BILBAO, SPAIN

Departing from the port of Bilbao we will head towards La Guardia by coach where we will be taken on a guided walking tour. La Guardia is one of the most perfectly preserved medieval villages in Spain, and is located right in the Rioja wine country.

Departing from the port of Bilbao we will head towards La Guardia by coach where we will be taken on a guided walking tour. La Guardia is one of the most perfectly preserved medieval villages in Spain, and is located right in the Rioja wine country. La Guardia is a medieval hill hamlet (called villa in Spanish), reminiscent of Tuscan hilltop villages. An ancient wall surrounds it, and has a delightful jumble of cobblestone streets lined with Tabernas, wine shops, palaces, and cafes. The town was founded in the year 1164 by King Sancho Abarca, and the spectacularly preserved wall dates back to the 15th century. The entire village became protected as Patrimony of Spain in 1964. The name La Guardia originates from La Guardia de Navarra, the Guard of Navarra, referring to its strategic importance in the kingdom of Navarre. Before the medieval village was built, deep tunnels were carved out in the hill and the village of La Guardia was actually underground. The tunnels were used as a defence tactic, but over the centuries came to be used to store wine and eventually to even make wine. We will then depart to our chosen wine cellar and to the most beautiful part of the Rioja Alavesa. Conceived as the spearhead of the D.O Rioja in the 21st century, it is fully integrated into the landscape at the foot of the Sierra de Cantabria, which protects it from the north westerly winds. The Ysios bodega was designed by Santiago Calatrava to blend into the landscape of La Guardia, at the base of the Sierra de Cantabria. After our visit and short wine tasting we will depart back to the port and our awaiting ship. Please note that there is approximately 1¾ hours of walking involved in the tour including some cobblestones and approximately 15 steps inside the wine cellar, therefore this tour is not suitable for the less mobile or passengers with wheelchairs.

DESCRIPTION CORRECT FOR 2008 CANARIES & MEDITERRENEAN CRUISES