Grape Harvest in Rioja and Navarra

This is where your trip begins. You set off early to split the long drive towards south-west France into two stages.

Beaune is the heart of Burgundy's winemaking and a fitting first stop for wine lovers. The historic Hôtel-Dieu with its colourful tiled roofs is well worth a visit, and afterwards the compact old town beckons with wine cellars and bistros. A gentle start to your journey of indulgence.

Booking ahead is often cheaper here

See tickets on WeGoTrip(affiliate link)

Frank Gehry's gleaming titanium building on the river is an icon of modern architecture and Bilbao's landmark. Even a walk around the outside past Jeff Koons' flower-covered dog is worthwhile, while inside the major exhibitions change regularly. A great starting point for arriving in the Basque metropolis.

Booking ahead is often cheaper here

A design hotel right opposite the Guggenheim, with a view of the museum from the rooftop terrace. Centrally located for an evening stroll through the Casco Viejo old town and your first pintxos. A comfortable start to your wine journey.

Booking ahead is often cheaper here

Bilbao's old town, with its seven streets, the Mercado de la Ribera and countless pintxos bars, is perfect for an unhurried morning. Between the Catedral de Santiago and the market, you'll find all the classic Basque bites. A good place to eat well before continuing on.

This medieval town sits on a hilltop above the vineyards of the Rioja Alavesa, entirely free of traffic. Beneath the old town lie countless historic wine cellars, while the streets above are car-free and full of atmosphere. Your base for the coming nights, right in the heart of wine country.

A charming boutique hotel in an old stone building in the middle of Laguardia's car-free old town, with its own wine cellar and tasting room. From here you can reach all the bodegas of the Rioja Alavesa with ease. A quiet, high-quality base for three nights.

Booking ahead is often cheaper here

Santiago Calatrava's wave-shaped winery stands against the backdrop of the Sierra de Cantabria and is among Spain's most spectacular bodegas. A guided tasting takes you through the cellars and the architecture, along with the estate's Rioja wines. During the autumn harvest, the place is especially lively.

Booking ahead is often cheaper here

Frank Gehry's shimmering titanium roof over the historic bodega in Elciego is a landmark of the Rioja. The tour shows you the old and new cellars, along with tastings of the estate's famous wines. A must on your list, and easy to combine with lunch in the village.

Booking ahead is often cheaper here

Beneath Laguardia's old town lie dozens of historic wine cellars, cut deep into the rock, many still used today by family-run bodegas. A cellar tour with tasting shows you how wine has matured here for centuries. An atmospheric way to round off your day of bodegas.

Booking ahead is often cheaper here

Around Haro's railway station, some of the Rioja's oldest and most renowned bodegas are packed into a small area, including La Rioja Alta, López de Heredia and Muga. You can easily walk from tasting to tasting. López de Heredia is well worth it for its fascinating historic winery and the Zaha Hadid pavilion.

Booking ahead is often cheaper here

Haro's old town, with the Plaza de la Paz and the church of Santo Tomás, is a good spot for lunch between bodega visits. In the bars around La Herradura you'll find tapas and Rioja wine by the glass. Relaxed and easy-going.

The UNESCO World Heritage monastery of Yuso is considered the cradle of the Spanish language, home to the earliest written examples of Castilian. The tour takes you through the library, ivory reliquaries and magnificent monastic rooms. A cultural highlight away from the vineyards.

Calle Laurel is Logroño's legendary pintxos strip, where bar sits next to bar, each with its own speciality. From grilled mushrooms to lamb skewers, you'll move from spot to spot, glass of Rioja in hand. An evening full of small pleasures.

A modern, well-run hotel in the centre of Logroño, just a few steps from Calle Laurel. Ideal for wandering the pintxos bars on foot and keeping distances short afterwards. A central base in the capital of the Rioja.

Booking ahead is often cheaper here

In the morning, it's worth strolling through Logroño's old town, with the Catedral de Santa María de la Redonda and the weekly market. The city lies on the Camino de Santiago and is easy to explore at a relaxed pace. A good start to the day before heading on to Navarra.

Pamplona's old town, with the Plaza del Castillo, the Catedral de Santa María and the narrow streets of the bull-run route, is lively and steeped in history. A café con leche on the Plaza, pintxos on Calle Estafeta and a walk along the city walls are all part of the experience. The heart of Navarra and a firm stop on your trip.

This storied grand hotel right on the Plaza del Castillo, once a haunt of Ernest Hemingway, sits in the middle of the Casco Viejo. From here you can explore the old town entirely on foot. Comfortable, and steeped in history.

Booking ahead is often cheaper here

The Bardenas Reales is a stark, semi-desert landscape of clay and sandstone, shaped into bizarre erosion formations like the famous Castildetierra. You'll drive and hike along marked trails through this biosphere reserve, which feels like something out of a Western. A striking contrast to the green vineyards.

The old town on the Ebro is known for its vegetables, especially the famous artichokes and white asparagus of the Ribera. The Plaza de los Fueros and the cathedral are worth a stroll, and a late lunch with local vegetables rounds off your day of nature.

This Basque coastal town, with its sheltered sandy beach and colourful fishermen's houses, makes a lovely stop along the way. A walk by the harbour and a coffee on the promenade bring a breath of sea air to the journey home. A short stopover to catch your breath.

This elegant wine capital on the River Garonne, with its classical façades and the Miroir d'eau water feature, is a fitting final wine stop on the trip. An evening stroll through the old town and a glass of Bordeaux with dinner round off the day nicely. A pleasant place to break the journey for the night.

See tickets on Tiqets(affiliate link)

A stylish hotel in a townhouse in the heart of Bordeaux, just a few steps from the Allées de Tourny and the Grand Théâtre. Ideal for experiencing your last wine evening on foot. A comfortable finish before the drive home.

Booking ahead is often cheaper here

A stopover in the Loire Valley for lunch and to stretch your legs, before the final long stretch. The old town of Vieux Tours, with its half-timbered houses around the Place Plumereau, invites a short break.

See tickets on WeGoTrip(affiliate link)

You arrive in Stuttgart and complete your round trip. After bodegas, pintxos and desert landscapes, your wine journey through Rioja and Navarra comes to an end here.