Madrid & La Rioja Tour: A Tale of Two Cultures Through Tradition, Food & Wine

Madrid both encapsulates and separates itself from the remarkable cultures of Spain. The Spanish capital city has a firm grip on its historic routes, cultural identity, and gastronomical fingerprint. The Gran Via is lined with baroque facades of antique buildings. Plaza Mayor is encircled by on old palace with over 237 balconies looking inward on the square. Locals and visitors sit in the charming cafes and let the aromas of freshly baked pastries and steaming coffee engulf them. When you arrive at the airport, your private transfer is already waiting for you. The city bursts with regal and cultural fame.

The Golden Triangle of Art is comprised of three most important art museums in the city: the Prado, Reina Sofia, and Thyssen-Bornemisza Museums. The country’s heritage emanates from the opulence of the Royal Palace and the decadence of Michelin Star rated restaurants. The modern world meets the far-reaching historic architecture. The city moves to the fast pace of capital streets, but the people contain a charm of the countryside. While you find the cultures of the entire country settling in, Madrid is unique in its energy and is remarkably different. The longer you stay, the more you will understand that Spain is a single country but Madrid is a different world.

The city begins to bustle in the midmorning. The streets fill with energy and the Gran Via fills with people. After breakfast, your private guide will meet you at your hotel. He will take you through the charming and elegant neighborhoods that have given Madrid a historically celebrate image. Palacio de la Zarzuela, constructed in the late 17th century, is located on the outskirts of the city. The entire complex held the former King and Queen of Spain, while currently it is home to the National Heritage agency. The Museu del Prado, built in the 19th century, contains over 7,000 paintings. The long, well lit halls and open galleries provide you plenty of space to wander and plenty of art to explore.

Each displayed piece offers a better understanding of the sophisticated and complex souls of Spanish history, whether in the works of Spanish or European Masters. The structure is an 18th-century neoclassical palace that was once used by Napoleonic troops during the French occupation. Goya’s “El Dos de Mayo” brings the anti-French revolt to vivid life. The strokes of the brush and angles of the people capture a portrayal of life in motion. The eastern wing brings you back to modernity with a more contemporary building that opened in 2007. The quiet footsteps of the museum make the galleries feel more like a cathedral, making each composed image sacred.

Toledo is a medieval city that sits on a rocky outcrop bordered by the Tagus River. The cobblestone streets wind through the cityscape and the encompassing hillsides once inspired El Greco to capture the image in paint. Travel to the world heritage site by rail and arrive in a regional capital that has preserved artistic and cultural legacy. The cathedral towers over the central plaza. A small fountain sits in the square’s center and spouts water adding a gentle trickle to the air.

Muslims, Christians, and Jews coexisted building a ribbon of mosques, synagogues, and churches. The buildings remain, and the legendary heritage of those cultures has slowly returned. The streets take you back to the Middle Ages. The cobblestones are sturdy, and the brick buildings are tall. The aromas of frankincense and myrrh float out of the cathedral. Each corner feels like you have turned onto a hidden and archaic street. The cathedral towers rise over the entire city.

The Sinagoga del Transito, constructed in the 14th century, is now home the Museo Sefardi. The main prayer hall is an elaborate display of Mudejar decoration. The latticed windows create blissful geometric shapes in the light. The walls contain vibrant swirls of and delicate arches. The old Jewish quarter once held ten synagogues. Stroll through the exhibits of the Sephardic museum and find links to a rich culture of Spanish heritage. Costumes and ceremonial artifacts are displayed with rich formality.

Madrid continues to move at its own pace and beat. Gran Via fills with crowds and the elegant edifices of the Plaza Mayor soon fade behind the horizon. You arrive at the entrance of the Royal Sea of San Lorenzo de El Escorial. The complex was constructed in the 16th century to be both a monastery and a palace. Large towers stand at each corner, and the sharp, severe lines of the complex are reflected in the pools below the façade. The complex looks like it could encompass an entire city. Spanish and Italian artists of 16th and 17th-century fame, including El Greco and Giordano, decorated the interior. The Royal Library takes you into a dream state.

Decadent wooden bookcases line the walls of the lower and upper floors. An ornate globe sits in the room’s center. The ceilings are painted lavishly bright with baroque images. It is a library of movies and dreams, combining a coveted artistic integrity with the equally desired pursuit of knowledge. The only known copy of a 12th-century Syrian autobiography was discovered in the stacks in the 19th century. The gardens provide an earthy and refreshing verdant aroma. The hedges are trimmed into a collection of geometric shapes. Trees cover the low-lying hills beyond the grounds.

Your luxury vacation continues in La Rioja, known for its wine; Haro is known for its quiet streets, relaxed pace, and proximity to the vineyards along the foothills and valleys of the region. The town is 1,572 feet above sea level and sits near the mouth of Ebro River. The church bells peel in the midmorning, and the octagonal dome tower of the Basilica of our Lady de la Vega rises over much of the cityscape.

After breakfast, your private transfer meets you at your hotel and escorts you to the famous vineyards and wineries. Dinastia Vivanco is the largest wine museum in the world and was constructed in late 1990s. The aroma of pressed wine and antique wood travels through the six galleries. 8,000 years of history are displayed in the form of barrels and wine presses. Each utensil has contributed to the evolution of wine making and the culture of wine drinking peoples. The mountains are picturesque, and the vineyard spreads across the landscape.

Your private guide takes you along the valley to a variety of wineries to taste the sensational varietals and the distinctive characteristics the landscape provides. Duck inside a cellar in Briones. Centuries of winemaking surround you. The cool, damp climate of the cellar has provided a perfect space to store wine. As you sample the selection of wines you notice the atmosphere enhancing individual flavors. The complexity of the earthy tannins and soft body are inspiring. The wine culture of the region is embracing.

The sun climbs over the mountains and casts light on the cobbled streets. The antique buildings are bathed in sunlight. The main square fills with people. The subtle aromas of coffee and pastries wrap around town. Your escort meets you after breakfast and takes you into the countryside around Haro. Contemporary uniqueness and bold classicists separate the wineries. CVNE stands for Compañia Vinicola del Norte de España and is a winery with centuries of knowledge and distinction. Your vintner is exceptionally knowledgeable about the local varietals and the history of the winery. The vineyard is steeped in tradition. You follow your guide through the various steps of wine making, from the vines to the barrels, and finally to the tasting.

The intense cherry color of the Gran Reserva is alluring. The scent of berries and black currant is sensual, mixed with spices from the aging barrels. In 2013, the Cune Gran Reserva won Wine Spectator’s Wine of the Year. Your guide takes you through the tasting notes, one by one, letting you find the flavors and encouraging you to look at the layers of the wine that make it strong and appreciated. Arrive in the soft spoken and dignified town of Logrono and find quaint narrow streets and hidden corners. The aromas of pintxos, small tapas plates, drift out of 80 small pintxo bars off of Calle Laurel. The indulgent atmosphere is comforting, and the jovial laughter that echoes through the streets is infectious.

The Cantabrian Mountains watch over the sloping foothills and sprawling valley. The rocky outcrops shimmer dark limestone in the sunlight against the carpeting greenery. Logrono feels sleepy in the morning light. The church bells peel, and the town slowly fills with energy. People move at their own pace, differing from that of Madrid. Your private guide meets you at your hotel, and you make your way through the landscape once again. La Rioja province contains an assembly of medieval towns, perfectly preserved and continuously inhabited.

The village of Elciego sits against the backdrop of craggy mountains. The light colored houses and red-tiled roofs create a picturesque contrast. The hills are draped in vineyards. The scents of saccharine grapes and rich earth swirl through the air. The town dates back to the 11th century and is typical of villages in the province. When you walk around the cobblestone streets, it feels like every local is a wine enthusiast, explaining the different grapes, flavors, and bodies of the regionally produced varietals.

Each person has his or her favorite wine and no one shares the same preference with another. The town also houses the unique Marqués de Riscal Winery and Hotel. The titanium frame twists and turns, gleaming ribbons of pink and gold against its natural silver hue. It resembles an artistic interpretation of a local wine bottle. The breeze is refreshing and cool. The daylight provides unparalleled panoramas of the landscape. The charming history of the village is quiet against the encircling beauty.

Logrono slowly rises after the light reaches over the nearby mountains. The streets fill with footsteps echoing off of the medieval buildings. The bell towers of the Cathedral of Santa Maria de la Redonda rise over the cityscape. The Gothic edifice was consecrated as a cathedral in the 16th century. Its dual bell towers frame the half dome portico. The structure shines alabaster in the sunlight. You have the choice of transferring to the northern city of Bilbao or returning to Madrid for your flight home. You have witnessed and experienced two different worlds contained in the same country. A deep connection to the past and an optimistic of the future unifies the two disparate cultures. Your time in Madrid and La Rioja may have ended, but there is always much more of Spain to discover.