Discover the fertile valleys, dramatic mountains and picturesque villages of this hidden part of Spain, and enjoy its historic hotels, fine wines, and excellent cuisine.

The beauty and charms of the La Rioja region of Spain are secrets still known mainly to the Spaniards. In La Rioja, a land of tranquility and abundance, everybody is welcomed with a glass of wine, and the traditional, slow pace of life is ideally experienced by walking and hiking its trails. Birthplace of the first native Spanish saint and the Spanish language, traversed by the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route, and producer of world-renowned Rioja wines, La Rioja is irresistible to discriminating visitors. We walk through beautiful countryside and villages, hike along quiet back roads and local trails, and discover rich Riojan history and culture. Our days of inn-to-inn walking and hiking are rewarded with relaxed evenings in beautifully restored inns enjoying the fruits of the region – cuisine combining the traditional and the nouveau, and wines crafted by artisans.

Day 1: Our Spain walking tour begins in Bilbao, and we transfer to the medieval village of Ezcaray. Hike to the town of Santo Domingo de la Calzada with its historic cathedral, where we spend one night in a historic 12th-century parador that was originally built to give shelter to the pilgrims on the road to Santiago.

Days 2-3: Hike from Santo Domingo de la Calzada along the Camino de Santiago to our next inn in the mountain village of San Millán de la Cogolla, where we spend two nights in a converted 17th-century monastery. Visit the UNESCO World Heritage site monastery of Yuso, and enjoy hiking through the surrounding countryside dotted with villages born under the protection of the monks.

Days 4-5: Hike from San Millán de la Cogolla to Ezcaray, where we spend two nights. Here, we have the option to prepare a variety of Spanish dishes in a cooking class with one of Spain’s leading Michelin-starred chefs (at additional expense), or hike trails in the scenic Rio Oja valley. Meander through Ezcaray's fascinating streets and plazas and under its arcades.

Day 6: Transfer to Haro, the capital of the Rioja wine region. Visit a traditional Rioja bodega for a wine tasting. Enjoy a farewell dinner in Haro and then retire to our historic 16th-century inn.

Day 7: Transfer to Bilbao and visit the famed Guggenheim Museum. Departure from Bilbao, Spain.

• A passion for travel. Simply put, we love to travel, and that is woven into every one of our journeys.
   
• Unique, award-winning itineraries. Our flexible, hand-crafted journeys have received accolades from the world’s most revered travel publications.
   
• Insider connections. There is simply no substitute for traveling with a knowledgeable insider.
   
• Small groups. We tread softly, and our average group size is just 6-8 guests.
   
• Flexibility to suit your travel style. We offer both small-group departures and Private Collection trips, so that you can choose which works best for you.
   
• Customer service that goes the extra mile. There is no request that is too big – or too small – for our staff to handle.
   
• Sustainability. We are committed to traveling responsibly – striving to preserve traditions and cultures around the world, and to protect fragile natural habitats.

Most Convenient Airport:
Bilbao Airport (BIO), Bilbao, Spain or Madrid Barajas International Airport (MAD), Madrid, Spain.

Meeting Time and Place:
Your guide(s) will meet you on the first day of the trip at 9:00 a.m. in the lobby of the Barcel ó Hotel Nervi ón in Bilbao. Please be dressed for hiking!

Departure Time and Place:
The trip will end by 1:30 p.m. at the luggage storage center in Bilbao. From there, taxis are available to the Bilbao Airport. The transfer takes about 20 minutes. While it is possible to depart downtown Bilbao for the airport as early as 11:00 a.m., this is not advised as it will mean missing the visit to the Guggenheim Museum. Please schedule your flights accordingly.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Physical Activity
Boundless Journeys' trips are designed for energetic and flexible individuals who like to be active and have a spirit of adventure and a positive attitude. Vintage Rioja is rated 3, moderate, on a scale of 1-5 (with 5 being the most strenuous). The hikes on this trip are easy to moderate, an average of 4-6 hours a day on quiet roads and paths, with moderately strenuous options. On a few days we walk from “inn-to-inn,” which means there is minimal vehicle support, except to transport our luggage.

Preparing for this Trip
It is very important that you realistically assess your physical condition with regard to the demands of this trip. The more prepared you are for the activities on this trip, the more you will enjoy yourself! Please engage in moderate aerobic activities (hiking, jogging, or cycling) for at least 30-45 minutes several times a week for 4-6 weeks before the trip. If you live in a flat area, try to incorporate some stairs into your workout, or use a treadmill with varying incline capability.  Consult your doctor before undertaking any new fitness programs.  

Weather
Weather in La Rioja is most pleasant in spring and fall. Although these times also correspond to the rainy seasons, there is rarely a great deal of rain. Of course, you should come prepared for a variety of weather conditions, and we will walk and hike in the rain unless conditions make it hazardous to do so. The often variable weather conditions make dressing in layers essential. The following are average temperatures in Bilbao during the spring and fall:
                      high          low

April:              62°F        46°F
May:               67°F        51°F
September:    76°F        58°F
October:        69°F        53°F

You may obtain more detailed weather information on www.weatherbase.com.

Optional Cooking Class
Francis Paniego and his apprentices are renowned Rioja chefs and the backbone of the El Portal and Michelin-starred Echaurren restaurants. Those who reserve this option ahead of time will spend a morning in a hands-on class with one of these chefs learning basics of Spanish, and particularly Riojan, cuisine. Regardless of your skill level, you will be sure to pick up new tips on traditional preparations, knife techniques, the use of local ingredients, and what substitutions you may need to make when you are home. Of course, you'll be rewarded for your efforts with El Portal's renowned tasting menu, which we enjoy for lunch after class. If you would like to participate in this optional event, please contact our office at least 60 days prior to you departure to reserve. The charge is $550 per person, and is subject to change.

Rioja Wines
In addition to the beautiful scenery, great hikes, and fine accommodations, one of the highlights of any visit to La Rioja is the opportunity to enjoy its world-class wines. Rioja reds are products mainly of the tempranillo grape, which grows well in the local climate. Wines vary by locality, and we will have the opportunity to taste many varieties throughout our travels, as wine will be included with evening meals. Our exploration of these wines is topped-off with a tasting at a traditional Rioja bodega (winery). Bodegas range in size from large corporate concerns to small family-run operations, and are generally not open to the public. While in Haro, however, we have the opportunity to visit a smaller bodega, and after learning about the local wine-making processes from the vintner, we have the pleasure of tasting their delicious final product.

When to Go
Spring and fall are the best times to visit La Rioja. Temperatures are pleasant for hiking, and roads and towns are less crowded than the busy summer months when most Europeans vacation. During the spring, the landscape is more lush than during the fall (after a likely dry summer). The fall brings the grape harvest, and you may see grapes being picked or other later stages of the wine production process.

Traveler's Responsibility
Trip participants have certain responsibilities to both Boundless Journeys and your fellow travelers. This includes understanding the conditions described in the trip itinerary and making sure it is appropriate for your interests and abilities, based on a review of the trip ratings, consultation with Boundless Journeys' staff, and perhaps your doctor. In addition, trip participants are responsible for preparing for a trip by undertaking the proper fitness training. At the guide's discretion, a participant may be asked to leave the trip if the guide feels that the person's further participation may be detrimental to the individual or to other trip participants. If you have any questions about the difficulty level of the trip you have chosen, please contact Boundless Journeys to speak with one of our Destination Managers.

Small group travel affords us the opportunity to seek out the most remote and exotic destinations on the planet. Often we are exploring these locales with just 6-12 guests. The nature of active group travel is such that not all participants have the same ability level or interests. Traveling at a pace that is comfortable for the entire group, with a spirit of flexibility and adventure are all part of this intimate experience.

Overview:  One 3-star and three 4-star hotels, occupying unique and historic buildings in excellent locations.

Night 1:  Parador de Santo Domingo de la Calzada
Sto. Domingo de la Calzada, La Rioja, Spain

Built in the 12th century by Saint Dominic to give shelter to the pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago, the Parador offers elegant style, with tastefully decorated bedrooms, majestic living rooms, and an impressive vaulted lobby.

Nights 2 & 3:   Hosteria del Monasterio de San Millán
San Millán de la Cogolla, La Rioja, Spain

This four-star hotel is located in a wing of the famous Yuso Monastery in San Millán de la Cogolla, in the heart of the high Rioja, a region known to produce some of the world’s finest wines.

Nights 4 & 5:  Hotel Echaurren
Ezcaray, La Rioja, Spain

This 17th-century hotel has developed a reputation as a fine gastronomical haunt, where traditional recipes have been handed down from generation to generation. The hotel’s wine list is also renowned, offering more than 300 fine selections, and its restaurant is Michelin-starred.

Night 6:   Hotel Los Agustinos
Haro, La Rioja, Spain

In the midst of the historic center of Haro is Hotel Los Agustinos. Dating from 1373, this four-star hotel has at different times housed a convent, a school, and even a prison.
 

DAY 1
Ezcaray to Santo Domingo de la Calzada

Walking – easy, about 4 hours.

Upon meeting our guides in Bilbao, we transfer to the village of Ezcaray, where we start our walk to the town of Santo Domingo de la Calzada. This beautiful walk on smooth, rolling dirt trails follows the Rio Oja, a tributary of the Ebro River, the main artery of the Rioja wine-producing region. This afternoon, we visit the cathedral of Santo Domingo de la Calzada and the surrounding old town, a key stopping point on the Camino de Santiago (the “Way of St. James”). The town is named for an 11th-century saint who worked miracles for pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela, constructing a road, a bridge, and a hospital which now houses our four-star hotel.

Tonight we enjoy a fine welcome dinner and our first taste of the famed Rioja wines at our favorite local restaurant.
Parador de Santo Domingo de la Calzada, Santo Domingo de la Calzada, Spain

DAY 2
Santo Domingo de la Calzada to San Millán de la Cogolla

Hiking – moderate to strenuous, 6-6 ½ hours, with approximate elevation gain of 2,050' and loss of 1,775'.

Today we hike “inn-to-inn” – from our parador in Santo Domingo de la Calzada to our monastery hotel in San Millán de la Cogolla. The hike starts on the Camino through grain fields. Once beyond the village of Manzanares de La Rioja, our trail climbs to a high point for a picnic lunch, and we enjoy a an assortment of fresh local specialties – cheeses, sausages, fresh bread, vine-ripened tomatoes, and the like – with views south to the dramatic 7,500' peaks of the Sierra de la Demanda.

Upon our arrival in San Millán de la Cogolla, we check into our fine hotel, occupying a wing of the Yuso Monastery. We spend the next two nights at this UNESCO World Heritage site, exploring the monastery and indulging in excellent food and Rioja wines.
Hostería del Monasterio de San Millán, San Millán de la Cogolla, Spain

DAY 3
Yuso Monastery

Hiking – moderate, 5-6 hours, with approximate elevation gain and loss of 1,200'.

We begin the day with an early visit to the monastery of Yuso. Gonzalo de Berceo, the first Spanish poet, was born nearby in the late 12th century. The monastery houses an important collection of paintings, two chests decorated with precious stones and outstanding ivory carvings, and a fine library containing many early codices and an unusual archive of documents dating from the 11th to the 16th centuries.

Later this morning, we walk from San Millán de la Cogolla. The trail is rocky in places, but well worth the effort for the fine views of the monastery dominating the tiny village in its beautiful valley. This afternoon we return to our hotel and have time to relax before another sumptuous dinner.
Hostería del Monasterio de San Millán, San Millán de la Cogolla, Spain

DAY 4
San Millán de la Cogolla to Ezcaray

Hiking – moderate to strenuous, about 6 hours, elevation gain of 1,900' and loss of 2,025'.

Again today we walk from inn-to-inn, from San Millán de la Cogolla to the village of Ezcaray. We walk up the valley of San Millán before climbing steadily west through oak and beech woods to the isolated village of Pazuengos. From here we climb again to a col, before dropping down through the tiny hamlet of Turza into the Rio Oja valley to reach our destination in Ezcaray.

Our hotel for the next two nights, located opposite the village church of Santa Maria, boasts one of the finest restaurants in Spain. Over the next two days we have the opportunity to taste traditional and modern Rioja dishes prepared by the hotel's talented chefs, Michelin-starred Francis Paniego, and his mother, Marisa Sánchez.
Hotel Echaurren, Ezcaray, Spain

DAY 5
Ezcaray

Hiking – moderate, 4-5 hours, elevation gain and loss of 1,275', or optional cooking class (at additional expense); optional afternoon walk – easy to moderate, 1-2 hours.

If you have reserved your place ahead of time, today begins with a cooking class and demonstrations by the well-respected owner-chef of our hotel, Francis Paniego, or one of his highly-skilled apprentices. You'll prepare a variety of classic Riojan dishes, using traditional techniques and ingredients, as well as signature Paniego creations. For lunch you'll enjoy a tasting menu include several dishes you've helped prepare. With your new-found skills, you will be able to relive your Spanish exploration over traditional dishes and fine Rioja wine when you return home. For those who choose not to participate in the cooking class, a scenic hike with views of the Rio Oja valley followed by a traditional farmhouse lunch will be offered.

This afternoon there is the option of an additional walk, or if you prefer, time to explore the town of Ezcaray independently. This evening you are free to dine on your own, either at our hotel or at one of Ezcaray's excellent restaurants.
Hotel Echaurren, Ezcaray, Spain

DAY 6
Puerto de Peñacerrada to Labastida; Haro

Wine tasting; hiking – moderate, 6 hours, approximate elevation gain of 1,700' and loss of 2,700'.

After breakfast, we transfer to the Puerto de Peñacerrada, the start of our walk. We begin with a gentle climb through boxwood and beeches, skirting the massif of the Sierra de Cantabria on our left, to emerge into sub-alpine pastures on the south side of the ridge. We marvel at the ruined monastery of Toloño, and as we continue downhill, enjoy splendid views to the south of the Rioja. Our route ends in a vineyard with a traditional bodega lunch in one of the region's best-known wineries. A short bus ride after lunch brings us toa second bodega on the outskirts of Haro, the attractive ‘wine capital' of La Rioja, for a wine-tasting, before we continue on foot to our final hotel in the center of town.
Hotel Los Agustinos, Haro

DAY 7
Guggenheim Museum

Walking – easy city walking, about 2 hours.

This morning we return to Bilbao, and visit the famed Guggenheim Museum. This fabulous building, designed by American architect Frank Gehry, has been a major stimulus to the urban renewal of Bilbao. The Guggenheim's permanent collection, now considered one of the world's most important collections of avant-garde art, includes works by some of the most significant artists of the second half of the twentieth century. If you have an afternoon flight planned, your guides will assist you with arranging a taxi to the Bilbao Airport. If you are staying on in Bilbao, your guides will be happy to recommend a charming place for lunch.

Please note that this is a typical itinerary, and actual activities may vary to take advantage of weather conditions, local events, and to allow serendipity to play a hand in your experience. Accommodations are as outlined in the itinerary, although we reserve the right to change these should the need arise.

$4,395 per person

• Expert leadership
• All accommodations
• All meals except one dinner
• All transportation during the trip
• Rioja wines with dinner each evening
• All activities as noted in the itinerary