The wine and fish route

Where: 
Specific place: 
La Rioja, Araba and Bizkaia: Logroño - Laguardia - Vitoria-Gasteiz - Durango - Bermeo - Bilbo
Level: 
IBP Index: 
54
Group min/máx: 
4-8 people
Vineyards of La Rioja Alavesa

Vineyards of La Rioja Alavesa

This is a linear route, of 4 days of pedaling, for advanced cyclists, which begins in Logroño, the capital of La Rioja, and ends in the port of Bermeo, on the Basque coast. We broadly follow the GR-38, the wine and fish route, which recalls the transfer of goods between the coast and the interior. From Rioja Alavesa, crossing the Sierra de Toloño, the county of Treviño, the mountains of Vitoria, the Llanada Alavesa, the Urkiola Natural Park, the Duranguesado, Mount Oitz, the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve, until reaching Bermeo , on the shores of the Cantabrian Sea. We rode for a more comfortable variant for the bike, avoiding brushy paths that make pedaling with saddlebags uncomfortable, with more tracks and local roads.

Laguardia is part of the network of Medieval Cities and Villas, and of the network of the most beautiful villages in Spain.

Logroño in 2012 and Vitoria-Gasteiz in 2014 were the Spanish Capital of Gastronomy.

Since 2014, Bilbao has been a UNESCO Creative City of Design.

Since 1984, Urdaibai is a Biosphere Reserve.

The Lagoons of Laguardia, and the Mundaka-Guernika estuary are wetlands protected by the RAMSAR Convention, in addition to being both classified as SCI and also as SPA. In addition, this route runs through the southern Sierras de Álava, the riverbanks of Ayuda, the high mountains of Vitoria, the reservoirs of the Zadorra system, the Urdaibai fluvial nerwork, and the Urdaibai estuary, these are spaces classified as SCI (Site of Community Importance); while the southern Sierras de Álava, and the coastal areas and marshes of Urdaibai, are protected areas as SPA (Special Protection Area) within the Natura 2000 network.

Scheduled itinerary: 

Day 1.- Transportation to Logroño. Ride to Laguardia (25 km). Visits to the lagoons of Laguardia, and its wineries (optional). Lodging.
Day 2.- Ride from Laguardia to Vitoria-Gasteiz (61 km) through the southern Sierras de Álava, the riverbanks of Ayuda, and the high mountains of Vitoria. Visits to the Visitors Center of the GR-38 La Traviesa of Lagrán, the Santorkaria caves de Laño, and the historic center of Vitoria-Gasteiz. Lodging.
Day 3.- Ride from Vitoria to Durango (53 km) through the reservoirs of the Zadorra system and the Urkiola Natural Park. Visits to the Urkiola sanctuary, and to the historic center of Durango. Lodging.
Day 4.- Pedalada from Durango to Bermeo (49 km) through the Mount Oitz, and the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve. Visits to the Peace Museum of Gernika, wineries (optional), Ekoetxea, the island of Txatxarramendi, canneries (optional), and the old town of Bermeo. Transportation back home.

Riding through the beech trees Riding through the beech trees
Mists in the mountains of Urkiola Mists in the mountains of Urkiola
The Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve The Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve
More information in the blog (Spanish only): 
Recommended reading: 

In a free pdf: Trayecto alavés de Oyón a Otxandio, by Juan Luis Arrióla Loyola and Begoña Martínez Fuertes.

Reservations:

For reservation you should either call previously by phone to Josetxu (+34 644299532) or send us an email to info@bicicletos.org, to verify that there are still free places. We will send you a booking form and instructions for payment at that time.

Prices

Last update: 
20/03/2022

(Final price may vary depending on the availability of accommodation and the update of rates of the different providers.)

Guided route: 
555,00 €
(Minimum group: 4 people)
Self-guided route: 
45,00 €
Customized route: 
260,00 €

Different route types are explained in General conditions.

Registration