About this tour
A private 8-hour wine tour from San Sebastian exploring two contrasting wineries in Rioja Alavesa, followed by a medieval town visit and pintxos lunch. You'll travel by private car with a local guide, compare family-run and mid-sized operations, learn to identify terroir characteristics, and taste crianzas and reservas. The itinerary wraps up in Laguardia with underground cellars and wine-paired bites, adapting to your group's interests and pace.
Highlights
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off from San Sebastian with private air-conditioned transport
- Two contrasting wineries: one family-run, one mid-sized operation
- Guided wine tasting focusing on terroir, red fruit, vanilla, and spice notes
- Laguardia medieval town with cobbled streets and historic underground cellars
- Three pintxos paired with three local wines as light meal
- Private guide throughout; winery visits may include small groups
- Flexible itinerary tailored to your group's pace and interests
- Suitable for all fitness levels; operates in all weather
What to expect
Your guide collects you from your San Sebastian hotel and drives you into La Rioja's wine region. You'll spend the morning at two carefully selected wineries — one family operation and one larger producer — where you'll walk among vines, explore barrel rooms, and learn how to read the landscape's influence on the wine. A guided tasting follows, breaking down the characteristics of crianza and reserva styles.
After the second winery, you continue to Laguardia, a medieval walled town. Here you'll enjoy a light lunch of three pintxos paired with three wines, with your guide offering tips for exploring the wider wine route and local food culture. Return transport to San Sebastian concludes the day.
What travellers say
- Intimate private transport allows personalised pace and conversation
- Two contrasting wineries showcase both tradition and modern methods
- Local guide offers practical wine-route and food tips
- Laguardia's medieval setting and cellars add cultural depth
- Flexible routing and timing adapt to group interests
- Winery visits may be shared with other small groups, not fully private
- Rain clothes and umbrellas not provided despite all-weather operation
- Light meal only; additional lunch not included in price
- Minimum two-adult requirement may affect solo or small-party bookings
Themes summarised by our team from public information about this tour. Verify specifics on the operator's page before booking.
Good to know
This suits wine enthusiasts and curious visitors wanting hands-on experience without a large-group dynamic; the private car and guide give you flexibility to linger or move faster based on interest. The winery portions may include other small groups (exclusivity isn't guaranteed), though the rest is fully private. Minimum two adults required for the tour to operate; you'll be notified 2+ days ahead if numbers don't meet threshold, with a refund or alternative date offered. Vegetarian and gluten-free options available on request at booking. Bottled water included; bring rain clothes as the tour operates in all weather. Underaged visitors won't be served alcohol. Infants can travel in a pram or specialised seat.
Tour sold and operated by Viator via Viator. Descriptions on this page are original BookNow summaries written by our team — not copied from the operator. Prices and availability are confirmed at checkout.