MMCC4137

Hi - my husband is going to Madrid for work in April and we decided to spend 5-6 days in Spain together. We have been to Sevilla, Granada, Madrid, and Barcelona before and were thinking of spending 1-2 days in Madrid but then go to either Cadiz or Malaga for warmer weather, wines and sherries, and different view of Spain. We are from CA and love wines and are huge foodies. We were interested in going to visit wineries or Bodegas near Cadiz and Malaga and do day trips out to Ronda or the Frontera towns etc. with my primary interest drinking in the countryside and the wine so we could relax. We also have been to Morocco and love the Moorish influence and would welcome Hammam or two. We are less interested in more metropolitan cities and more of the old town aspects of Spain. Any thoughts about Cadiz vs. Malaga and recommendations in the city? Also there is a wine region (Ribera de Dueno?) near Madrid wasn't sure if that was worth looking at. Thank you in advance - its just around the corner!

Robert2533

To start with, Cádiz is far from Ronda, but close to Jerez, so you're covered for sherrys.

The cuisine in that part of Andalucia is completely different from what you would experience in the Ribera, as is the wine, but if you want to do any wine touring, you'll need reservations.

ribeirasacra

Ribera de Duero is not what I would call near Madrid.
http://www.rutadelvinoriberadelduero...es/inicio.html

MMCC4137

Thanks! We would visit RONDA if we went to MALAGA.

Also - its looks like 2 hours to Ribera which is about the same as going to Napa from SF. Have you been and is that not the case?

http://www.nakedmadrid.com/2014/10/2...o-from-madrid/

Robert2533

Yes, we've been to the Ribera a few times over the years. As far as the distance, Aranda de Duero is just short of a two-hour drive from Madrid, but Peñafiel, the center of the Douro, is another 20 minutes or so, depending on the route you follow. If you take the route throughCuéllar, it's a little over two hours, without stops.

http://tinyurl.com/nmuumzd

MMCC4137

Thank you! I'm leaning towards Malaga myself now! I think Ronda is gorgeous and I've heard there are wineries there as well

ROBERT - from what I can see from the forums you can either drive or due a TOUR of the Ribera region. Having been a few times - any tours you recommend or do you think driving is best? We could do an overnight there as well - any recomm. on where to stay?

BRENTFORD - Thank you for your suggestion on Malaga! Any recommendations on where to stay and eat let me know in either Ronda or Malaga. Thank you!

Robert2533

There are tours orginating in Madrid, but none that I can personally recommend because they are typically limited in scope as to which bodegas you can visit and cost wise, are designed for larger groups. A private tour from Madrid for two people would be €600 to €800 EUR for a 10 hour day, not including lunch.

You can do a tour of the Ribera on your own, but need to plan your day carefully, (reservations are required, there are limited tours offered in English), and at that, you will normally only be able to tour two wineries before lunch. If you spend a night or two you would be able to cover more ground and include some of the better wineries. There are people in the business who can make the arrangements, but you would have to pay a fee.

As far as where to stay, it will depend on which part of the Ribera you are interested in and your budget. The AF Pesquera Hotel in Peñafiel, the capital of Ribera del Duero is always a good option. The Abadia Retuerta LeDomaine is the top property in the Ribera. The Hotel Ribera del Duero in Peñafiel a little more modest but somewhat dated. The Lavida Vino-Spa Hotel is where a lot of wine buyers stay, and is quite nice. Residencia Real del Castillo de Curiel is different but interesting if you want to stay in a remodeled castle. The Castilla Termal Monasterio de Valbuena is another option, but a little larger then the others. The Posada Fuente de la Aceña in Quintanilla de Onésimo, is one of the more popular places to stay for wine buyers. It also has a decent restaurant.

Dining in Ronda is limited, Malaga has far more options, but not as many as Madrid.