I've been on many wine tours in my time - Napa, Tuscany, Bordeaux, etc. - and I must say, this tour…read morewas truly something special. Inma, our guide for the day, was the best tour guide I've ever had; yes, THE BEST. She's truly an expert when it comes to Rioja - we found she often knew more than the wineries' own tour guides! And, importantly, she caters the experience to each client (and I should mention she speaks absolutely perfect English). Sure, she'll take you to the bigger, more commercial wineries like Marques de Riscal & Bodegas Ysios, which are both visually stunning and worth going to - but, because she takes the time to learn your tastes she'll introduce you to wineries right up your alley that you'd never otherwise know about, many of which aren't open to the public. And thanks to her local roots & connections, the vintners quite literally give her the keys to their private operations (Gontes comes to mind). Inma caps the day with a delicious late lunch in a private wine cave at Castillo de San Vicente - again, not something you can just go and do; only the locals have access. The cherry on top: her tortilla de patatas is absolutely delicious. All in all, one of the best single days I've had on vacation my entire life. A fantastic experience that I'd recommend to absolutely anyone.

Incredible Rioja Wine Experience with Inma-…read more My boyfriend and I did the Unusual Suspects private tour with Inma. This experience was the highlight of our trip to Spain and a huge part of that was Inma. She taught us about Rioja wine and the region without overloading us with information, made us feel so comfortable, and the experiences at the incredible wineries were due to her relationships with each of the owners, which is a testament to her as a person. We visited three different wineries and had the best lunch that Inma prepared herself with fresh ingredients from our own garden. My boyfriend still talks about her Tortilla de Patatas. We had an additional day in Logrono before heading to San Sebastian and Inma sent us a detailed list of recommendations and even helped us book a bus to San Sebastian, which was a much better option than the train we had booked. I cannot praise Inma and this experience enough.

Bodega Classica - Hacienda Lopez de Haro is just outside the walls of San Vicente de la Sonsierra…read moreand affords magnificent views of the Ebro river and the church/village. The wines are complex and quite enjoyable. The tour was the big attraction. The management was very accommodating of our schedule. Ainhoa Mouriz Ibarra was our guide for the tasting and the tour. This noble Basque woman spoke elegantly about the history of wine in La Rioja. Her presentation had us enthralled. We could have stayed much longer that the 2 hours we did. She graced us with a sampling of a non-traditional/experimental wine using 100 year old local Garnacha grapes. It was startling in its quality. It was ageing in a cement egg. We sampled right from the barrel. Not for sale. Later she took us to another experimental wine in another cement egg for a "barrel" tasting. Once again spectacular wine. Once again, not for sale. This tour reinforced the concept of the rules of La Rioja where the production that bears the DOC must be of an exact terroir and grape mix. That does not limit winemakers from showing their skills in other ways with other wines, just not for sale under he DOC label. Totally recommend, but plan ahead and contact them before you visit.

Posada Mayor de Miguelos is both a Hotel and a Restaurant. The fancy Dining Room is located…read moreupstairs from the Hotel-side check-in, while a more energetic and fun Bistro and Bar is accessible from a parallel street. They also have an underground Bodega of which they offer tours and tastings. It's all contained within a beautifully decorated 17th Century Spanish Country House/Palace, with a relaxing and peaceful atmosphere. Gayle and I enjoyed a long lunch in a small outdoor Patio area between the Bar area and the Hotel. Also in-between was the Bodega area and for a time a fun bunch of folks whose wine tasting capped their adventurous time underground. We were both sorry that we missed our chance to do that too. We both ordered off the "Menu del Dia" and my oxtail steak was fabulous. Gayle was less impressed with her bland cod (is there any other kind?) and wished that she had ordered off the Menu. The couple at the next table did, and Gayle wanted what they were having! However, our shared bottle of wine was good, the Spanish Flan was delicious (as usual), and my young Bride looked radiant. One of our mutual observations was how cute Spanish children are, how handsome the Parents look, and how much doting was going on. We got our chance with a Toddler who came over to say Hi and a Mother that was loving every minute of it. It's amazing during times like this when our broken Spanish is understood by all.

Mayor de Migueloa is located in one of the most popular wine regions in Spain (if not the most…read morepopular). The name of the town is Laguardia, which used to be a defense post established in the 13th century. Laguardia provides a rich historical backdrop over looking Spanish wine country, which offers spectacular atmosphere and picturesque views. My friend and I stayed at Mayor de Migueloa for a weekend and really enjoyed our stay. It's a family run business with charming decor through out the establishment. The old walls and rustic feel of the place takes you back in time, although the hotel is quite cozy, modern and clean. The staff was extremely friendly and accommodating, and we also noticed the owner works closely with the staff on a daily basis, which probably accounts for the attention to detail. The restaurant was fantastic, and for any wine enthusiast, it's a perfect location to stay and travel in the region. Mayor wine is exceptional and I definitely took some home with me. Overall, we loved this place and enjoyed our visit and highly recommend its charm, service and location!

When Gayle and I recently visited Santo Domingo, we stayed at the other Parador in Town - Hotel…read moreSanto Domingo Bernardo de Fresneda. Ours was a very nice 3+ Star Parador, and still within walking distance of the Cathedral and of course the Camino de Santiago. The Parador Hotel Sto. Domingo de la Calzada is located right next to the Cathedral (and Tower) and a simple turn off the Camino. It's a gorgeous Parador and occupies a 12th century former hospital. Built by Saint Dominic, it was used to give shelter to the pilgrims on the Road to Santiago. We walked around and were very impressed. And although we were very happy with our Bernardo choice, this Parador might have turned out even better.

If you are walking the Camino (as many people are in this town) -- this Parador is a sight for…read moresore/muddy/cold eyes and feet. While it will run you 10x what an albergue costs, if you haven't spoiled yourself since St. Jean, you should. The lower lobby level has a lot of historical artifacts from when this place was used way back when, and that ties nicely back to the history of the Camino de Santiago, so it's not like you aren't being a pilgrim. The breakfast buffet was also a nice break from the standard coffee/croissant. The rooms are comfortable, the bath tubs huge, and while the beds leave a little to be desired, in all honesty --- you have the room to yourself, and it feels like a slice of heaven. I would definitely come back if I ever find myself in northern Spain.

We spend three months near this region every year and were so pleased to find this hotel/restaurant…read morewhich opened about two years ago. The owner is an amazing woman who really enjoys what she is doing. In addition to a wonderful restaurant, they have a spa where you can get a massage, facial, etc. The hotel is in front of city hall and there is an Austrian clock that is fabulous. At certain times of the day, two Basque figurines come out and do a Basque dance. The city is hollowed and therefore no cars are allowed inside. Most every building has a wine cellar. In addition to the hotel, the family owns a restaurant, called El Bodegon which is a few blocks from the hotel. Lunch or dinner there is a most. From now on, instead of staying at other places in Elciego or Haro, this will be our home base for a visit to the Rioja.

Nice little albergue in the beautiful town of Nájera along the Camino. The proprietor, Mayte, is a…read morefellow Peregrino and couldn't have been more accommodating. Here, we did our laundry and bought wine and snacks for the night. Internet was good and the water in the shower was nice and hot. Be sure to take a stroll along the fast-moving river right outside your door. ¡Buen Camino!

Small operation with no tasting fee. No tour fee. Really helpful people who worked with us on our…read moreschedule. Idoia was our tour guide and tasting manager. One of the best tours in three weeks of touring la Rioja. Spectacular wines. Nearly the best we tasted among the 30 wineries we visited. They age their wines longer than the required for the la Rioja DOC designation. It results in very special wines at a great price point. Examine the photos for the story of this 90 minute visit. Included is a way you can acquire these wines in the USA.

In April of 2018 a friend recommended to contact Celia. We visited wiith a couple of friends and…read morewe loved her! All the plans that she suggested were incredible, including unique wineries that we would have never visited otherwise. We had an amazing experience, thanks to her. Highly recommendable!