Dreamy Day Trip

When traveling, exploring new places, and finding wonderful adventures can sometime depend on luck. Sometimes though, knowing the right people to take you to all the right places, the places known mostly to locals, leads to amazing experiences. Here's a little secret, if you love great food, amazing wine, scenic views, and you have the opportunity to visit Logroño, Spain, you must visit some of these places. If you need a translator to speak English for you, I'm your guide, because this "day" is a total dream!

Start with a coffee on the terrace. Beautiful morning, fresh and crisp, a warm, soul-comforting espresso with milk (or Bailey's) and a piece of toast with delicious olive oil, ibérico ham and some tomato to set your day up for success.

Once breakfast is finished, a walk across one of the bridges spanning the Ebro River, through one of the local parks, continuing on a small part of the famous Camino de Santiago, and then through some breathtaking vineyards up to a lookout point above the city where you have a crystal clear panoramic view of the city.

As the afternoon approaches, it's time to go to a bodega (winery) and taste some of the spectacular wines that La Rioja is internationally known for. Experience an intimate tour in a family owned bodega that is more than 100 years old. See the barrel room, the bottle cemetery (where a few bottles from only the best years are stored), then go to bottle room and bask in the glory of hundreds of bottles in various stages of aging, all in temperature and light controlled rooms. Following the tour of the bodega, make your way up to a beautiful tasting room and delight your pallet with some of the most outstanding wines. Everything from crisp, fresh, delightful whites to rich, mouth watering reds. Trust me when I say, you will be ever so grateful for this introduction and will definitely want to purchase some bottles to take with you! @bodegascorral, www.bodegascorral.com

Nothing finishes off a magnificent day like this better than a meal that leaves you not only satisfied, but in a state of bliss. This food nirvana is prepared by an utterly remarkable chef at a quaint and endearing little restaurant. You can start with a beautiful tomato salad, and then move on to dishes such as a delectable squid in a sauce with it's own ink, or grilled octopus that is tender and full of flavor, or if you're more of a red meat type of person, I must recommend the steak that is cooked to absolute perfection and melts in your mouth like butter. Of course, nothing accompanies these things like a stunning bottle of wine, in this case a not so common but definitely one of my favorites, a Graciano. All together, it is a glimpse of heaven in your mouth. @juanmanuel3003, @bodegas_vallobera

It isn't difficult to have a dreamy day in Spain, especially when you're visiting La Rioja. Next time you're making plans, let me know, and I'll happily introduce you to some of these jewels in person!!