Rioja’s Heritage

Rioja’s Heritage & Tapas Trail

Price: $3,800 per person (based on double occupancy)
Duration: 5 days / 4 nights
Location: La Rioja, Spain
Inclusions: Accommodation in an 18th-century nobleman’s estate, daily breakfast, select lunches and dinners, guided winery and bodega tours, tapas-making workshop, market visits, flamenco performances, all transfers, and expert-guided tours.
Group Size: Maximum 14 guests for an intimate experience

This 5-day tour dives into the vibrant wine and culinary culture of Spain’s Rioja region, renowned for its Tempranillo wines and lively pintxos scene. Explore historic wineries and cutting-edge bodegas, master tapas in a hands-on workshop, and wander bustling markets. Your home is a restored 18th-century nobleman’s estate, complete with a private bullring and electrifying flamenco performances under the stars.

Detailed Itinerary & Activities

Accommodation: The 18th-Century Nobleman’s Estate

Your home for the tour is a meticulously restored 18th-century nobleman’s estate, located in the rolling vineyards of La Rioja Alta, near Logroño. Originally built for a Spanish aristocrat, the estate blends Baroque elegance with rustic charm, featuring a rare private bullring and sprawling grounds. Surrounded by vineyards and olive trees, it offers a serene yet vibrant base for your Rioja adventure.

Features

Architecture & Design: The estate showcases carved wooden ceilings, wrought-iron balconies, and colorful azulejo tiles. Its grand salon, adorned with chandeliers and ancestral portraits, evokes the opulence of 18th-century Spain.

Guest Rooms: 14 luxurious en-suite rooms, each with hand-carved furniture, embroidered linens, and views of the vineyards or bullring. Modern amenities include plush bedding, air conditioning, Wi-Fi, and walk-in showers.

Facilities: A private bullring for flamenco performances, a wine cellar stocked with Rioja vintages, and a professional kitchen for tapas workshops. The estate also features a courtyard for al fresco dining and a small chapel with original frescoes.

Gardens & Grounds: Expansive grounds with rose gardens, a citrus orchard, and a vineyard producing small-batch Tempranillo. A telescope platform supports stargazing, and shaded patios offer spaces for relaxation.

Ambiance: The estate pulses with Spanish vitality, from flamenco nights to candlelit dinners. Staff in traditional attire and live guitar music create an immersive cultural experience.

Unique Aspects

Historical Significance: The estate was a hub for Rioja’s early wine trade, with its cellars used to store barrels for noble families. The bullring, built in the 1700s, hosted private corridas and now serves as a dramatic stage for flamenco.

Sustainability: The estate employs solar power and maintains an organic vegetable garden, supplying ingredients for meals. Guests can join a garden tour to learn about native Rioja herbs.

Cultural Immersion: Flamenco performances and tapas workshops connect guests to Spain’s culinary and artistic traditions, while the estate’s vineyard offers tastings of its own micro-production wines.

Additional Notes

Accessibility: The estate includes some uneven surfaces and stairs; please inquire about accessibility needs.

Dietary Requirements: Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options are available with advance notice.

Weather: Rioja enjoys warm days and cool evenings in spring and fall, perfect for winery tours and outdoor dining. Summer tours include shaded activities for comfort.

Booking: Contact the tour operator via the website for availability and single-occupancy rates.

This tour weaves together Rioja’s wine heritage, pintxos culture, and flamenco passion, all framed by the timeless allure of a historic nobleman’s estate.