Originally published 7 February 2024

All images are courtesy of the Spain Less Traveled team unless otherwise stated.

Spain is one of the world’s top wine producers. In this country, you can find a variety of wines from whites, reds, and rosés to sherries (and other fortified wines), bubblies, sweet wines, and more.

But perhaps there is no region as renowned for wine culture than La Rioja. for In this post, the Spain Less Traveled team discusses reasons (that extend beyond wine) as to why you should visit La Rioja, Spain. We included some logistics too, to make your La Rioja Spain travel planning easier.

From the popular bodegas that produce wine with names known all over the world to quaint towns and a bustling capital city, La Rioja is truly a reason to discover.

And don’t forget, we are here to help you plan your dream trip to Spain. Through our varying levels of professional Spain travel planning services, we can work with you personally to help you plan your Spain travel itinerary!

Where is La Rioja Spain?

La Rioja, shown in light blue, is located in Northern Spain near Navarra, Castilla y León and Basque Country. It is a small, land locked region that is mostly agricultural in nature. And of course famous for its wine!

Why should I visit La Rioja?

Obviously if you are a wine aficionado La Rioja is probably on the top of your list. But there are so many other reasons to visit this little slice of Northern Spain.

Logroño: a friendly and bustling capital city

If you are looking for a small to mid-size city that exemplifies Spain off the beaten path, the capital of La Rioja, Logroño is it!

While not located right in a vineyard, wine is a huge part of Logroño’s culture. And what pairs so well with wine? Food, of course.

You can’t visit Logroño and not stop at Calle Laurel for tapas (note: here, as in Basque Country, these small plates of food are known as pintxos). And vegetarians will be delighted to know that along with meat-heavy dishes, the mushrooms here are a specialty. Bar Soriano, in the heart of Calle Laurel, serves nothing but mushroom dishes.

And of course, to help wash it all down, you can pair these pinchos with the hundreds of varieties of local wine from La Rioja!

But that’s not all Logroño has to offer.

History lovers will want to stop by the Museo de la Rioja to learn about the region’s history, dating back to the pre-Roman times.

If you want to visit a really old church, Iglesia de San Bartolomé should be on your list. Bonus! You can climb the bell tower for amazing views of the city.

And speaking of religious monuments, the Baroque style Catedral de Santa María de la Redonda is a must visit. Since Logroño is on the Camino de Santiago, you may even see pilgrims stopping to pay homage.

The Ebro River flows through town. Be sure to cross the iconic Puente de Piedra (stone bridge) officially known as San Juan de Ortega Bridge. This is where pilgrims walking the Camino de Santiago enter the city.

And if you want a truly local experience, Sala Amós Salvador is where you need to head. It is the old tobacco factory of Logroño, but these days is a space for exhibitions, performances, and concerts.

It is definitely a good idea to spend a few days in Logroño.

Let’s get to the reason La Rioja is probably on your radar… vino! Wine!

Many wines from La Rioja are household names all over the world.

Most likely you’ve heard of Muga, Ramón Bilbao, and La Rioja Alta, which all come from La Rioja.

But there are so many more!

The best way to get to know the wines of La Rioja is to visit a bodega (or several). Bodegas are wineries. And at bodegas you can learn about the wine production and its history. And of course, you can taste the wine! Some bodegas offer catas (tastings) that include several varieties of wine paired with local food.

Bodegas are scattered across the La Rioja region, but the town of Haro (more on that below) has a huge concentration of them, as well as some of the best.

Another option is to do a wine tour. The tours that Spain Less Traveled recommends are all run by locals. And in many cases, they will work with you to customize which bodegas are best for you. We recommend splurging on a private wine tour. They can pick up up at your accommodation anywhere in La Rioja (or even in San Sebastián and other parts of Basque Country in some cases) and take you on a memorable day of wine tasting all throughout La Rioja.

If you will be visiting multiple bodegas that aren’t in walking (or cycling) distance, it is best to do a tour and leave the driving to someone else. Spain has strict blood alcohol limits. A DUI in Spain is a sure way to ruin your vacation, so be responsible and don’t risk it!

Speaking of Haro, La Rioja is home to beautiful small towns too!

Part of the charm of visiting La Rioja is to stay in a small town. And there are plenty to choose from in La Rioja.

Haro is one of our favorites. Not only is this town gorgeous, but it has several bodegas within walking (or easy cycling) distance. That means you can walk (or cycle) from your accommodation to several wine tastings.

At its core, Haro boasts a quaint historic center with medieval vibes. You can get lost wandering the small streets and alleyways. There are several sites of architectural and historical interest including churches and a basilica. And there’s even a wine museum.

And every June, Haro hosts one of the best festivals in Spain, the Batalla de Vino which is literally a wine fight! Don’t miss it!

But Haro isn’t the only beautiful town in La Rioja. Near by, Briones surrounded by vineyards is on the official list of Pueblos Más Bonitos de España (beautiful villages in Spain). Also on this list are Sajazarra, Viniegra de Abajo, and Viniegra de Arriba, all in La Rioja.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites and the birthplace of the Spanish language

For those who want to see all of the UNESCO World Sites in Spain, you will definitely want to add the town of San Millán de la Cogolla to your La Rioja Spain travel itinerary.

Here you will find two monasteries, San Millán de Suso (from the 6th century) and San Millán de Yuso (from the 11th century). In ancient Castilian Spanish, the words “suso” and “yuso” mean upper and lower, and having names in old Spanish is no coincidence. Many believe that in these monasteries Spanish was written for the first time.

UNESCO agrees with this assessment and declared Suso and Yuso a world heritage site based on that they are “the birthplace of the modern written and spoken Spanish language.”

You can visit these monasteries and say that you went to the place where the first records of written Spanish were found!

Stay in a Parador in La Rioja

Rural and small town tourism and parador stays often go hand in hand. And La Rioja is no exception to this.

If staying at a parador is on your Spain travel bucket list, you can achieve this in Santo Domingo de la Calzada or Calahorra.

Think about it, sipping wine all day and falling asleep in a place of historical significance. What a way to spend a few nights in Spain!

A region that spills into another region!

Did you know that the DO (denominación de origen) for La Rioja wines extends into Basque Country?

It is one of the only DOs in Spain that crosses autonomous community borders. And since it is all one DO we are including this region in our guide to La Rioja.

Rioja Alavesa is part of the DO of Rioja wines, but it is in the province of Vitoria, in Southern Basque country.

Many famous winemakers are headquartered there including Marqués de Riscal. You can visit their bodega in Elciego and even stay at their iconic five star hotel designed by architect Frank Gehry.

Another important stop is the town of Laguardia (pictured above) known for its streets enclosed in the old town walls. It is also on the list of pueblos más bonitos de España, so be sure to stop by!

What are some of the logistics of traveling to La Rioja?

There is limited train service between Haro, Logroño and other parts of Spain. And there are sporadic buses that connect some of the other towns. However, for maximum flexibility we think that having access to a car is the best way of getting around La Rioja.

Just be super cautious about drinking and driving (in other words, don’t do it!).

Walking or cycling across the region is also an option, just ask any Camino de Santiago pilgrim!

In terms of stringing La Rioja together with other regions of Spain for a Spain travel itinerary, there are connections to both Madrid, the vibrant capital, and even Barcelona.

As far as how long to stay in the region, it really depends on what kind of traveler you are. If you want to take things slowly, and savor the wine (and food), the more time the better. But if you are just passing through and want a nice overview of the region, a few nights is great.

Most of our clients like to base themselves in Haro or Logroño, but for those looking for luxury, Elciego is a good option too.

Need help planning your dream trip to La Rioja Spain?

We offer several levels of Spain traveling planning services. Spain Less Traveled can work with all different types of travelers and travel planners, from those who want our full support throughout the entire travel planning process to those who simply need to talk with a Spain destination specialist to assist with specific aspects of travel planning. 

If you loved this, you might like our other in depth guides by region.

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