etc. We suggest to spend the afternoon enjoying a spa treatment in the new Wine Spa of the 5 star hotel in the Marques de Riscal Winery designed by architect Frank Ghery. Day 5. September 7. Rioja and Burgos. Overnight in Burgos (H, B, L, WV) After breakfast visit the Wine Culture Museum Dinastia Vivanco in Briones. This new and impressive Wine Culture Museum was inaugurated in June 2004. The museum is situated in the heart of the vineyards adjacent to their Bodega in Briones, a unique and historic location in the Rioja Alta, on the outskirts of Sierra Cantabria. Depart to Burgos and have lunch in the way. Visit the town of Burgos with the famous cathedral. Begun in the 13th century and completed in the 15th and 16th centuries. Our Lady of Burgos sums up Gothic architecture in all its beauty with a unique collection of reredos, tombs, choir, stalls, stained glass, etc. It has been also declared World Heritage monument by UNESCO. Dinner on your own in Burgos. We suggest that you experience a real tapas dinner around Burgos beautiful Plaza Mayor or Main Square. This time we'll do some bar hoping, trying different tapas and wines (or beer, vermouth, grape juice, etc.) in different bars. You’ll discover why Spaniards love this fun and entertaining tradition! This is also a great opportunity to taste the different wines produced in the area of Castilla, besides red from Ribera, white from Rueda and rose from Cigales Day 6: September 8. Ribera del Duero. Overnight in Ribera del Duero (H, B, L, WV) After breakfast depart to Ribera del Duero. Visit a winery in Ribera del Duero. For lunch you will enjoy the typical meal from Ribera, roasted lamb in a wood fired oven with Ribera del Duero wines. Visit a family-owned winery that has cellars from the 16th century. Taste the different wines produced enjoying the company of one of the owners. Day 7: September 9. Back to Madrid (B) Breakfast and drive to Madrid. Drop off at the airport or center of Madrid. End of our services Back to 2007 scheduled tours...