La Rioja wine tour from Bilbao: two tastings and Logroño tapas

Two wineries, four pintxos, one afternoon in Spain's wine country

A private 10-hour tour from Bilbao into La Rioja combines two winery visits with tastings and a 1.5-hour guided walk through Logroño's historic center, where you taste four traditional pintxos along Calle Laurel. Hotel pickup and drop-off in Bilbao, professional guide in English or Spanish, and private vehicle transport are included; entrance fees to the wineries are separate.

Step-by-step itinerary

Wine tasting and Logroño tapas tour

• Travel from Bilbao to first winery
• Guided wine tasting at first winery
• Travel to Logroño
• Guided tour of Logroño old town
• Tapas tasting with four pintxos
• Visit second winery for tour and tasting
• Return to Bilbao

The Experience

The day starts with a drive south from Bilbao into La Rioja, Spain's most recognized wine region. Your first stop is a guided group tasting at a renowned winery, where you learn how the region's wines are made and sample some of its finest vintages. The winery visit sets the rhythm for what follows—not a rushed sprint through a catalog, but time to understand what you're tasting.

By midday you're in Logroño, the capital of La Rioja, where a guide leads you through the old town for 1.5 hours. The walk centers on Calle Laurel, the street famous across Spain for its concentration of pintxo bars. You stop at four different spots and taste four traditional pintxos—the Basque and Riojan small bites that pair with wine the way they're meant to. This is not a tasting menu plated in advance; you're moving through the neighborhood the way locals do, ordering and eating as you go.

The afternoon brings a second winery visit, another guided tour, and a second tasting session that explores different wine profiles than the morning revealed. Afterward, the drive back to Bilbao gives you time to settle into what you've learned. The whole day runs 10 hours door to door, with your hotel providing both the start and the end point.

What’s included

• Private vehicle transport with driver for the full 10 hours.
• hotel pickup and drop-off in Bilbao.
• two winery visits with guided tastings.
• 1.5-hour guided tour of Logroño's old town.
• four traditional pintxos per person along Calle Laurel.
• professional guide in English or Spanish.
• local taxes.

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats available

Operated by Tour Travel & More

Is this one for you?The 10-hour commitment means you leave early and return by evening, which works if you're based in Bilbao for a full day but rules out a half-day option. The private vehicle and fixed itinerary keep the pace steady without negotiating stops or timing on the road—you move as a group of one, with the guide and driver, so the day holds together without anyone building it.

Top questions

What exactly are pintxos, and will I have time to eat a full lunch?

Pintxos are small Basque and Riojan bites—typically bread topped with cheese, cured meat, seafood or vegetables—that pair with wine. The tour includes four pintxos per person during the 1.5-hour Logroño tapas walk, which serves as your midday meal rather than a separate sit-down lunch.

How much driving is there, and will I have breaks to stretch?

The 10-hour tour includes roughly 2.5 hours of driving total—from Bilbao to the first winery, between the two wineries, and back to Bilbao. The rest of the time is spent at the wineries and walking through Logroño, so you're out of the vehicle for most of the day.

Do I need to speak Spanish to enjoy the winery tastings?

Your guide speaks English or Spanish (you choose at booking), and leads the 1.5-hour Logroño walking tour. The winery tastings are group experiences where the guide translates and explains the wines; you don't need Spanish to participate.

What's included in the price, and what do I pay separately?

The tour includes hotel pickup and drop-off in Bilbao, private vehicle transport for 10 hours, both winery visits with tastings, the four pintxos, the guided walk through Logroño, and a professional guide. Entrance fees to the wineries are not included and are paid separately.