Private Day in Rioja from San Sebastian
Description
Enjoy a relaxed private day in Rioja designed to help you truly understand the region, from funky modern wineries to classic styles and long-established traditions. With 3 wineries: one guided winery visit and two guided tastings, this experience offers time to learn, taste, and ask questions at an easy pace. Along the way, your local guide shares the stories behind Rioja’s history, labels, styles, and how the region is changing today—without lectures or jargon. The approach is personal and informal, the wines are carefully chosen, and the focus is on clarity, enjoyment, and quality. You’ll leave not only having tasted great wines, but with a clear sense of what Rioja is, where it comes from, and where it’s heading.
Tour Options
Itinerary
We begin the day in Briones, a beautiful medieval town perched on a hilltop above the vineyards. Walking through its quiet streets and stopping at the Rioja lookout, we take in the landscape and talk about what makes this region so special: the surrounding mountains, the wide valley below, and the key role of the Ebro River in shaping Rioja’s climate and wines. It’s the perfect place to understand the big picture before heading into the cellars. Walking visit · No tasting.
Our next stop is Cenicero, where we visit a small, unique modern wine project housed inside a 15th-century winery. Here, you’ll explore an underground cellar and learn about the long history of winemaking in Rioja, while also discovering how the region is evolving today. The wines are natural and expressive, made from vineyards with vines over 100 years old, followed by a guided tasting that connects past and present in the glass. Guided winery visit and tasting included.
Around Villabuena de Álava, we visit a family-owned winery where wine is still very much a hands-on, personal craft. During a guided tasting, you’ll learn how to read Rioja labels, understand classifications, and recognize different styles, all while tasting wines that reflect both tradition and everyday life in Rioja. Guided winery tasting included.
We then head to Haro’s famous Barrio de la Estación to visit a classic winery founded at the end of the 19th century. This is where you taste traditional Rioja aged in American oak barrels and learn why this style became so influential, both in Spain and internationally. It’s a key chapter in understanding what “classic Rioja” really means. Guided winery tasting included.
We finish the day in Labastida with a relaxed traditional lunch at a small, family-loved restaurant run by two sisters and popular with locals and wine makers from the surrounding villages. The menu focuses on classic Rioja dishes made with local produce, paired with village wines. It’s an easy, authentic ending to a day of learning, tasting, and conversation.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Pick up from different locations is possible for an extra charge
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
Reviews(86)
We did a customized tour for our family of 11 to visit a few Rioja wineries and see some unique architecture in the area. Our guide, Malena, and driver picked us up promptly, and Malena used the drive time to give us an interesting history of the Basque region and culture. She is incredibly knowledgeable and engaging. The visits and lunch they arranged were excellent, and she was so patient an accomodating with our interests. We had three young boys along for the trip, and Malena made sure they were comfortable and entertained during the tastings. The entire experience, from communications during the booking months ago, through some modifications due to our schedule, and even some restaurant recommendations for the remainder of our trip, was all handled professionally. I would highly recommend using this group for anything in the region.
Start to finish - amazing experience. Lucia was so helpful with curating the perfect experiences by email, very patient and very helpful, even before we booked the tours. Great communication leading up to the tour as well. And finally our guide Luis was fantastic and would for sure recommend him for any group. We did both a San Sebastián old town pintxos walking tour and then also a day driving to Rioja to tour some wine houses and a bit of shopping. Luis was super friendly, relaxed, knowledgeable, kept us feeling safe, and just a cool guy to be around.
Best day of our trip — book Ikusnahi Tours My wife and I did the Rioja region tour with Ernes and it was the highlight of our time in the Basque Country. Wineries, olive oil tastings, beautiful landscapes and real local insight into the food and wine culture — all in one day. Ernes is a fantastic guide. Knowledgeable, warm and genuinely passionate about sharing his region. Not a single dull moment. Worth every penny. Highly recommend.
We had a wonderful visit to Rioja with Malena! All of the wineries were outstanding, but also so different to give you a range of styles. The lunch was amazing - the food was delicious and Malena handled everything for us. It was a good mix of history/wine details and also just a fun conversation. Would highly recommend!
One of the joys of Rioja is discovering that no two wineries are ever quite the same. Each has its own story, style and personality, and we're so glad you enjoyed experiencing that variety throughout the day. It also sounds like you found the perfect balance between learning about the region and simply relaxing over great wine, food and conversation. Thank you for your recommendation and for choosing to explore Rioja with Malena. We hope it's a day you'll look back on every time you open a bottle of Rioja!
Luis picked us up in a brand new comfortable van and each winery was unique and timed perfectly. Pouring rain in San Sebastian but sunny and beautiful in the wine country!
Thank you so much for sharing this, Carl. We’re really happy you had such a smooth and enjoyable day with Luis, and that the Rioja part treated you to such great weather. Really appreciate your kind words.
Martin took us to a few smaller wineries where the wine makers went to the beat of their own drum. Truly special locations and amazing wines. Martin was an amazing host sharing his extensive knowledge of the basque region. We couldn't have asked for a better day.
What a lovely way to describe Rioja, Todd :) Those small independent wineries are exactly the soul of the region, people following their own path, making wines with character and a lot of heart. Martin will be very happy to hear you connected with both the wines and the stories behind them. We’re proud to share these lesser known corners of Rioja and the Basque Country with travelers who appreciate the real thing. Hope to see you back someday for another long lunch and a few more unforgettable glasses of wine!
Great organization with attention to detail and finding the right mix of activities to suit my needs. I am a sommelier from Italy and wanted to explore off the path wineries and learn about Rioja, while also accommodating a view of the region and food experiences. The team managed to create the perfect mix, they were friendly and super knowledgeable, overall a memorable experience 🌟 🌟🌟🌟🌟
What a pleasure to read this. It’s really special for us to receive a sommelier and be part of your journey discovering Rioja in your own way. We’re very happy the mix of wineries, views and food experiences worked so well for you. Thanks a lot for your kind words.
If I could give this tour 10 stars, I would! We booked very last-minute, and Ernes at Ikusnahi Tours went above and beyond to make it happen for us. Our guide, Martin, was fantastic—friendly, passionate, and incredibly knowledgeable. He took us safely through the Rioja region while sharing fascinating insights about Basque culture and history. We left with a much deeper appreciation for the area. Each winery was unique and beautiful, with delicious wines, light snacks, and water provided (a must when starting early!). The hosts were informative and welcoming, and we learned a lot about winemaking and aging techniques. Lunch at a local restaurant was a highlight—honestly the best meal we’ve had in Basque Country, and we’ve eaten a lot of pintxos! The food, wine, and dessert were all incredible. From start to finish, this was hands down the best tour we’ve been on. If you're looking for amazing wine, authentic food, and a local, knowledgeable guide—book this tour. Eskerrik asko, Ernes & Martin!!
Wow… reviews like this really make our day :) We’re so happy we could make the last minute planning work and that Martin gave you such a memorable introduction to Rioja, Basque culture and all the stories behind the wines and landscapes. This is exactly the experience we hope to create, relaxed, authentic, full of great conversations, beautiful wineries and long meals that people still remember afterwards. Ernes and Martin will both be smiling reading this. Eskerrik asko for traveling with us and for appreciating this special corner of the world with so much enthusiasm!
Mark, our guide was excellent!!! He was knowledgeable and super friendly and immediately put us at ease. The tour itinerary was well planned out and well executed. We would highly recommend this tour!!!
So happy you enjoyed your Rioja day with Mark :) Great wine, beautiful scenery and easy conversation along the way is exactly how these experiences should feel. We’re really glad the itinerary, wineries and overall rhythm of the day made it such a memorable experience for you. Eskerrik asko for the recommendation!
This was a brilliant adventure. I had a spectacular time tasting amazing wines that I would never have gotten to taste without the wonderful help and guide from the Ikusnahi team. Two days of amazing unique wineries and spectacular tastings. It was amazing to learn about Rioja and the Basque region. Every part of the trip was perfectly run and I couldnt have asked for more. They also gave amazing suggestions for the rest of my trip. For anyone looking to do a tour, I could not recommend them more. They truly went over and beyond. Thank you!!!
This is exactly the kind of Rioja experience we love creating :) Unique wineries, wines you would never easily discover on your own, long tastings, local stories and feeling truly connected to the region instead of just passing through it. We’re so happy the two days felt personal, relaxed and full of special moments along the way. And honestly, helping people continue their journey after the tour with local recommendations is one of our favorite parts too. Eskerrik asko for such kind words and for trusting us with your Rioja adventure!
