How to plan a Rioja wine route

A wine route through La Rioja can be the highlight of a trip to Spain. Doing it well takes some planning: choosing the areas, booking the wineries, deciding where to eat and, above all, solving the question of who drives. This step-by-step guide makes it simple.

The Rioja designation covers hundreds of wineries spread across three sub-zones, Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Oriental, each with its own character. The choice is exciting but can also feel overwhelming. Where should you start? How many wineries can you fit in a day? Which areas combine well? Let us put it in order.

Step 1: choose your area or areas

Distances in La Rioja are short by British or American standards, but they add up quickly when you hop between wineries in different areas. Grouping visits by area is the single most useful planning decision you can make. If you want a deeper comparison, read Haro, Rioja Alavesa or Logroño: which wine area to choose.

Rioja Alta: Haro and around

Haro's Barrio de la Estación (Station District) packs some of Spain's oldest and most prestigious wineries into a few hundred metres. It is the most compact area for a winery day and the easiest for first-timers. We offer Haro winery visits with a driver for exactly this kind of day.

Rioja Alavesa: Laguardia and Elciego

This is the most spectacular area for scenery and architecture: walled medieval villages, signature wineries and Frank Gehry's titanium-roofed hotel at Marqués de Riscal in Elciego. The wineries are more spread out, which makes a private driver in Rioja Alavesa close to essential.

Logroño and surroundings

The regional capital has interesting wineries on its doorstep and the famous tapas streets in the centre. It works well as a complement to a longer trip or as a half-day option, for instance with a Logroño winery tour with a private driver or a wine tasting in Logroño.

What about Rioja Oriental?

The third sub-zone, formerly known as Rioja Baja, is now called Rioja Oriental. It is warmer, known for expressive Garnacha and far less touristy. It rarely features in a first route, but it is a good choice for a second trip or for anyone looking for quiet wineries and a chat with the producer. To understand how the sub-zones fit together, see what DOCa Rioja means.

Step 2: how many wineries per day

This is where many visitors go wrong. Trying to squeeze in four or five wineries means none of them is properly enjoyed. Our advice is clear: two wineries a day is the sensible maximum if you want time to listen to the guide, taste calmly and have lunch in between.

• One winery: ideal when it is a large estate with a very complete tour (two to three hours) or includes a food experience.
• Two wineries: the ideal rhythm. One in the morning, lunch, one in the afternoon.
• Three wineries: possible if the visits are short and without a full pairing. Tiring, but doable.
• Four or more: the tastings blur together, fatigue builds up and you will not remember the last one.

Step 3: book in the right order

1. Wineries first. Almost all require advance booking. In high season (September, October and Easter) book weeks ahead; the best-known architectural wineries may need even more notice. Check the language of each tour: English sessions exist at most well-known estates, but at fewer times.
2. Plan the order. Arrange the wineries geographically to minimise driving. If you have a driver, they will optimise the route for you.
3. Book lunch. Restaurants in the wine villages, especially Laguardia and Haro, fill up at weekends. Lunch in Spain usually starts around 2pm and is part of the experience, not a quick stop.
4. Decide who drives. This is the crucial point. If you plan to taste properly, someone cannot drink. The solution is a private driver for the whole day, at a fixed price.

Step 4: choose the length and build the itinerary

With the areas and pace decided, fit the pieces into your calendar. These three structures work best:

A worked example of the three-day version is in La Rioja in 3 days.

Where to stay

Logroño is the most practical base: roughly 40 minutes from Haro and about 25 minutes from Laguardia, with the city's food scene on your doorstep in the evening. If you would rather sleep among the vines, Haro and Laguardia have charming hotels, though fewer options for dinner.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

• Booking wineries without looking at a map: two visits 60 km (about 37 miles) apart with an hour between them will not work. Group by area.
• Forgetting the tour language: English tours run at specific times; confirm when you book.
• Leaving lunch to chance: in high season village restaurants fill up before the wineries do.
• Improvising the return: there are very few taxis in the wine villages, and public transport does not link wineries.

The driver: the key to really enjoying it

No planning detail matters more. If you drive, you cannot taste. If one person tastes and another drives, someone misses out. Spain's legal drink-driving limit is lower than in England, Wales or most US states, so the simplest answer is a private driver for your Rioja wine route. Your driver picks you up at the hotel, takes you between wineries, waits outside during each visit and brings you back when you are done, all at a fixed price.

Starting from another city?

Many routes begin elsewhere in Spain. If you are coming from the capital, see our Rioja wine tour from Madrid. For groups of friends, colleagues or celebrations, we organise a private group wine tour in a van with up to seven seats. All our options are listed on winery visits in La Rioja.

Remember that tour times and prices are set by each winery, so check their official website when booking. We take care of the transport, with a fixed price confirmed before your trip.