I am planning a short trip to Spain in March and will be staying in Madrid 3 days. I was considering an overnight trip to one of the closer wine regions, perhaps somewhere in Ribera del Duero (Penafiel?) or Segovia. We are planning on renting a car in Madrid, so transportation would not be an issue, but we do not want to spend more then 2 hours driving.
Does anyone have good recommendations for wineries to visit and hotels to stay in? Is this a worthwhile trip or would we be better off just staying an extra night in Madrid? Any other recommendations are welcomed!
Posted by
Colorado Mountains, USA
7347 posts
Segovia was definitely worth an overnight trip from Madrid for us last November, although we arrived by train and returned by bus, and it was just an hour away from Madrid. We went for the Aqueducto, the castle, pastries, local white beans, and roast cochinillo, but weren't there for winery reasons. A Spanish oenophile could have more input about Segovia's viability for a good wine visit, but Segovia has other charms, too.
Posted by
Florida, USA
12172 posts
Penafiel is a good idea. The admission to the castle includes admission to the wine museum in town (we visited the castle but didn't wait out the siesta to see the museum). The museums are old Bodegas, well over 100 years old that have been converted to museums. They have wine bars to taste the local wines after you see the museum. To tour any working Bodega, you need to call ahead (a day or two) to let them know you are coming. They aren't normally open for tasting like wineries here, but they will give you a tour if you plan ahead.
Be sure to check times, even for the castle and museum. They will close midday for siesta. I'd guess they're open something along the lines of 9:30-1:30 and 3:30-6 (closed one day a week) but it might be even less in March.
If I had a choice, I'd spend the night outside of Madrid. You'll pay half or less for better lodging, better food and nicer surroundings and people.