Alava wine and gastronomy - Alava wine villages route - Basque Country

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Basque Country Information: ALAVA Information - THE BIRTHPLACE OF WINE

The name Rioja alavesa is synonymous with good wine, the culture of which is omnipresent in the vineyards, in the numerous cellars or at restaurant tables. But that's not all. The best known part of Alava houses several monuments bearing witness to its sparkling medieval past, the passage of the Romans or prehistoric periods. Heading out of VitoriaGasteiz via the A-2124 will take us through the County of Trevino to our first rendezvous, PENACERRADA-URIZAHARRA.

This village still has a good part of its medieval walls. Look for the church of La Asunci6n with its interesting Romanesque doorway and beautiful 16th century altarpiece. Just over the Sierra de Cantabria via the puerto de Herrera, we should stop at the BALCON DE LA RIOJA for fabulous views over the lowlands of the river Ebro. Leaving the A-2124 via the A-124, we will come to LAGUARDIA which, as well as delightfully pretty, is also the "wine capital", the most important village in the region and the home of several interesting historical monuments. Standing on a small hill, Laguardia still has its initial medieval layout, its walls, numerous stately homes and a fortified church at either end of the village. Also well worth the effort is a stroll along the walls concealing a monument dedicated to the fable writer Samaniego, getting lost in its narrow streets, all pedestrian, and, if we're lucky enough to be visiting at 12 a.m., taking a look at the Town Hall clock with its dancing figures. In addition to the lakes, now a protected biotope, the area around Laguardia has a number of other attractions.
Towards the north are the Los Molinos Ornithological Park and the remains of LA HOYA village, which existed between 1200 and 250 B.C. Vou can visit both the site and its little museum with a model depicting life as it was at that time. Still on the subject of prehistory, taking the A-3228 will lead us to ELVILLAR, on the outskirts of which is one of the gems of megalithic art, the Chabola de la Hechicera dolmen. The village itself houses the solid 18th century Casa del Indiano. Look out for the snake on the handrail as you climb the stairs. Back on the road, we'll make our way through ASSA, not far from the Roman remains of Mantible bridge, before continuing on towards the industrial OYONOION. Here the most attractive features are the church of Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion, and its tower known as the "Giraldon", not to mention a few mansions, such as those belonging to the Marques del Puerto and to the Conde de Burata.

Doubling back westwards will take us through LAPUEBLA DE LABARCA, with its numerous emblazoned houses. This village took its name from the ferry that used to cross the river Ebro at -precisely this point. Our next stop will be ELCIEGO and the church of San Andres with its two curious, asymmetrical Renaissance towers. Across from the Town Hall, with an imperial coat of arms on its facade, is a hermitage dedicated to the Virgen de la Plaza. The A-124 from SAMANIEGO will take us to LABASTIDA. We strongly recommend a visit to the local parish church, dedicated to the Virgen de la Asuncion like so many others in the Rioja alavesa, with its principal Baroque altarpiece in walnut wood. The hermitage del Santo Cristo has a peculiar Christ on the Cross with one arm pointing downwards, an unusual gesture in Christian iconography. After having crossed the last walled city, SALINILLAS DE BURADON, we will return to Vitoria-Gasteiz via the N-1.

	More Alava Information
Alava Amid the reservoirs Alava western valleys Vitoria city Vitoria on foot

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