Wine Detour

[ScrantonSãoPaulo]

Has anybody pulled a detour on the camino frances in order to visit some wineries in La Rioja and schedule some tours and tastings? Ideally, we would love to veer off the typical Camino Frances at Logrono and head northwest on foot until Haro. We'd spend 3-4 days doing some tastings and scheduled vineyard/winery tours. Depending on the scheduled visits and availability, our possible nightly stops would be in Elciego, Samaniego, La Guardia, Briones, and/or Haro. From Haro, we'd meet back up on the typical camino path somewhere between Najera and Santo Domingo.

As we have no prior experience in this region, we have no idea on the feasibility for pedestrian travel between these points. Our alternative would be to take a mini break from the camino after we reach Lagronho, and use public transport and/or taxi to visit a couple places from the list of towns I mentioned above. Afterward, we'd return to Lagronho where we last left off. We also of course would be able to save this until after we completed the camino, but I'd rather avoid the backtracking if possible.

I'm interested to hear any opinions or advice on the feasibility of this tentative plan. Thanks in advance.

 

[scruffy1]

Both Haro - just north of the CF a short bus ride from Santo Domingo de la Calzada or from Logroño - and Logroño claim to be the Rioja capital of the world. Pop into the tourist information office at either and they will be happy to help you.

 

[Deleted member 12253]

Has anybody pulled a detour on the camino frances in order to visit some wineries in La Rioja and schedule some tours and tastings? Ideally, we would love to veer off the typical Camino Frances at Logrono and head northwest on foot until Haro. We'd spend 3-4 days doing some tastings and scheduled vineyard/winery tours. Depending on the scheduled visits and availability, our possible nightly stops would be in Elciego, Samaniego, La Guardia, Briones, and/or Haro. From Haro, we'd meet back up on the typical camino path somewhere between Najera and Santo Domingo.

As we have no prior experience in this region, we have no idea on the feasibility for pedestrian travel between these points. Our alternative would be to take a mini break from the camino after we reach Lagronho, and use public transport and/or taxi to visit a couple places from the list of towns I mentioned above. Afterward, we'd return to Lagronho where we last left off. We also of course would be able to save this until after we completed the camino, but I'd rather avoid the backtracking if possible.

I'm interested to hear any opinions or advice on the feasibility of this tentative plan. Thanks in advance.

Yes . Quite scary 12 wineries in la Rioja alone right in front of as you walk from vianna to Logrono. You will pass 3 or 4 more before Burgos right on Camino. Keep walking and you will hit Elvis bar end of messete and then you will find cowboy bar. Bring health insurance. Did I mention the free wine fountain at irache.

 

[Vacajoe]

Funny, I was just looking into a side-trip to Bodegas LAN winery just north of Navarette! I was excited to see that I’d be walking just a few miles from the birthplace of one of my favorite wines and planned to take a rest day, hire a taxi, and “support the local economy”. Glad I’m not alone!

 

[scruffy1]

Wasn't going to say much else but I just have to add a bit more. Enjoy your Rioja which you know and expect but save your pesos for Galicia and the surprising red Ribeira Sacra a-n-d the best wine on the Camino the white (!!!) Albariño - if too expensive so go for Godello

 

[KinkyOne]

Has anybody pulled a detour on the camino frances in order to visit some wineries in La Rioja and schedule some tours and tastings? Ideally, we would love to veer off the typical Camino Frances at Logrono and head northwest on foot until Haro. We'd spend 3-4 days doing some tastings and scheduled vineyard/winery tours. Depending on the scheduled visits and availability, our possible nightly stops would be in Elciego, Samaniego, La Guardia, Briones, and/or Haro. From Haro, we'd meet back up on the typical camino path somewhere between Najera and Santo Domingo.

As we have no prior experience in this region, we have no idea on the feasibility for pedestrian travel between these points. Our alternative would be to take a mini break from the camino after we reach Lagronho, and use public transport and/or taxi to visit a couple places from the list of towns I mentioned above. Afterward, we'd return to Lagronho where we last left off. We also of course would be able to save this until after we completed the camino, but I'd rather avoid the backtracking if possible.

I'm interested to hear any opinions or advice on the feasibility of this tentative plan. Thanks in advance.

If you intend to end your wine detour in Haro maybe you can choose to get back to CF by walking the last stage of Camino Vasco del Interior: https://www.gronze.com/etapa/haro/santo-domingo-calzada

Buen Camino!

 

[RJM]

Bodega Tandem. Literally on the Camino Francais between Lorca and Villatuerta. About two days, or 40 km from Rioja on the Francais. I do not know if they do tours or tastings, but they have a website and I met one of the owners as I walked by and we chatted for several minutes. Very nice guy.
There's another winery literally on the Francais between Ponferrada and Villafranca del Bierzo, I believe. It looked as though they had tours/tastings. I do not recall the name of the winery, though.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

https://lariojaturismo.com/en/agenda?eharmonise:eventType@@@multiLan:textValue=wine activities@en

https://lariojaturismo.com/en/comer-y-beber?default;rdf:type=winery

 

[Olivia Covarrubias]

I'm thinking about visiting a winery near Molinaseca and it's only about 20 minutes to walk from the Hostal. I say go for it. I'm not much of a red wine drinker, but I would like to taste and when in Spain...

 

[ScrantonSãoPaulo]

Thanks for all the advice.

 

[ScrantonSãoPaulo]

If you intend to end your wine detour in Haro maybe you can choose to get back to CF by walking the last stage of Camino Vasco del Interior: https://www.gronze.com/etapa/haro/santo-domingo-calzada

Buen Camino!

Thanks a lot for the link. This helps a lot!

 

[crhutch]

On my Camino 2 years ago My wife and I took a few days off and went to Haro. There are some great wineries there: CUNE, Muga, La Rioja Alta, Lopez de Heredia, Ramon Bilbao and more. These are some of the great wineries of Rioja so I highly recommend it. Be sure you contact the wineries you are interested in and make an appointment. Take a bus to Haro from Santo Domingo de la Calzada as it is a very short 20 minute ride. When you leave you can walk back to Santo Domingo on the Camino Vasco Interior or take a bus back. Buen Camino y muy bueno vino!

 

[Aysen Mustafa]

I am thinking of taking a couple days off to visit Bilbao and the Guggenheim. A day off to also visit wineries sounds like a good idea.

 

[LesBrass]

I had to cut short a mini CF last year and my husband suggested instead a few days in Haro. He loves Riojan wine and wanted to visit a couple of wineries. It's a beautiful little town with a very friendly feel... a lovely place to visit. I wrote a short blog and there are lots of photos here
https://caminobrassblog.wordpress.com/2017/05/07/gerry-said/
https://caminobrassblog.wordpress.com/2017/05/07/gerry-said/

 

[globetrotter]

No need to take a detour. The Frances takes you through several wine regions. You walk through the vineyards going through the Bierzo wine region and going into and through Cacabelos there are wineries and at least 3 and, I think more, places to taste Bierzo wines in the town and along the trail. It's been 4 years since my last camino but if I'm not mistaken there may also be wine houses in Bierzo. There are also a couple of other places along the camino (no detour required) to taste, including the famous wine fountain. I remember stopping at one free tasting in the Bierzo wine region around lunch time and if you bought a glass for a Euro or two they offered tapas. It was basically a free lunch. Going into Cacabelos there is a hotel restaurant winery where we had lunch. You can do tasting with lunch or go into the bodega to taste. Before hiking the camino I thought the best Spanish red wines were from Ribiero de Duero (walk through the north fringe of this area but don't recall tastings) and an area distant from the camino (Priorat) but the Bierzo wines, both red and white are terrific. Unfortunately few Bierzo wines can be found to buy in the US. Maybe they keep the best in Spain for themselves.

 

[Keith H]

This is exactly my plan as well! When I finally get to do the Camino I’ll have finished a 2-year post-grad diploma in wine and I plan on hanging out in Logroño and Haro for 2-3 days and enjoying it without thinking about it too much.