Hotel los Bracos
Logroño - Breton de los Herreros, 29
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For many people, La Rioja is synonymous with two things: excellent wines and a stop on the Camino de Santiago. This small but north-facing region of Central Spain, somewhat in the shadow of the more famous Basque Country, is in fact one of the most important wine regions in the country (there are more than 500 producers!) and an important junction of the centenary route leading to the famous cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.
But in addition to wineries and vineyards, pilgrims’ inns and monuments dedicated to the religious experience of the Camino, La Rioja offers cultural and scenic attractions for the most diverse travellers: mountain massifs, Mediterranean forests, lunar landscapes, centuries-old monasteries surrounded by greenery, paleontological sites, medieval towns and ancient ruins.
It is so small that it can be visited in a weekend, but is best appreciated by going slowly and interspersing cultural visits with pleasant stops at bars and wineries to sip good wine while admiring the fertile countryside.
The places of interest in the region of La Rioja are not all wine-related: there are attractions for wine lovers, others for history and culture enthusiasts, and still others for those who enjoy outdoor activities. Here are the top attractions, recommended for everyone!
Capital of the region and an essential stop on the Pilgrim’s Way to Santiago, Logroño is a lively city with a medieval appearance, rich in history and tradition.
Pilgrims and walkers enter the city via the majestic Stone Bridge, which dates back to the 11th century and originally had 4 arches and no less than 3 towers. The Casco Antiguo, the city’s historic quarter, is a romantic and charming area, suitable for relaxing walks and Instagram shots. If you are looking for bars and shops, Plaza Abasto is the place to be, the nerve centre of city life.
Don’t miss the city’s two most beautiful churches: Santa María de Palacio and Santa Maria la Redonda.
Nestled in a fertile valley crossed by a river is San Millan de la Cogolla, a town with a long monastic tradition where there are two monasteries of particular beauty and historical importance, considered to be the cradle of the modern Spanish language (the first texts in Spanish were written here) and both declared World Heritage Sites.
The ancient Monastery of Suso, built in the 6th century and extended in the 11th century, is an impressive mix of Romanesque, Visigothic and Arabic styles. The Monastery of Yuso is more recent (dating ‘only’ from the 11th century!) and more opulent, with Baroque and Rococo decoration.
In Bassa Rioja, the main town is Calahorra, situated on a promontory overlooking the fertile Cicados valley. The historical centre is a kind of open-air museum, with buildings and monuments from different eras and styles.
Calahorra’s top attraction is its magnificent Cathedral, built outside the city walls on the spot where two Roman legionnaires were beheaded in ancient times. Originally a baptistery, it was enlarged and modified from the 14th century onwards to assume the Gothic appearance we can still admire today.
To admire some of La Rioja’s most fascinating sights, your gaze must be turned downwards: ancient dinosaur footprints mark the region’s territory.
A themed trail has been created, with a network of trails and museum institutions illustrating the rich heritage of ancient footprints left by the giant reptiles of the past.
The best starting point for a day in the region of La Rioja entirely dedicated to dinosaurs is the well-kept Palaeontological Centre of Enciso, with comprehensive explanatory panels, exhibits and life-size reproductions and a film presenting the region’s palaeontological deposits.
In the following map you can see the location of the main places of interest mentioned in this article.
Besides being a small region, La Rioja is also sparsely inhabited. The reason is quickly stated: the south of the region is mountainous and there are only a few villages between the valleys. In the north, the best place to sleep is around Logroño, which is also at the centre of the region’s road infrastructure. You will be in a small town, surrounded by amenities and have a wide choice of hotels and flats.
If, on the other hand, you want to experience an alternative holiday in La Rioja, head without hesitation for the inland valleys, where you will find small villages with few inhabitants and a timeless atmosphere. Here, accommodation options are certainly fewer in number, but if you look hard enough, you will find hotels, bed and breakfasts and flats to enjoy a peaceful holiday.
Getting to La Rioja is easy, if you know how! The nearest international airport is Bilbao, from which, for example, Logroño is one and a half hours away by hire car or three hours by public transport. Alternatively, consider Vitoria airport, although the chances of there being a flight departing from your city are much less, or Santander airport, from which, however, Logroño is about two and a half hours away by car.
The autonomous community of La Rioja is located in the hinterland of northern Spain.
It is bordered to the north by the Basque Country, to the northeast by the region of Navarre, to the southeast by the region of Aragon and to the west by the region of Castile and Leon. It is crossed by the river Rio Oja, which gives its name to the region, and the river Ebro. It is not washed by the sea.
The territory alternates between mountains covered with forests of Mediterranean vegetation and vast desolate areas with a lunar appearance. The climate is mainly continental.
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