Biking the Vineyards of La Rioja

The terrain is undulating with some longer or steeper ascents and descents on quiet country roads, cycle paths and easy gravel tracks, with the occasional short stretch on busier roads as you approach towns.

You must be prepared to ascend hills at the end of a days ride while approaching hilltop towns, and be comfortable with riding trails off-road as this route is a mixture of paved and off-road.

This tour is graded moderate. The grade reflects the whole tour, and individual days may vary in difficulty - some rides may be a little harder or easier than the overall rating suggests.

Accommodation is in a mix of hand-picked 3 and 4-star hotels full of history and character - think a UNESCO World Heritage monastery, a converted 18th-century town mansion, a restored 14th-century convent and a former 17th-century palace, among the properties used along the route. During high season, you might occasionally be booked into an alternative property not listed in your day-by-day description, but if so, it'll be of the same or better standard.

Yes, solo travelers are very welcome. There will be a supplement because some costs, like transfers, aren't shared. Or if you'd like to book a single room, just ask. These are available for a supplement.

Breakfast is included every day at your hotel, usually a spread of coffee, juice, toast, cheese, ham and some fruit - just let us know in advance if you have any special dietary requirements. Lunch and dinner aren't included, but as you'll be staying in the heart of each village or town, there's plenty of choice for an evening meal. La Rioja is well known for its pintxos scene, with small, inexpensive bites of food served on slices of bread, usually paired with a glass of local red wine - look out for bars that specialize in just one standout variety.

April to June and September to October offer close to perfect cycling conditions, with warm, dry weather. April tends to be a little cooler, while May brings long, warm days when the countryside really comes to life. In July and August, temperatures can climb past 35°C (95°F), so it's best to avoid being out in the midday sun - most people cycle in the early morning during these hotter months and relax in the shade for the rest of the day.

Your bags will be collected from your accommodation each day and moved onto your overnight accommodation. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg/44lbs per person.

Navigation is straightforward using our app which has maps, tracks and daily route info. Simply download the information and tracks for offline use and follow the route on your phone. Once on the trail you do not need signal for the app to work and follow your progress.

This tour starts and ends in Logroño, which is easy to reach by public transport. The train station is around 1.5km from the center of town, and the bus station is an easy 1km walk from the hotel. The best airports to use are Bilbao or Madrid.

From Bilbao, the airport is around 12km from the city center, with a regular bus from just outside the arrivals terminal into the city, serving both the main bus station (Termibus) and Abando Train Station. From Abando, trains to Logroño take around 2 hours 55 minutes, with 2 direct services a day (around 20 euros per person) via RENFE. Cuadra Bus Lines also run around 7 buses a day between Logroño and Bilbao (around 24 euros one-way, taking around 1 hour 45 minutes). Private transfers between Bilbao Airport and Logroño are available for a supplement, bookable in advance through your sales specialist. For the return journey, the same Abando train service takes around 2 hours 30 minutes (around 15 euros per person), and Cuadra Bus Lines run around 8 buses a day (around 10 euros one-way).

From Madrid, ALSA buses run 5 times a day from the airport itself (Terminal 4) to Logroño, taking around 4 hours (around 27 euros per person) - if you land at terminals 1, 2 or 3, there's a free airport bus service to Terminal 4. Alternatively, trains from central Madrid to Logroño take around 3.5 hours, with one direct morning service (around 07:52) Monday to Saturday, plus several daily services changing trains at Zaragoza, via RENFE. For the return journey, ALSA buses run 5 times a day from Logroño to the airport (around 4 hours, around 24 euros per person, with a free shuttle on to terminals 1, 2 or 3 if needed), and the direct morning train runs the same route in reverse, also around 3.5 hours.

You'll need your standard cycling gear. Bike hire comes with a pannier rack and bag, a pump, lock, a basic repair kit, and handlebar phone. On booking, our Tour Info will give you a complete packing list.

Since you'll have your bike with you, shortening or skipping sections may not be easy. For the best local advice on transport options for cyclists, please consult your accommodation provider or reach out to our local bike partner, where applicable. Our local office in Spain can also help arrange transport if you need to skip a stage.

We hire bikes suited to the terrain, including e-bikes for a bit of extra assist, in a range of sizes - just let us know your height when booking so we can get your frame right. If you'd like to bring your own bike, in the majority of cases this isn't a problem - please contact us to talk it through. We encourage all cyclists to wear a helmet, and it's the law in many European countries. We'd recommend bringing your own helmet for hygiene and safety reasons, though on most tours you can hire one too.

The following bikes are available for hire on this tour:

Hybrid bike: Wynora Domino 27 touring bike, with puncture-resistant hybrid tires, a bike stand and mudguard.
E-bike upgrade: Kalkhoff Endeavour 1 B Move, 500Wh battery with a long battery life and short charge time, in high and low bar models from size XS to XL.

Tandem bikes aren't available on this tour. Brand and model may vary depending on availability, and the minimum age for e-bike hire is 16.

When booking, please let us know your height (for bike sizing) and head circumference if you'd like to hire a helmet.

Bike hire includes a spare inner tube, a repair kit and pump, a helmet (though we recommend bringing your own), a pannier bag, a water bottle holder, one map holder or phone mount per two bikes, and one lock per two bikes.

Many people choose an e-bike for the extra assistance on the hills, though do note that e-bikes are heavier than standard bicycles.

We highly recommend that you have travel insurance when you book with Macs Adventure. Your policy should cover medical treatment (including repatriation and emergency evacuation by air ambulance or helicopter), injury, death, third-party liability, and trip cancellation