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The best cycling holiday in unspoilt Spain: Burgos to La Rioja
A stunning self-guided adventure cycling through the Sierra de la Demanda Natural Park to the famous vineyards of La Rioja.
"We had a grand holiday! The landscape was beautiful and the fiestas great fun."
From 1,048 € per person
Difficulty:Moderate
Details ...
Duration:7 nights, 8 days
Dates:April to 31st October
Start:Any day of the week
Undulating or hilly terrain with perhaps three ascents per day.
Cycling surface:Tarmac: 80.6%. Cycle track: 17.6%. Dirt road: 1.8%.
Average daily distance / climb:25 miles (41 km) / 1597 ft (487 m).
Description
Experience "the real Spain" first hand along this journey across an isolated and beautiful landscape of central Spain.
- This fabulous route begins in the medieval splendor of the historic city of Burgos and it's World Heritage gothic cathedral. A city full of pilgrims on the famed Camino de Santiago, loose yourself in the cobbled streets of the old quarter.
- Each night at a different picturesque village such as Pineda de la Sierra, San Millán de la Cogolla and San Vicente de la Sonsierra. With our local knowledge, we'll take you off the beaten track to enjoy little-known locations where few foreign tourists get to!
- Enjoy endless kilometres of dedicated cycle tracks totally off grid in the wilderness area of the Sierra de la Demanda Natural Park. It doesn't get much more 'Away from the Crowds' than this!
- Experience little, family-run, quirky hotels full of character where you'll have a friendly welcome, delicious home cooking and all the comforts you need after a day in the saddle!
- Meander downhill along the spectacular valley of the Najerilla river, a tributary of the great Ebro river, with ancient terraces full of vines lining the hillsides.
- You'll have the opportunity to visit the World Heritage sites of the Monasteries of Yuso and Suso, the birthplace of the Castilian language, two architectural, historical gems that will be a real highlight of your trip!
- Relish the chance to visit some famous wineries and their spectacular 'bodegas' and indulge in a bit of wine tasting, savouring the excellent wines of La Rioja.
- Visit the unmissable Vivanco Wine Museum in Briones, exploring the age-old relationship between man and wine in this famous region steeped in traditional wine culture.
- You'll delight in wheeling amongst vineyards, edged with a multitude of wildflowers in spring, accompanied by birdsong as you disconnect from modern life and simply unwind!
- The route ends on a high note with a visit to the medieval town of Laguardia and the spectacular visitor centre at the Marques de Riscal vineyard, designed by famous architect Frank Gehry.
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival to Burgos
Your tour begins as you reach the beautiful ancient city of Burgos, in the northern plains of Castilla. Your hotel is very much in the centre of town, overlooking one of the most outstanding cathedrals of Spain. You will have a chance to explore the city centre before setting off in the morning.
Day 2: Burgos to Pineda de la Sierra
Distance: 30 miles (48 km). Climb: 2106 ft (642 m).
Today you will receive your bikes and set off along a lovely cycle path out of the city. Once out of town, you will join the famous pilgrim route: the “Camino de Santiago” for a few kilometres and later you will cycle towards the mountains of La Demanda. This cycle track takes you completely away from traffic and deep into dense oak and beech woodland following the cycle railtrail, an old railway track which used to transport coal from the mines up on the hills.
Day 3: Pineda de la Sierra to Viniegra de Abajo
Distance: 37 miles (59 km). Climb: 2005 ft (611 m).
After a night in the picturesque village of Pineda de la Sierra, you will join the cycle track once again for another stunning day in this nature reserve. At the end of the cycle track you will join quiet country roads following the river Najerilla downstream, amongst spectacular landscapes. You will spend the night in a beautiful, isolated mountain village.
Day 4: Viniegra to San Millan de la Cogolla
Distance: 25 miles (40 km). Climb: 1670 ft (509 m).
Today your route takes you downstream to reach the extraordinary Monastery of Yuso, in San Millán de la Cogolla (birthplace of the first written record of the Castilian language).Take some time to marvel at the beautiful architecture and absorb the ancient, peaceful atmosphere of this special place of introspection.
Day 5: San Millán de la Cogolla to San Vicente de la Sonsierra
Distance: 21 miles (33 km). Climb: 1004 ft (306 m).
Your cycle today takes you into the rich valley of the Ebro River, where the famed Rioja grapes are grown. You will cycle along rolling hills of extraordinary beauty, amongst ancient vineyards and other cultivations. You will spend two nights at San Vicente de la Sonsierra, from where you can explore these landscapes.
Day 6: Round trip in Rioja Wine Region
Distance: 21 miles (33 km). Climb: 1532 ft (467 m).
Today you can enjoy a fantastic vantage point that offers outstanding views over this “wine valley” and later you will visit historic Haro, in the epicentre of the wine production area. Finally, you will cycle beside the river Ebro amongst beautifully manicured fields of vines. Take the opportunity to stop at one of the wineries you come across to try some of the local award-winning wine!
Day 7: San Vicente de la Sonsierra- Laguardia- Elciego
Distance: 19 miles (30 km). Climb: 1263 ft (385 m).
Today you will cycle from San Vicente de la Sonsierra to the medieval town of Laguardia, just inside the Basque region, exploring some of the most famous wineries and the extraordinary architectural designs of their buildings and of course not missing the chance to taste some of the best wines that this region has to offer!
Day 8: Departure
Why not take an extra night to enjoy the cultural delights of Burgos or to indulge in more wine tasting in Elciego.Return to Bilbao or Madrid from Logroño.Travel
Frequent questions:
- Which airport should I fly to?
- Bilbao or Madrid International Airports.
- How do I get to the Starting Point?
- From Bilbao there are frequent buses to Burgos (Alsa Buses, 1h:45m). From Madrid there are high speed trains taking two hours to reach Burgos.
- How do I get back?
- We recommend a taxi from Elciego to Logroño train or bus station. From Logroño bus or trains available to Bilbao or Madrid.
Useful links:
Hotels
Day 1 in a centrally located city hotel. Days 2 to 7 in small rural hotels with character. (All hotels are subject to availability)
Night 1: Burgos
Centrally located city hotel within easy walking distance of the historic center, main square and fabulous gothic cathedral. Warmly decorated rooms and comfortable common areas.
Night 2: Pineda de la Sierra
Small rural hotel set in a stunning stone house dating back to 1720. Quirky, charming decor, full of delightful character! Traditional cooking in its lively restaurant popular with the locals.
Night 3: Viniegra de Abajo
This simple rural hotel is built at a crossroads between the Sierra de la Demanda and the Sierra de Camero. It has been for centuries a stopping place for travellers, tradesmen, hunters and fishermen.
Night 4: San Millán de la Cogolla
Warmly decorated rooms in this rural hotel, just meters away from the World Heritage Site: Yuso Monastery in a picture poscard town on the edge of La Rioja region.
Nights 5 and 6: San Vicente de la Sonsierra
A modern boutique hotel situated in the historic center of beautiful San Vicente de la Sonsierra. A perfect place to enjoy a walk along ancient streets and a drink at a nearby square.
Night 7: El Ciego
Charming rural hotel with its own winery in the very heart of the Rioja region. Surrounded by vineyards and wineries, you cannot leave without visiting the spectacular Marqués de Riscal building in El Ciego.
Our Bikes
Touring bikes
Electric bikes
Designed to withstand heavy loads and provide high safety and comfort even after long hours of riding in the saddle, these adventure bikes will serve you well both on and off-road.
The downside to all these extra features and equipment is weight, but on a long distance tour, reliability, comfort and safety, win the day.
Characteristics:
- Time tested components to stay maintenance free during the tour.
- Broad range of gears.
- Stable carriers for luggage transport.
- Permanently mounted lights with a hub dynamo (on some models)
- Comfortable sitting position and straight, adjustable handlebars.
- Other comfort features include bike stand, mudguards and bottle holder.
- High bar and low bar models and sizes xs to XL.
- Gravel and road bikes available on some routes - ask us for more details.
Equipment provided:
- Mobile phone carrier
- Odometer*
- Rear pannier
- Map carrier*
- Helmet
- Water bottle
- Lock
- Pump
- Puncture repair kit
- Multitool set
- (*Not provided on routes with digital navigation packs)
Touring bikesElectric bikes
Not every type of electric bike is suitable to use in a cycling tour. Most e-bikes are actually designed for city cycling rather than long distances routes.
Experience allows us to choose e-bikes with the most suitable features for touring: reliability, simple operation, long battery life and short charge time.
Characteristics:
- Time tested components to stay maintenance free during the tour.
- Broad range of gears.
- Stable carriers for luggage transport.
- Permanently mounted lights with a hub dynamo (on some models)
- Comfortable sitting position and straight, adjustable handlebars.
- Other comfort features include bike stand, mudguards and bottle holder.
- Sizes S to XL.
Equipment provided:
- Odometer*
- Rear pannier
- Map carrier*
- Helmet
- Water bottle
- Lock
- Pump
- Puncture repair kit
- Multitool set
- (*Not provided on routes with digital navigation kit only)
Prices
Basic price:
Per person in double or twin room1,048 €
This includes:
- 7 nights' accommodation. 7 breakfasts.
- Dinner on day 2 in Pineda de la Sierra
- Luggage transfers between hotels.
- Detailed printed/digital maps with your trail clearly marked.
- Itinerary description, full of recommendations for things to do and places to visit, advice and suggestions and information about your accommodation, etc.
- GPS tracks and Navigation App to follow the itinerary on your phone.
- (NB Some route notes and navigation materials are digital ONLY. Check with us for details)
- Emergency support.
- Activity insurance.
Single room supplement
212 €
Solo traveller supplement482 €
Extras:
Bicycle hire110 €
E-bike hire220 €
Transfers:
Taxi Elciego to Logroño
42 €
Other options:(Prices on request)
Half board (dinners) only in hotels with restaurant
Extra night(s) in Burgos
Extra night(s) in Bilbao
Extra night(s) in Logroño
If interested, please contact us with your plans, requirements and queries,
or simply use the next "Get a quote" section, which we would recommend.
Please note
An extra fee may be applicable in specific dates coinciding with bank holidays, local holidays or other events taking place.
Get a quote
Reviews
- we really felt we were away from the crowds!
A huge thank you for a wonderful holiday, everything was great: the instructions, maps, road book, hotels were beautifully arranged, we didn’t experience any problems at all.
The countryside and the tour certainly lived up to your name and we really felt we were away from the crowds! We had a fantastic time, despite the 8 punctures on the 1st day!!
We would certainly recommend the holiday and your company to others.
Jilly Oatham. Devon, UK.
Thanks Jilly. The cycling days 1 and 2 go through an area of woodland where there can be a lot of thorns, particularly in autumn time. Since we have noticed that punctures can be a problem, we now use puncture resistant tires in all our bikes and we have spare inner tubes located in different hotels just in case you need spares.
Jaime, AFTC.
- We now fully recognize the value of local knowledge. I don’t think we would have discovered this great route and fabulous hotels without your knowledge.
Connie and I are back in Canada after a great Europe trip. I wanted to thank you personally for the great work you did organizing this trip for us. Since you put so much effort into this, I thought I could at least give you some detailed feedback.
What great value! We had a wonderful time being away from the crowds. We especially appreciated the extra individual care you put into booking the hotels and accommodating us at the last minute.
It was really a pleasure not to worry about planning the cycle trip too. We don’t normally take holidays like this. We have done several bike trips over the years but we always plan it ourselves. It was a luxury to have you plan it for us.
We now fully recognize the value of local knowledge. I don’t think we would have discovered this great route and fabulous hotels without your knowledge.
The highlights of the trip were the monastery, the empty country roads, the medieval towns and arriving in Brionis to a festival.
We did our own thing on the free day from San Vincente which I highly recommend. It is a circular route from San Vincente up and over a pass to Penacerrada/Urizahara and then west to Haro before returning to San Vincente. The valley west of Penacerrada is unbelievable scenic and quite different from the Rioja as there are no vineyards.
Colin Evans and Connie Yee, Vancouver, Canada
Thank you for your kind words and we're delighted that you had such a positive experience. We hope to see you again soon!
Aftc
- We felt that it was a great trip from beginning to end.
Barb and I wanted to contact you to let you know that we had a very enjoyable bicycle trip in Spain! We felt that it was a great trip from beginning to end.
The lodging arrangements were excellent for the entire trip. We enjoyed each of our stays very much.
We're even contemplating the possibility of another similar trip for next fall.
Chuck and Barbara Taylor, Wisconsin, USA
(This tour was a combination of Burgos to La Rioja and our Vineyards and Medieval Towns route, popular with our travellers)
Thanks Chuck and Barbara, we look forward to seeing you again next year!
- I did this as an older, solo female rider and really couldn’t have had a better time. I’d do it again in a heartbeat!
This beautiful ride was a real adventure!
Loved the starting city of Burgos, the trail through the nature reserve, the variety of exquisite landscapes and views of the stunning mountain ranges, and the small towns and villages along the way.
Surprises like cows blocking the way, a scary tunnel, howling winds at one point and not seeing many other bicyclists really made this all the more memorable.
I did this as an older, solo female rider and really couldn’t have had a better time. I’d do it again in a heartbeat!
Jean Lowe, California, USA
It's always a pleasure to host your solo cycling adventures, Jean! We're your biggest fans! We love that you're totally in tune with the Aftc spirit!
Gaynor & Jaime, Aftc
- Overall: a really excellent holiday
1. Overall: a really excellent holiday. Well designed with first class instructions and immaculate help from your associates, bike providers and hotels. It was a wonderful introduction to a very beautiful area.
2. specifically: good design of the holiday; excellent maps and instructions; a very responsive team in your office – quick response to queries; good quality bikes and the sense the back up would have been there had we needed it; quick and efficient transfer of our baggage.
3. Although in one sense it was good not to have the extra 3.7 k at the end of that day, we felt it a shame that we stayed not in Viniegra de Abajo, but instead in the hostel on the main road…which however was perfectly satisfactory (a good and very reasonably priced dinner).
4. More ready flexibility in terms of the timing of breakfast could have been helpful. None of the cycling days are long, but it was hot, and on some mornings we would have liked to be able to get away earlier.
We both hope that as a business you will flourish and do well as we think that you strongly deserve to. Regards and very many thanks.
Tim Stevenson, UK.
Thanks Tim. We took note of your comment about breakfasts and do our best in requesting flexibility from hotels in that regard.
Jaime, AFTC.
- Best way is to cycle in the cool of the morning
We had a grand holiday! The landscape was beautiful and the fiestas great fun. The hotels were basic and comfortable and the food was tasty home-cooking.
We would commend the Hotel Villa Sonsierra – lovely room and classy, modern facilities, welcoming, friendly, helpful staff.
In Viniegra de Abajo we had a delicious meal at Irene’s Restaurant – vegetables from their own garden, perfectly cooked with home-made garlicky mayo, grilled meat with delicious Spanish side dishes, vino and puddings!
The bikes, maps, directions and routes were well designed and easy to manage. On the first day on the Via Verde the vegetation had been cut and we had 4 punctures which meant a long hot day's cycle. We had good back-up support from Nava Rent and the rest of the holiday went without a hitch – we loved it!
Best way is to cycle in the cool of the morning but not all hotels offered breakfast before 9 – it would be good it they could.
We visited villages and countryside we would have missed, and had a wonderful experience. Thanks for a great holiday!
Joan Melville, UK.
Glad you enjoyed it Joan and Gordon. Thanks!
Jaime, AFTC.
- the best holiday I have ever had!!!
Having recently returned home I wanted to thank you for the best holiday I have ever had!!! Cycling La Riojca was simply amazing and I cant stop think about what a wonderful trip it was. The organisation was great, bike route superb and the friendly staff at each hotel were truly gracious. Spain is quite simply the most beautiful country - you are incredibly lucky to call it home!!
I have referred your website to all of our family and friends and we are already planning our next trip with you.
Andrew Warner, USA
Many thanks Andrew. High praise indeed! We look forward to seeing you again soon.
Jaime, AFTC.
- We will surely recommend you
We had a really great time and we are really impressed by Away from the Crowds.
The holiday was everything you promised and even more. We will surely recommend you to our friends, and we will be back – maybe next year.
Ole Morten, Denmark
Thanks Ole, you are always welcome.
Jaime, AFTC.
CO₂ footprint offsetting
This holiday produces a carbon footprint of 0,4051 tonnes of CO₂. This includes taxis, luggage transfers and accommodation for every traveller.
We will compensate the CO₂ footprint for each booking through tropical reforestation projects in collaboration with the CeroCO₂ platform.
Additionally, you can also offset your own flight emissions by visiting myclimate. See the link below.
