Paseo de Primavera | LA RUTA DE DON FEDERICO

5 days: APRIL 2022

Paseo de Primavera

WINE EXPERIENCE

Wine bodega and cultural visits across 2 appellations

Exclusive visits to ancient wine caves and traditional presses

Overnight stay in World Heritage city of Salamanca

More details

5 days: APRIL 2022

Paseo de Primavera

WINE EXPERIENCE

Wine bodega and cultural visits

across 2 appellations

Exclusive visits to ancient wine caves

and traditional presses

Overnight stay in World Heritage city

of Salamanca

PASEO

PASEO DE PRIMAVERA – a walk in spring – is the perfect opportunity to see the land come alive again after last year’s harvest and sample the vibrant, fresh and fruity young wines as well as the matured crianzas and reservas of older vintage.

Family bodegas, local village cooperatives and wineries of excellence exporting across the globe all feature on this tour, and the route takes in the varied terroir of three separate wine appellations producing extraordinary red, white and rosado wines.

Points of cultural interest include a visit to a beautiful 11th century monastery with exquisite romanesque carvings and a lovely century-old cypress tree in the cloister, and the chance to explore a fascinating wine museum inside a formidable 10th century hilltop castle.

We will also have the time for relaxed walks around charming villages and natural beauty spots, taking advantage of the warm, lengthening days and spectacular scenery, as well as free time to explore the breathtakingly beautiful World Heritage Site of Salamanca before a tapas route of the city’s lively enotecas on the final night of the journey.

Typical tour highlights

Day 1

• Don Federico will personally meet and greet you off your flight at Madrid Barajas Airport Terminal 1 and organise refreshment as required prior to setting off on the journey. Once the entire group is assembled we will make our way to the comfortable tour vehicle just outside the terminal, load the luggage and take our seats for a gentle 2-hour trip to the heart of the wine regions

• passing by the vineyards of famous regional wines we will arrive at our first overnight stay in a charming and tranquil historic village and check in to our comfortable accommodation with a welcome glass of wine and picoteo snack

• later we will take a walk round the village, stopping for a look at the network of local family wine caves, and have a welcome briefing and tour overview with a tutored wine tasting session of regional La Ribera del Duero joven, crianza and reserva wines

• we will be served a satisfying supper of chef-cooked paella or perhaps a speciality Castilian dish, after which you will be at liberty to take a stroll or simply chill out with a cocktail and watch the sun set over the monastery from the tranquil grounds of our lovely hotel

• following breakfast on the garden terrace we set off through beautiful landscapes dotted with wine caves, with plentiful opportunities to stop for photos

• along the way we will take some time to explore the cloisters of an exquisite 11th century romanesque monastery and perhaps have the chance to listen to the monks perform their evocative Gregorian chants

• afterwards, a charming village bodega will open their doors for us to view their ancient wine tunnel, housing the maceration and fermentation vats and rows of oak barricas of maturing wine, before tasting a selection of the results

• a long and hearty lunch of traditional Castilian fare cooked in a wood-fired oven accompanied by delicious black-fruited local wines will be served up for us in the former stables of a rustic, stone-built village inn

• we continue to the remote, hand-tended vineyards of a local wine cooperative to learn the secrets of ecological viticulture, and visit the collective’s bodega to sample the small-output reds and rosados produced in this little-known but up-and-coming wine appellation

• stopping off to descend into old rustic subterranean cellars for a lesson on tasting wine the authentic Spanish way – from a traditional glass porrón – we retire to spend the evening and an overnight stay in one of Spain’s best preserved hidden gem villages

• we continue our journey of discovery through lovely authentic wine country and cross into the neighbouring appellation of La Ribera del Duero, taking note of the changing topography, soils and micro-climates of the region

• we arrive for our extended tour and tasting at an exceptional family bodega which is garnering an international reputation for the quality of its crianzas, reservas and gran reservas

• we will begin by paying a visit to several of the diverse plots to see the prized old vines of between 60 and 90 years old before a walk through the maze of 400-year-old underground wine tunnels carved out by the family’s forebears – an authentic subterranean wine cathedral

• following a look at the bodega and vats where purely natural, ecological methods are deployed, we will taste the outstanding wines that result whilst examining a genuine sheep’s skin pelleja, used for generations for carrying wine to the ageing tunnels, and other antique paraphernalia pertaining to the family’s wine history

• our appetites whetted, we continue to a village at the very heart of the appellation to enjoy the region’s speciality dish – suckling lamb, roasted in a traditional clay wood-fired oven, accompanied by fine wines from the cellars of the surrounding hamlets

• following our rich lunch, a gentle stroll around the unique sights of this historic wine village is welcome, passing by the other-worldly ventilation chimneys of the wine caves beneath our feet

• an imposing 10th century fortress merits a visit for the sweeping views of the vineyards set out across the Duero valley below, with an option to tour the castle and the modern wine museum housed inside

• the welcoming tapas bars provide entertainment for those venturing through the village in the evening, and a heavenly hotel stay is assured in a converted 17th century convent

• we will spend the morning on an extended visit to the beautiful vineyards and bodega buildings of an innovative winery of outstanding quality to learn about the very latest techniques being developed to complement the traditional methods of the region in order to produce exceptional wines of international acclaim

• we will follow our visit with a wine-tasting session in the charming environs of a centuries-old bodega building

• depending on the group size we will have our midday refreshment at the bodega or take to a nearby wine village for a barbecue lunch of prime cuts of beef and pork, with fish and vegetarian options also available

• we continue across beautiful wine country to reach the lovely caramel sandstone ‘Golden City’ of Salamanca, a World Heritage Site of outstanding architectural splendour with the finest Plaza Mayor in Spain and the fourth oldest functioning university in the world – currently celebrating its 800 year anniversary

• Don Federico will host a guided cultural tour of the many sights of the historic old town of his adopted home and, after a chance to relax and freshen up in your hotel by the old city walls under the gaze of the old 14th century romanesque and the new 16th century late gothic cathedrals, then invite you on an evening ruta de tapas of a few of the city’s lively wine bars

• you will be at leisure to enjoy a relaxed breakfast at your comfortable hotel and then enjoy free time to explore the renaissance beauty of the narrow cobbled streets and landscaped squares of Salamanca old town, perhaps ordering a cafe con leche at a pavement bar amidst the bustle on the exquisite Plaza Mayor and joining the rooftop storks in simply watching the city go by

• Don Federico will meet and collect you at the hotel in good time to return you comfortably to Madrid Airport for the conclusion of the wine experience and the beginning of your homeward or onward journey

Typical tour highlights

Day 1

• following breakfast on the garden terrace we set off through beautiful landscapes dotted with wine caves, with plentiful opportunities to stop for photos

• we arrive for our extended tour and tasting at an exceptional family bodega which is garnering an international reputation for the quality of its crianzas, reservas and gran reservas

• following our rich lunch, a gentle stroll around the unique sights of this historic wine village is welcome, passing by the other-worldly ventilation chimneys of the wine caves beneath our feet

• the welcoming tapas bars provide entertainment for those venturing through the village in the evening, and a heavenly hotel stay is assured in a converted 17th century convent

• we will follow our visit with a wine-tasting session in the charming environs of a centuries-old bodega building

PASEO

Limited places are available on PASEO DE PRIMAVERA and are priced at £1,250* per person for the 5-day tour in a shared or double room for 4 nights.

Group sizes are small with a maximum of 7 people, and discounts are available for group bookings.

The tour price covers all accommodation in charming hotels sited in historic locations, wine bodega visits, cultural visits, generous meals accompanied by wine, tutored wine-tasting sessions, transport during the tour, including transfer to and from the wine regions from Madrid Barajas Airport (excluding flights or onward travel), and the fully supervised guiding service of your tour host, Don Federico.

* There is an option for single occupancy with a supplement of £200.

Frequently asked questions

What is meant by shared or double room?

Prices for the tour include all accommodation and are quoted per person based on sharing twin or double rooms for the duration of the trip. It is essential to advise us at the time of booking which tour guests will be sharing and whether twin beds or a double bed is preferred.

Single occupancy of a double room is also available subject to a supplement.

Are there any mobility requirements?

The nature of La Ruta Don Federico involves visits to authentic, rustic wineries, walking through vineyards on uneven soil and descending steps into centuries-old subterranean cellars, as well as stops at sights of natural beauty which require reasonably good mobility to fully enjoy the experience. As such, the tours are not suitable for wheelchair users or those with restricted mobility. If in doubt, please contact us for advice prior to making a reservation.

What are the group sizes?

La Ruta de Don Federico offers a highly-personalised, high-quality authentic wine experience, with groups of a maximum of 7 guests.

What luggage may I bring?

For reasons of space in the touring vehicle and time efficiency upon arrival at Madrid Airport guests are restricted to one standard 15kg cabin bag or case of 56x45x25cm plus a small bag for personal items and camera etc (please check your airline restrictions).

Do I need travel insurance?

Every care will be taken to ensure your comfort and safety and a welcome briefing will provide advice on safe conduct during visits in natural and agricultural terrain. However, it is a condition of your booking that you have valid and adequate travel insurance prior to and throughout your tour. A suitable insurance policy should provide adequate cover for medical expenses arising through illness or accident prior to or during the holiday and loss of holiday monies through cancellation and curtailment of the holiday for insurable reasons.

Can you cater for allergies and dietary requirements?

La Ruta de Don Federico organises tours primarily in Castile and León, where meat such as lamb, pork, ham and beef are specialities of the region. However, a wide range of gastronomy is offered during the wine experiences including fish and vegetarian options, and other special dietary requirements can be catered for if you advise us at the time of booking.

What flight times should I book?

There is a degree of flexibility on pick up and drop off times as tour guests may arrive from different departure points. In general you should arrive at Madrid Airport between 12–4pm on the day of arrival and fly after 4pm on the day of departure. It is advised that you contact us to discuss and confirm this before you purchase your flights.

More FAQ…

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or call +44 (0) 7960 246810 or email tours@rutadonfederico.com

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