La Rioja Wine Country

La Rioja is Spain's most famous wine region, rolling vineyards along the Ebro valley beneath red hills, producing the oak-aged red wines known worldwide as Rioja. Historic stone bodegas in old towns like Haro sit alongside strikingly modern, architect-designed wineries, and the region pairs its wine with fine food, making it a rich destination for tasting, touring and eating.

What's there

• The vineyards and bodegas - the rolling vines and the historic wine cellars.
• Haro - the wine town of historic bodegas.
• The modern wineries - the striking architect-designed cellars like Marques de Riscal.
• Rioja food - the tapas and cooking of Logrono to match the wine.

When to go

Late spring to autumn for the vineyards and tastings; September and October for the harvest and golden vines. Book winery tours ahead, and plan a driver for tastings.

Before you go

It is a driving region of scattered wineries, so a car is needed and tastings mean arranging a driver. The best-known bodegas require booking tours ahead. It rewards a slow couple of days with food and wine rather than a rushed visit.

Nearby

Logrono and its tapas street are the base; the Basque Country and Bilbao are within reach.