Arrive in the village of Ábalos, where you'll spend the first three nights. Your host is a wine-maker and oenologist, whose first commercial wine won the prestigious Bacchus de Oro in 2006. If you arrive early there are a couple of way-marked walks nearby. The hotel serves a creative set menu for dinner, accompanied by estate-produced wines.

Meals:  D

Your first cycling route takes in two of the major wine producing villages in La Rioja, Laguardia and Elciego. In 2001, Domecq – a giant in the wine and sherry industry – opened a modern winery in Laguardia: Ysios, designed by architect Santiago Calatrava. This was quite a revolution for the traditional wine-producing industry. Since then, other modern – and some very extravagant – bodegas have opened in the region. Top of list is the luxury hotel designed by Frank Gehry for Marques de Riscal Wineries, a wave of purple and grey titanium, close to historic Elciego. In addition to Laguardia and Elciego, you will pass several other villages of note, some situated on hilltops or beneath imposing churches, all with narrow winding lanes and tiny squares. While the route is technically easy on surfaced roads, there are 3 ascents of over 100m plus several smaller ones. Cycling: ascent/descent 580m/1902ft Villages along the way: Laguardia, Elciego, Navaridas, Eskuernaga

Meals:  B

Today varied route is along quiet country roads, passing vineyards and tiny villages, with grand churches and castles in ruins. Two places offer lovely historic town centres: San Vicente de la Sonsierra and Labastida. In San Vicente, there’s a large Medieval bridge over the River Ebro as well as several wineries and tasting rooms. There's an optional cycling excursion on unsurfaced tracks along the river where you can visit Haro, chief village of the wine-producing district known as “La Rioja Alta”. It has a lovely town centre and art museum. Return to Abalos for overnight. Cycling: ascent/descent 285m/935ft

Meals:  B

Leaving Abalos behind, you cross the Ebro and cycle south through gently rolling terrain with vineyards, fields of grain and orchards. The route takes you from the dry, hilly wine country into the green 'Sierra de la Demanda'. In the morning you can choose to visit the museum of the giant Vivanco winery in Briones, with its wine paraphernalia collection. At one point the route crosses the Camino pilgrimage route. The countryside is vast and beautiful. By way of Alesanco and Badarán, you reach the monasteries of Yuso and Suso, set in an open valley at the foot of the sierra. Your accommodation is either a Baroque monastery beautifully renovated into a hotel, situated on the village square in San Millan de la Cogolla or a characterful 3 star hotel in Badaran (dependent on availability). The cycling today has some not steep but quite long ascents. Cycling: ascent 420m/1378ft, descent 300m/984ft If booked at Badaran: 32km/20mi (& we suggest visiting the monasteries tomorrow morning). Villages along the way: Alesanco, Badarán, Yuso, Suso

Meals:  B,D

The cycle begins with a short stretch back to Badarán then ride along winding country roads toward Santo Domingo de la Calzada, a town on the Camino de Santiago. Leaving the vineyards behind, you cycle into the grain-producing area of the region. A converted railway used to transport coal in the 19th century is now a surfaced cycling path which leads directly to Ezcaray. Here you'll spend the next three nights at a welcoming family-run hotel in the historical town centre. There is a wide selection of restaurants, bodegas and tapas bars in which to sample the local food and wines. Cycling: 32 or 39km/19.8 or 24mi, ascent 400m/1312ft, descent 325m/1066ft Villages along the way: Santo Domingo de la Calzada, Canas, Manzanares de la Rioja

Meals:  B

If a break from the saddle is appealing, there's an optional walk for today, a return route along the Río Oja. If you prefer to stick with wheels, you can cycle into the foothills of the sierra to remote villages which have just a few resident farmers. The stone houses, tinkling cowbells, quiet woodlands and rushing streams come together to create a completely different landscape from the wine country you visited earlier in the week. It's a bumpy track along the left bank of the river and a tarmac road on the way back. Cycle: 20km/12.5mi, ascent/descent 160m/524.8ft or Walk: 20km/12.5mi on foot, ascent 330m/1083ft Villages along the cycle way: Sierra de Demanda, Posada, Zaldierna, Urdante

Meals:  B

Your last day of cycling offers a circular route through waving fields of grain, first through the nearly flat Oja River Valley then up into the hills. Orchards, sunflowers and shady woodlands along the way. Optional visit to Santo Domingo de la Calzada. Return route by way of the Via Verde to Ezcaray. Cycling: 48km/30mi, ascent/descent 300m/984ft Villages along the way: Valle de Oja, Santo Domingo

Meals:  B

Trip concludes after breakfast with a transfer to Santo Domingo bus station to continue your onward travels. Optional transfer available from Ezcaray to Bilbao available - supplement applies, please ask our consultants.

Meals:  B