Spain, land of churches, castles and wine

Spain, land of churches, castles and wine

By Alfredo de la Casa

Photos: Thoa Kieu

Although I grew up in Spain, it’s been nearly 20 years since I left the country to live in different places overseas, so this summer I decided to go back and visit family, friends, while showing the country to my Vietnamese girlfriend, a great experience for both of us.

Being such a vast country, and having limited time, I decided to take her just to one major city, Bilbao, and then hire a car and drive around some of the most historic parts, but focusing in small villages and towns, that are usually left out of most tourist trails.

Being both of us wine lovers, we decided to experience the new trendy wine tourism which is becoming very popular with locals and foreign alike, some of which travel from far away places like Australia or the US, and which brings lots of Brits who apart from sun and sand, also love good wines and experiencing something new.

So we landed in Bilbao, in the North coast, ready to explore. Due to its unpredictable weather, it has never attracted masses of tourists, however over the years some have started to discover some of the magic and pleasantries of this area with a unique culture, totally different to what you may know about Spain.

Divided by two by the Nervion river, Bilbao is just around 20 kilometres away from the sea and its beautiful beaches. The river marks two distinct areas in the city, the old town (Casco Viejo), lying on the right with the old houses, the gorgeous Arriaga theatre, and the main food market, which has recently been refurbished. And the new town on the left, with all the tall buildings, beautiful wide streets, parks and the Guggenheim Museum.

Plaza Nueva (New square), is a beautiful inner square in the centre of the old town, with boutique shops and great bars, it becomes especially busy on Sundays where the locals go there, not only to enjoy the great selection of food and wine, but also to the open trade market for antiques, coins, stamps, books, and virtually everything else.

On the other side of the river lays modern Bilbao. The Gran Via is the artery of the city with top international and local shops. Moyua Square marks its middle, an amazing gardened roundabout, which lots of beautiful flowers, which will lead you to some of the most historic and beautiful streets in the centre of Bilbao. One of then, Alameda Recalde will take you from Moyua to the world famous Guggenheim Museum of modern art, a must see for anyone visiting Bilbao.

After hiring a car, and less than two hours away from Bilbao, we visited the emblematic Rioja, famous for its wines, and the start of our wine tourism trip. Of the many wineries that now have opened the doors to wine lovers, we visited one of the best known in Rioja: Bodegas Eguren Ugarte. The winery and vines are placed in a premium location: in a flat area in between two mountain sets, giving amazing views and providing a particular climate ideal for wine making. Their wines have won top international prizes, and are delicious, unfortunately not yet available in Vietnam

The boutique hotel within the winery, has been built on top of the cellars, and has incredible views of the vineyards and mountains. Sleeping amongst barrels and vineyards is a unique experience, however expect luxury rooms and service, at a rather low cost. The winery has two fine dining restaurants, where they combine traditional local dishes with modern cuisine, all under supervision of one of the Spanish top chefs, Eneko Atxa, who has three Michelin stars.

Eguren Ugarte is a must for wine lovers, but also for those looking for luxury at very affordable prices, and a beautiful area to relax with lovely gardens and vineyards. If he is around, expect Mr Victorino, the winery owner to come round and say hello to you; nearly 80 he really enjoys sharing his wines with guests, and if you are lucky he may take you to his secret garden…

With sadness in our hearts (and stomachs) for having to leave Eguren Ugarte, we continued our trip to another world famous wine producing area: Ribera de Duero, where we visited a few more wineries. There are two that would strongly recommend you visit if you have the chance.

The first one Bodegas Arzuaga, is located close to Duero river and on top of visiting the cellars and trying their wonderful wines (which you can find in Vietnam at the Winewarehouse), they have a great restaurant and a luxurious five star hotel.

Bodegas Arzuaga are located in between Madrid and Valladolid, an easy drive from either major city, and a pleasure place to stay, with extensive gardens full of delicate and colourful flowers.

A few kilometres away from Arzuaga, you can and should visit my third top recommendation: Abadia Retuerta, another of the top Spanish wineries also offering a five star hotel, but that is not all! First, the vineyards are located in a 700 hectare natural park, having the Duero river diving it in two. Views are incredible, but even better, go for one of the many walking trails, and be amazed by the richness of the flora and fauna that you will observe.

As for the hotel, it is located among vineyards in what it used to be an Abbey. Top luxury again, with two restaurants, and lots of conference rooms equipped with top technology aimed to company retreats. The Abbey/hotel is decorated with lots of antiques, giving you the unique chance to sleep and live among invaluable art pieces. Visit the reading room, and be amazed by the old books, if you enjoyed Da Vinci code, go and find mystery in Abadia Retuerta, which even has its own church, also available for private weddings.

Both Arzuaga and Abadia Retuerta are just a few kilometres away from many historic villages, but in particular from the castle of Penafiel, which is 150 metres long, and a real beauty. Try to visit the small villages, and walk among the old streets and houses, a real pleasure, as well as is trying the local food, which is delicious, and usually at ridiculous low prices!

Even if you are not into wine, all these places offer a great experience: great food, luxury accommodation, excellent customer service and incredible views. And if you love wine, Eguren Ugarte, Arzuaga and Abadia Retuerta are at the top of the wine producers list, with many international prizes won, and more important, their wines are just great, if you don’t believe me, pop into Winewarehouse and try a bottle of Pago Florentino or Arzuaga Reserva… and be fascinated!