Madrid to Rioja wine tour: 2 Rivers, 3 days via Ribera del Duero
- 3 DAY WINE TOUR
- PRIVATE TOUR
- RIOJA AND RIBERA DUERO
- BEST PRICE GUARANTEED
- Private Tour
- 2 or 3 days
- Mon-Sun
- Hotels included
A private 3-day wine trip from Madrid to Rioja, in English, for 2 to 7 people, any day of the week. We pick you up at your accomodation in Madrid around 9:00 and bring you back around 15:00 on day 3 On the way you stop in Segovia, visit 2 family wineries in Ribera del Duero with their owners and spend the night in Burgos. Day two is for Rioja: 2 more wineries, lunch at the Marqués de Riscal bistro and a night in the walled village of Laguardia. On day 3 a modern winery serves tapas with its wines before the drive back. 5 wineries, 3 lunches with wine and 2 excellent hotels with breakfast are included. From 990 per person, based on 4 people.
From Madrid to Rioja, following 2 rivers
2 of Spain’s most famous red wines grow along two rivers. Ribera del Duero lives on the Duero, high and dry, with cold nights that give its Tempranillo, here called Tinto Fino, its depth. Rioja grows along the Ebro, softer and older in its traditions, with cellars dug under its villages. Most visitors choose one. This trip from Madrid to Rioja lets you taste both, in order, and understand why they are so different.
“This is the trip I’d plan for a friend who loves red wine and has 3 days to spare in Madrid: one region a day, the best stops in between, and nobody has to drive!”
Luis Lechuga – Founder
Your three days, day by day: a sample itinerary
This is a sample itinerary, to show you how the trip usually runs. Times are approximate, and the wineries depend on availability on your dates: we may change the order of the visits or choose another winery just as good, and the owners aren't always there to show you round themselves. We confirm the final plan in your detailed itinerary before you travel.
Madrid, Segovia and Ribera del Duero
Over the mountains to the Duero- 9:00We pick you up
At your hotel or apartment in central Madrid.
- MorningSegovia
A stop under the Roman aqueduct, on the way north.
- MiddayRibera del Duero
Two family wineries, usually shown by their owners: one with centuries-old cellars dug deep into the hillside, and a second where the family pours its own wines. Lunch with wine, at a winery whenever possible.
- EveningBurgos
Check in at your hotel in this Gothic city. The evening is yours.
Into Rioja
Haro, Marqués de Riscal and Laguardia- MorningBreakfast in Burgos
Then the road east to Rioja.
- Late morningTwo Rioja wineries
A historic winery in Haro's Station District, where Rioja's great houses set up beside the railway in the 19th century, and a tasting with a family winery in Rioja Alavesa.
- LunchMarqués de Riscal
At the bistro of the winery, next to Frank Gehry's titanium hotel in Elciego.
- AfternoonLaguardia
Your home for the night: a walled medieval village built over a maze of underground cellars. Check in, and the evening is yours to wander its lanes.
One last glass, and back to Madrid
Tapas at a modern winery- MorningA modern winery
Breakfast at the hotel, then tapas and wine at a modern cellar.
- Around 15:00Back in Madrid
At your hotel. Or, if you'd rather travel on, we can drop you off in another city.
What's included in Two Rivers, our Madrid to Rioja wine tour
Included
- Pick-up and drop-off at your hotel or apartment in central MadridInside the M-30 ring road. Staying further out? Ask us
- A private car or minivan with air conditioning, just for your party, for the three days
- Your own English-speaking guide for the whole trip
- Visits and tastings at 5 wineries2 in Ribera del Duero, 2 in Rioja and a last one on day three
- 3 lunches with wineIn Ribera, at a winery whenever possible; at the Marqués de Riscal bistro; and tapas at the last winery
- 2 nights in 4-star or boutique hotels, with breakfastBurgos and Laguardia
- Tolls, bottled water in the car and Spanish VAT (21%)
Not included
- DinnersYour guide will happily tell you where to go
- Wine you buy at the wineries
- Extra drinks beyond the wines with lunch
- TipsAlways optional
Pick-up time: around 9:00, confirmed in your detailed itinerary.
From the airport: possible if you're ready by 9:00.
Hotels: confirmed in your itinerary, about three weeks before the trip.
Payment: 15% deposit to book, the rest about three weeks before.
Food: tell us about any dietary needs when you book.
Cancellation: 15% charge more than 30 days before, 30% within 30 days, non-refundable in the last 7 days.
Have a Question?
Have a look first at our Q&A section or contact us
If you’d like to continue your trip to Barcelona, Bilbao, San Sebastián or elsewhere in northern Spain, tell us when you write. We’ll help you plan it, from a drop-off in another city to extra days on the road.
Who is this tour for?
An honest answer, so you can choose the right trip out of Madrid.
It's for you if…
- Red wine is your thing, and you'd like to taste Ribera del Duero and Rioja side by side
- You want to see both regions properly, not in one rushed day
- You'd rather have the whole trip planned for you, hotels included
- You're a couple or a few friends and want to travel at your own pace
Maybe not, if…
- You only have one day. Then Tinto Fino gives you Ribera del Duero in a day trip.
- You'd rather stay close to Madrid. Try Plaza & Cellars, in Madrid's own wine country.
Not sure which one suits you? Write to us and we will tell you what we'd choose.
Reviews of customers that have enjoyed one of these tours from Madrid to Barcelona
Two Rivers on the map: from Madrid to Rioja via Ribera del Duero
North from Madrid over the mountains to Segovia and the Duero, a night in Burgos, then east to the Ebro and Rioja, with a night in Laguardia before the road home.
Days 1 and 2Day 3, back to Madrid
Schematic map, not to scale.
Day 1
- 1
MadridPick-up at your hotel or apartment, around 9:00.
- 2
SegoviaA stop under the Roman aqueduct on the way north.
- 3
Ribera del DueroTwo family wineries, often with their owners, and lunch with wine.
- 4
BurgosYour first night, in the city of the Gothic cathedral.
Day 2
- 5
Haro and Rioja AlavesaA historic winery in the Station District and a family tasting.
- 6
Marqués de RiscalLunch at the bistro in Elciego.
- 7
LaguardiaYour second night, inside or just outside the medieval walls.
Day 3
- 8
One last wineryTapas and wine at a modern cellar.
- 9
Back in MadridAt your hotel around 15:00.
Notes from our guides
What you'll find between the Duero and the Ebro
Ribera del Duero and Rioja both make their great reds from Tempranillo, which in Ribera goes by Tinto Fino or Tinta del País. That's where the similarity ends. Ribera sits high on the Castilian plateau along the Duero, with hot days and cold nights, and its villages keep old cellars dug into the hillsides. Rioja follows the Ebro. In Haro, the great wineries grew up around the railway station in the 19th century, so they could send their wine to France and beyond. In Laguardia, the medieval village stands on top of a maze of underground cellars. On the way you also pass two UNESCO World Heritage sites: Segovia's Roman aqueduct and the Gothic cathedral of Burgos.
Share this tour
from €990
Prices are per person, based on 4 people. Contact us to check dates & prices for 2, 3 or more, or write to us if you’re 8 or more.
Why with us and Terms
- Is the tour in English? Yes, the whole trip. Your guide speaks fluent English and is with you at every winery, translating whenever the owner shows you round in Spanish.
- We’re only two. Is it worth it? Yes. Most of our guests are couples, and a private trip for two is exactly what this tour is designed for.
- Is this a private tour? Can I join other travellers? Yes. Your car, your guide and the whole trip are only for you and the people you book with. At some wineries you may share the visit or the tasting room with other visitors. Travelling solo or looking to share the trip? Write to us and we’ll happily recommend good small-group options.
- Which hotels will we stay in? The first night is in a 4-star or boutique hotel in Burgos. The second is in Laguardia, in one of two hotels we know well: a tiny boutique hotel inside the medieval walls, or a larger, quieter hotel just outside them. Both serve excellent breakfasts. Which one depends on availability and on your room: the boutique hotel only has double beds, so if you need twin beds we book the second. We confirm both hotels in your detailed itinerary, which we send about three weeks before the trip.
- Can we end the trip somewhere else instead of Madrid? Yes. We can drop you off in another city, such as Bilbao or San Sebastián, or add a day in Rioja. Write to us and we’ll adapt it.
- Can I choose the wineries? We choose them for you, mixing small family producers and better-known names. If there’s a winery you’d love to visit, tell us when you book and we’ll try to fit it in.
- Dietary restrictions. Tell us when you book. Lunches can be adapted to most diets.
- Pick-up time. Generally at 9:00 AM, confirmed a few days before the trip.
- Airport pick-up. Yes, if you’re ready at the airport by 9:00 AM.
- Where do you pick us up? Anywhere in central Madrid, inside the M-30 ring road: your hotel, apartment or Airbnb. Staying outside it, in Pozuelo, La Moraleja or near the airport, for example? Tell us your address when you book and we’ll confirm the pick-up and whether there’s a small supplement.
- Do you work with large groups? Yes. For groups of 8 or more we plan the trip with a larger vehicle and, if needed, more than one guide, and we choose wineries that can host the whole group. Write to us with your numbers and dates and we’ll send you a tailored quote.
- Is this tour suitable for a corporate trip? Yes, of course. We organise trips for companies, teams and incentive groups. We can adapt the programme, add a private tasting or a group dinner, and invoice your company. Tell us what you have in mind and we’ll put it together.
- We’re travelling from the US, Canada or Australia / from Singapore, Hong Kong or Japan. Las mismas preguntas que en las otras fichas, adaptadas (cena libre, horarios de comida, propinas).
- Can I pay with American Express? / with PayPal? Igual que en las otras fichas.
- Can we book with a deposit? Yes. You can reserve your dates with a 15% deposit and pay the rest about three weeks before, when we send your detailed itinerary.
Winetourismspain.com is the most secure, easy and best way to experience the fantastic wineries of Ribera del Duero and Rioja during your stay in Madrid. Not only can we save you the time and effort of organising your winery visits in English, we can also offer you the opportunity to explore the area in luxury and comfort with your own experienced wine expert guide for the day, and really get to know the wineries and high quality wines in the area.
We only work with the best guides and wine producers in Ribera del Duero and Rioja. We are experts in the region and our customers count on our knowledge to build the perfect tour on the chosen day.
You can make your reservation by contacting us to confirm availability. A booking link will be sent from where you will be able to book.
If you are booking well in advance you may prefer to pay a 20% deposit to reserve your date. If you book for less than 30 days we recommend you book paying the full amount. Full balance is requesterd 4 or 3 weeks prior to the starting tour date.
If cancelled 30 days before the start of your trip, 15% of the total services cost will be deducted. For cancellations within 30 days of the starting date of the service, 30% of the total cost will be charged. Tours cancelled 7 days or less prior to the first day of your trip are non-refundable. We advise that you consider purchasing Trip Cancellation / Travel Insurance.