The most beautiful drive from Bilbao Airport to Laguardia and the Rioja (and back)
Landing at Bilbao (BIO) and heading for the wine country? Skip the fast AP-68 and cross the Sierra de Cantabria: from the Balcon de la Rioja the whole wine plain opens up below you, before you drop through the wine villages of Labastida, San Vicente and Elciego (with the Gehry winery of Marqués de Riscal) to the walled wine town of Laguardia.
Not the fastest route, the most beautiful one. All the stops are already in it.
Photos vía Wikimedia Commons: G. Villar (CC BY-SA 3.0 es), Roderich Kahn (CC BY-SA 4.0), Daniel563 (CC BY-SA 4.0). Alle commercieel bruikbaar met naamsvermelding.
The mountain pass instead of the AP-68
The fastest way from Bilbao Airport to the Rioja is the AP-68 vía Miranda de Ebro: just over an hour, partly tolled, and little to see. This route deliberately climbs the Sierra de Cantabria. From the top at the Balcon de la Rioja the whole wine plain opens up at once, before you drop into the Rioja Alavesa: Labastida, San Vicente de la Sonsierra, Elciego with Frank Gehry's spectacular winery, and the walled medieval wine town of Laguardia.
It is a true fly-drive route: you land at Bilbao, pick up your rental car and drive to your wine stay in the Rioja. We write out both directions separately. You open the whole route with every stop in Google Maps or download the GPX. Note: this is wine country, so agree who drives and does not taste.
The route on the map
A schematic overview by Touren.app, not a navigation map. The exact route opens under “Drive this route” or in Google Maps. Map orientation: north is up.
Key facts for this route
| Distance (scenic route) | approx. 140 km wine route (fastest route AP-68: approx. 120 km) |
|---|---|
| Pure driving time | approx. 2 h 45 over the pass (fastest route: approx. 1 h 20) |
| Day length with stops | 6 to 8 hours with the five stops and a winery visit |
| Motorway share | approx. 25%, near the airport and towards Vitoria; then mountain pass and wine roads |
| Tolls and vignettes | the scenic route (A-2124, A-3210) is toll-free; the fast AP-68 is partly tolled, and Spain has no vignette |
| Fuel (estimate) | approx. 12 litres at 7 l/100 km; expect 17 to 23 euro (fuel prices vary) |
| Countries and border crossings | 1 country (Spain, Basque Country and La Rioja), no border crossing |
| Road type | mountain pass over the Sierra de Cantabria (A-2124, Puerto de Herrera) and narrow wine roads |
| Suitable for | rental car: yes · convertible: highly (pass) · motorbike: highly · camper: yes, mind the narrow wine villages and parking |
The scenic route over the Sierra de Cantabria is toll-free; the fast AP-68 has tolled sections, and Spain has no vignette. Distance, driving time and motorway share are indicative estimates along the chosen stops and are measured in the build (July 2026). Fuel is a calculation with stated assumptions; prices vary.
Always check road signs, current closures and local rules along the way.
Who is this route for
For anyone landing at Bilbao with a rental car whose destination is the Rioja Alavesa. For wine lovers who want the drive there to be a first highlight rather than a dull transfer, and for everyone who loves mountain passes and medieval villages. The climb over the Sierra de Cantabria is a joy in a convertible or on a motorbike. If your party wants to taste, agree who the driver is.
From Bilbao Airport to Laguardia
Pick up your car at Bilbao Airport and head south towards Vitoria-Gasteiz, then up the Sierra de Cantabria. At the top lies the Balcon de la Rioja, a viewpoint where the whole wine plain spreads out below you. Drop down to Labastida on the western edge, then San Vicente de la Sonsierra with its castle and church on the hill. In the afternoon Elciego, where the golden Gehry winery of Marqués de Riscal rises above the vineyards, and Bodegas Ysios with its wavy Calatrava roof, before you reach the walled wine town of Laguardia.
A tip: many wineries receive by appointment only, so book a tour or tasting in advance. If you want to taste, plan a driver who does not drink, or stay overnight in the región.
From Laguardia to Bilbao Airport
The other way, on the day of your flight, time matters. Leave Laguardia with a good margin and drive the wine villages in reverse, or take the climb over the Balcon de la Rioja straight from Laguardia for a last look over the wine plain. If you want to be sure of your flight, take the fast road to Bilbao Airport from Vitoria.
Mind the rental car return time and your provider's fuel rule (usually return it full). Fill up just before the airport; there are petrol stations around Vitoria and near Bilbao.
The fastest route or the most beautiful route
The AP-68 vía Miranda de Ebro gets you from Bilbao Airport to the Rioja in just over an hour, partly tolled. Handy if you are in a hurry or land late, but with no view. This route deliberately chooses the pass and the wine villages: longer, but with the sweeping Balcon de la Rioja and the finest wineries. To shorten it, rejoin the fast road at Vitoria or Laguardia.
The 5 stops along the route
1. Balcon de la Rioja
The Balcon de la Rioja sits on the Puerto de Herrera, the pass over the Sierra de Cantabria. From the viewpoint the entire Rioja wine plain spreads out below, the villages like islands among the vineyards and the mountains on the horizon. It is the finest moment of the drive: here you grasp at a glance where you are heading.
Practical: car park right at the pass, the viewpoint is a short walk. It is often windy; bring a jacket.
2. Labastida
Labastida is one of the loveliest wine villages of the Rioja Alavesa: steep lanes, old wine cellars under the houses and a baroque square. It lies at the foot of the Sierra, ringed by vineyards. A good place for a first wander through the narrow streets and a look inside a bodega.
Practical: park at the edge and walk into the village; the lanes are narrow and steep. Many wineries receive by appointment.
3. San Vicente de la Sonsierra
San Vicente de la Sonsierra crowns a hill above the Ebro, with the remains of a medieval castle and a church whose terrace gives a sweeping view over the vineyards. The village is known for its wine cellars carved into the rock beneath the houses.
Practical: park below and climb to the castle for the view. Quiet outside the weekend.
4. Elciego
Elciego is world famous for the Ciudad del Vino of Marqués de Riscal: a rippling roof of pink, gold and silver titanium designed by Frank Gehry, rising above the vineyards and the old village. Even without a visit it is a spectacular photo stop from outside; the village around it is a classic Rioja village.
Practical: park by the village and walk to the viewpoint by the winery. Tours and the restaurant by appointment only.
5. Bodegas Ysios
Bodegas Ysios sits just outside Laguardia, at the foot of the Sierra de Cantabria: a long building with a wavy timber roof by Santiago Calatrava that echoes the mountain range behind. The drive up with the winery against the mountains is one of the best-known images of the Rioja. From here it is a few minutes to Laguardia.
Practical: park by the winery for the classic photo; visit inside by appointment. Laguardia itself is car-free within the walls, park outside the gate.
Practical: rental car, wineries and vehicle
Picking up your rental car at Bilbao: the rental desks are by the arrivals hall of Bilbao Airport (BIO). Book online in advance, almost always cheaper. For this route you usually return the car to Bilbao (round trip), so no drop-off fee.
Wineries by appointment: most wine houses (Marqués de Riscal, Ysios and the village bodegas) receive only with a booked tour or tasting. Plan one or two, not more, and book ahead. If you want to taste, agree who drives and does not drink, or stay overnight in the región.
Best time to travel: May, June, September and October are ideal; the harvest (vendimia) in late September and early October is the most beautiful but busiest time. Summer can be hot on the plain.
Vehicle: the mountain pass is a joy in a convertible or on a motorbike. Just as good in an ordinary rental car; with a camper mind the narrow, steep wine villages and park at the edge.
Fuel: fill up before you return the car (returning it full is the rule). There are petrol stations around Vitoria and at Bilbao Airport.
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Email this route to yourselfFrequently asked questions
Which wineries can you visit between Bilbao and Laguardia?
Along the way are well-known wine houses such as Marqués de Riscal in Elciego and Bodegas Ysios near Laguardia, plus smaller bodegas in villages like Labastida. Most receive by appointment only, so book a tour or tasting in advance and plan no more than one or two.
Can you taste wine and drive back to Bilbao the same day?
Only if someone drives and does not drink. Spain has a low alcohol limit and strict checks. If you really want to taste, plan a designated driver or stay overnight in the Rioja and drive back the next day.
What is the most beautiful drive from Bilbao Airport to the Rioja?
Not the fast AP-68, but over the Sierra de Cantabria vía the Balcon de la Rioja, with the wine villages Labastida, San Vicente de la Sonsierra and Elciego (Marqués de Riscal) to Laguardia. About 140 kilometres. You open it above with every stop in Google Maps.
How long does the drive from Bilbao Airport to Laguardia take?
On the AP-68 just over an hour, partly tolled. The scenic route over the pass with the five stops is about 2.5 to 3 hours of pure driving; with a winery visit it becomes a full day.
Can you drive from Bilbao Airport to the Rioja in a rental car?
Yes. The rental desks are at Bilbao Airport (BIO). Driving there and back from Bilbao means no drop-off fee; to return the car elsewhere, check the one-way rules in advance.
Do you need to book the wineries in advance?
Yes, most wine houses (including Marqués de Riscal and Ysios) receive by appointment only, with a booked tour or tasting. Book one or two ahead and plan a driver who does not drink.
Is this route toll-free?
The scenic route over the Sierra de Cantabria (A-2124) is toll-free, and Spain has no vignette. Only the fast AP-68, which you deliberately avoid, has tolled sections.
Is the route the other way, Laguardia to Bilbao Airport, the same?
We write out both directions separately. On the day of your flight time matters: you can take the fast road to the airport from Vitoria if your margin gets tight.
Can you open the route in Google Maps?
Yes, free. Choose your direction above and the route opens in Google Maps with every stop already in it. There is also a GPX per direction for Garmin, Komoot or TomTom.
What we deliberately leave out
Vitoria-Gasteiz, the green capital of the Basque Country, is close to the route and worth a visit, but it is a city stop in its own right; we mention it as a shortcut, not a detour. We also leave out Haro and the Rioja Alta across the Ebro: that is a separate wine route. And Logrono with its tapas street belongs to a route through the Rioja itself.