Introduction

THE RIOJA AND CASTILLA (Castilla & Rioja wine regions)

6 days / 5 nights – Burgos/Logroño/Sigüenza
06_riojacastilla

Wine and villages full of history

DAY 1 MADRID-LERMA-BURGOS

Arrival to Madrid airport and direct departure to Lerma
LERMA If time available, we suggest a short stop to walk in exceptional main square from XVIIth century
Arrival to Burgos. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

DAY 2 BURGOS-COVARRUBIAS-SANTO DOMINGO DE SILOS-BURGOS

Breakfast, dinner and overnight at hotel. Morning guided city tour, we will visit a medieval village, which still maintains its original structure and in particular its cathedral, perhaps the best of Gothic Spain. Even a visit to the Cartuja (Charterhouse). Afternoon excursion to COVARRUBIAS, nice village with middle age atmosphere in its streets. After we will visit Monastery of STO. DOMINGO SILOS (very important in middle age as center of wisdom and culture). Presently it is one of the few places in the world where you can enjoy Gregorian Chants, a ‘must’ for classic music lovers (timetable depends on season and day of the week). Return to the hotel.

DAY 3 BURGOS-HARO-LAGUARDIA-LABASTIDA-SAN MILLAN DE LA COGOLLA-LOGROÑO

Breakfast at hotel. Today we will visit the ‘world’ of the Rioja wine. All in this region is in relation with the Rioja wine… HARO. In the morning we will visit the area called ‘high Rioja’, with its main village. There we will visit the museum of the wine, and technical institute of the wine.
LAGUARDIA. we can visit Villa Lucia complex dedicated to wine (possible to arrange tasting and technical talks).
Afternoon, we will go to LABASTIDA. Little village which whole economy are in relation with Rioja wine. We will visit the wine cellar of ‘Nuestra Señora de Remelluri’ (little familiar producer but very nice)
SAN MILLAN DE LA COGOLLA. Splendid monastery. First written words in Spanish, considered the birthplace of Spanish language. Arrival to Logroño. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

DAY 4 LOGROÑO-CALATAÑAZOR-BURGOS DE OSMA-GORMAZ-BERLANGA DE DUERO-MEDINACELI-SIGÜENZA-ALCALA DE HENARES

Breakfast at hotel and departure to CALATAÑAZOR. Little village famous for an important Christians vs Arabs battle, almost unpopulated, walking around is real fun.
BURGOS DE OSMA. Important cathedral and old historical quarter, time to walk
GORMAZ. About 5 kms before to arrive we will see the impressive shape of huge defensive castle (one of the largest in Europe), curiously inside there is an almost empty little village
BERLANGA DUERO. Again a nice village to discover walking. we will walk southward direction to
MEDINACELI. You must drive up the hill where the old village remains. A IIIIth century Roman arch will welcome you to a village which is a National Monument from the first to the last stone of the village…really nice
SIGÜENZA. Its Romanic cathedral, old university and several old palaces will be a good reason to walk around this village. On the top of it a sensational XIIth century castle transformed in a nice Parador.
Arrival to Alcala de Henares. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

DAY 5 ALCALA HENARES-MADRID

Breakfast at hotel. Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quixote’s author, was born here.
Morning guided city tour visit the house dedicated to Cervantes and the University. Directly to Madrid airport
(around 20 minutes)
Note: This Itinerary could be available with slight modifications with arrival and departure Bilbao airport.