If you’re wine and food lovers planning your wedding, the Bilbao-Rioja region is an unbeatable destination to celebrate this memorable event. Rioja boasts world class wine, beautiful vineyards, and a variety of venues, from famous 19th century wineries to jaw-dropping architectural masterpieces. In addition, for your banquet, your party can enjoy gourmet cuisine created by Michelin-starred chefs. You love food and wine and are planning your wedding? Look no further than Bilbao and Rioja!
Top wineries as wedding venues
If you prefer a winery for your reception, banquet and after-party, you have a wide range of options!
Eguren Ugarte
A nobleman’s residence on the coast near Bilbao: the Arriluce Palace
The Arriluce Palace was built as the residence of the Marquises of Arriluce in the seaside town of Getxo, near Bilbao. Today this neogothic mansion is a five-star hotel, part of The Leading Hotels of the World and 2025 People’s Choice awards winners | Best Of Wine Tourism regional winner.
Palacio Arriluce Hotel
From the palace gardens, guests enjoy spectacular views of the Getxo harbor and Bay of Biscay. Arriluce offers its restaurant, elegant first floor drawing rooms, gardens, and outdoor marquee for wedding celebrations.
Palacio Arriluce Hotel
Bodegas Franco-Españolas
This 19th century winery is an easy walk or drive from the historic center of Logroño, the region’s capital city. Franco-Españolas has been offering its estate for events for over one hundred years, with a finely crafted range of experiences. The winery offers several spaces for the welcome reception, the wedding banquet and the after party for groups up to 500 guests. A spectacular option for the banquet is a long Imperial table arrangement in one of the winery’s ageing cellars. A candlelight dinner surrounded by rows of oak vats is an unforgettable experience.
Bodegas Franco Españolas
The winery gardens and the backdrop of a historic 19th century Rioja winery are perfect for official photos as well as photo ops for guests.
Bodegas Franco Españolas
Marqués de Riscal City of Wine
Couples who wish to celebrate their wedding here have a full package at this historic venue in the village of Elciego. The five-star Marqués de Riscal Hotel, designed by world-renowned Canadian architect Frank Gehry and part of the Marriott Luxury Collection features 61 bedrooms, 10 of them suites. The property features three restaurants overseen by Rioja’s famous chef Francis Paniego, as well as other banquet spaces inside the winery.
Marqués de Riscal
The City of Wine also features the Marqués de Riscal Caudalie Spa for wellness treatments pre-and post ceremony.
The stunning steel and titanium hotel and more than 100,000 square meters of total space on the property, including the winery and surrounding vineyards provide a magnificent backdrop for photographs.
Marqués de Riscal
A catering company with a two Michelin-starred pedigree: Echapresto Events
Brothers Carlos and Ignacio Echapresto, respectively the award-winning sommelier and head chef at the two Michelin-starred Venta Moncalvillo, manage a company specializing in catering for a wide range of events, including wedding banquets at wineries around the region or in the restaurant itself.
Echapresto Events offers a variety of seasonal menus and top wines from Rioja and around the world from the restaurant’s extensive wine cellar, guaranteeing an unforgettable gastronomic experience for a wedding party.
Echapresto Events
Text by Tom Perry, Inside Rioja
Featured photo: Eguren Ugarte.
Learn more about Bilbao-Rioja Great Wine Capitals