Wineries & Nature
Discover natural beauty, from glass to glass
Spain is of course one of Europe’s best wine-producing countries, exporting its products all over the world. One of the reasons for its success is its many different wine regions, each with their own climate, soils and varieties of grapes. Nature Parks, mountain ranges, wetlands, Biosphere Reserves, beaches, bird watching areas, hiking trails and viewpoints for enjoying the countryside and all it has to offer
El Bierzo is fortunate to have some spectacular countryside. La Tebaida Berciana, Los Montes Aquilianos, El Valle de Fornela, El Valle del Sil, La Sierra de Gistredo are just a few of the Natural Heritage attractions on our route, and the ideal place for enjoying some rural tourism. Other protected areas nearby include the mountains of La Sierra de Los Ancares, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The area’s geographical layout is a determining factor in how El Bierzo’s vineyards are planted, leaving its mark on both the wines and the landscape. The vineyards and the way they are organised helps to explain the history and appearance of the countryside.
Washed by the Atlantic Ocean, which tints the landscape with blue and green hues, the Rías Baixas covers 4 areas (Salnés, O Rosal, Condado do Tea and Ribeira do Ulla), each with its own individual personality and great tourist attractions. Distinctive features of vineyards here include trellised vines, small plots.
La Rioja unfolds its changing and captivating landscape that will amaze you at any time of year, all standing under the watchful gaze of the impressive Sierra de Cantabria mountains. You can’t leave this region without looking out at from the Ebro viewpoints The landscape here is more than a setting, it is a combination of past and present. And always with that stunning backdrop of colourful landscape that reaches its height of beauty in autumn. The colour palette melts into dazzling golden hues as the grape harvest begins, the culmination of months of hard work in the vineyards.
Ribera del Duero would welcome a walk along beautiful footpaths through this Castilian countryside with its vineyards and fields of cereal. The landscape that gradually transmits into green fields and pine forests of Rueda. (hot air ballooning)
Somontano stands beneath mountains in the foothills of the Pyrenees. Somontano’s impressive and unique natural heritage includes the spectacular Sierra and Canyons of Guara Natural Park, where, for millions of years, rivers, rain and wind have carved out deep canyons and ravines to form a unique landscape, the only one of its kind in Europe and a genuine paradise for nature lovers and adventure sports enthusiasts. Autumn here greets visitors with an amazing range of light and colour that permeates the entire landscape; this is your chance to unwind and enjoy peace and quiet in one of Somontano’s charming hideaways. (truffle hunting)
El Penedès, only 30 minutes away from Barcelona and Tarragona, bordered by splendid beaches and surrounded inland by mountains, has a unique and captivating landscape, a place of endless vineyards dotted with farmhouses, fascinating heritage sites and the numerous wineries that have made the region famous all over the world. Penedès is a land of nuances, always giving visitors a warm and lively welcome.
The spectacular landscape of the Basque Country is dominated by the Sierra Salvada mountain range, an impressive wall of rock several hundred metres high stretching over several kilometres and closing off the southern end of the valley. At one end of the range is Cascada del Nervión, the highest waterfall on the peninsula, with a drop of nearly 300 metres. The area around the Pantano de Maroño reservoir is a peaceful setting for some relaxation beneath the impressive mountains.
