Rioja, or La Rioja as the region is called, is Spain's wine country. Like France's Champagne, winemakers can't label a wine "Rioja" unless it is produced and distributed from the Spanish region of La Rioja. If you like wine you will have plenty of vino to sample while you visit, which will be pretty easy to do since there are more than 500 wineries plus many restaurants that serve large selections of Rioja wine. If you're looking for other things to do, take advantage of Rioja's Michelin-starred restaurants and lively tapas bars when you're not hiking or skiing its surrounding mountain ski slopes in the winter. Don’t worry about the lack of beaches as you will be drenched in fine wines, food and fun!