Rioja wine country and northern Burgos

2 days · ~5 h 25 driving ·Wine, Castles

South of Bilbao, Castile, La Rioja and the Basque Country meet, and this loop takes in all three. Frías, with its castle on a rock and a medieval bridge over the Ebro, and Santa Gadea del Cid lie in the north of Burgos province. The vineyards begin at Sajazarra, whose castle stands among the vines, and continue to Briones, home to a large museum of wine culture, and Laguardia, a walled hilltop town with old cellars dug beneath its streets.

Day by day

Driving times are approximate, from OpenStreetMap roads without traffic; long legs are rougher estimates. The Google Maps links give up-to-date times.

Day 1
~3 h driving · 6 h visiting
1. Bilbao AirportLeaving from
2. ~1 h 45 driving · 92 km
  FríasCastile and León
3. ~45 min driving · 35 km
  Santa Gadea del CidCastile and León
4. ~30 min driving · 30 km
  SajazarraLa Rioja
5. Overnight in Sajazarra
Day 2
~2 h 25 driving · 4 h visiting
1. ~20 min driving · 20 km
  BrionesLa Rioja
2. ~25 min driving · 23 km
  Laguardia - GuardiaBasque Country
3. ~1 h 40 driving · 123 km
  Bilbao AirportReturning to

Day by day

Day 1

Day 2