Some wine regions you visit for the tastings. Others you visit because, beyond the wine, they have landscapes, architecture and villages that would be worth the trip even if not a single bottle were produced. Rioja Alavesa is one of the latter.
Best time to go
Spring, or the grape harvest from late September into October
How many days
A two-day weekend is enough
Ideal for
Couples' getaways, architecture and wine tourism
Within a radius of barely 20 kilometres, you'll find walled villages with a thousand years of history, some of the most photographed wineries in Spain — designed by Frank Gehry and Santiago Calatrava — and a vineyard landscape that changes colour completely with the seasons. It works especially well as a weekend getaway: it's easy to reach from Bilbao, Vitoria or even Madrid, and in two days there's time to explore two or three villages without feeling rushed.
Villages and architecture
Laguardia: the walled gem
If you only visit one village in Rioja Alavesa, make it Laguardia: a medieval town built as a lookout on a hilltop, with its original layout practically intact.
Puerta de San Juan and the sea of vines
The best viewpoint in the area
Three parallel streets — Mayor, Paganos and Santa Engracia — linked by narrow alleyways, and five surviving gates from the old town walls. From here, the view over the "sea of vines" is one of the most iconic in Rioja Alavesa.
Casa Primicia
A winery in one of the village's oldest buildings
Centuries of history in the heart of the walled town, next to the Church of Santa María de los Reyes and its 17th-century polychrome portico.
Where to stay in Laguardia
A castle or a winery
Hotel Castillo El Collado, an early 20th-century castle inside the town walls, or Hotel Eguren Ugarte, just outside town, where only a pane of glass separates the rooms from the barrel cellar.
Signature architecture
Elciego: the village Frank Gehry transformed
A stately village transformed by the Marqués de Riscal building, designed by Frank Gehry — the architect behind the Guggenheim Bilbao — as part of the "City of Wine" project.
The historic winery
Founded in 1858
The guided tour of Marqués de Riscal's historic winery, which is much older than Gehry's building, is worth booking in advance: groups usually fill up several days ahead.
Hotel Marqués de Riscal, a Luxury Collection Hotel
Gehry's building turned into a hotel
Five stars, a spa, an indoor pool and two restaurants led by chef Francis Paniego, one of them with a Michelin star. Even if you're not staying, you can visit the complex and book a table at its restaurants.
Small scale
Samaniego and Villabuena de Álava
Between Laguardia and Labastida, a string of tiny villages — Samaniego has barely more than 300 inhabitants — packs in a number of wineries out of all proportion to its size.
Bodegas Solar de Samaniego
Award-winning wine tourism
A winner at the Best Of Wine Tourism awards, it stands out for its seven concrete silos painted with street art, one of the most striking sights in the area.
Hotel Viura and Palacio de Samaniego
Contemporary design or an 18th-century palace
In Villabuena de Álava, Hotel Viura is all stacked contemporary volumes; in Samaniego, the Palacio de Samaniego, restored by Edmond de Rothschild Heritage, adds the Tierra y Vino restaurant.
Bodegas Ysios and Baigorri
Calatrava and gravity-flow architecture
Ysios's undulating roof, by Santiago Calatrava, echoes the outline of the Sierra de Cantabria. Baigorri, half-buried in the hillside, follows a gravity-flow winemaking process, and its restaurant looks out over the barrel cellar.
Labastida, underground cellars
Tradition before design
A network of underground cellars dug beneath the medieval old town, where for generations local families made their own wine by hand.
Food
Where to eat
From market cooking to a table inside the winery itself.
Amelibia and Los Parajes
Laguardia
Family cooking built on seasonal produce with vineyard views, and Rioja-rooted cooking with a carefully chosen list of local wines.
Restaurante Baigorri
Samaniego
Inside the winery itself, pairing local produce with the house wines and views over the barrel cellar.
A weekend in Rioja Alavesa
Day 1: Laguardia
The walled town
Morning
A stroll through the medieval streets, a visit to Casa Primicia and the Puerta de San Juan viewpoint.
Bodegas Ysios
Midday
A visit to Calatrava's winery, a few minutes from the village, with views of the Sierra de Cantabria.
Amelibia or Los Parajes
Afternoon
Lunch with vineyard views before checking into your hotel.
A night in Laguardia or at a winery hotel
Evening
Laguardia itself or one of the winery hotels nearby, such as Eguren Ugarte.
Day 2: Elciego, Samaniego and home
The Marqués de Riscal complex
Morning
A visit to Gehry's building and, if you've booked in time, the historic winery.
Samaniego or Villabuena de Álava
Midday–afternoon
A smaller, less touristy winery experience, such as Solar de Samaniego or J.F. Iradier.
Heading home
Evening
Having a car for the whole weekend is the way to go: the villages are close together, but public transport between them is limited.
Frequently asked questions
How long do you need to visit Rioja Alavesa?
A two-day weekend is enough to get a good feel for the area: one day focused on Laguardia and another split between Elciego and one of the smaller villages, such as Samaniego or Villabuena de Álava.
Do you need a car?
Yes, it's the most practical option. Although the villages are close together — rarely more than 15 minutes' drive apart — public transport between them is limited, and several of the signature wineries are on the outskirts of the villages.
When is the best time to go?
Spring, for the fresh green vines and mild temperatures, and the grape harvest (late September to October), which also coincides with the San Mateo festivities in Logroño. In high summer, the heat can be more intense than you'd expect for walking among the vines at midday.
Do you need to book winery visits in advance?
At the best-known wineries, such as Marqués de Riscal, guided tour groups usually fill up several days ahead, so it's worth booking before you travel, especially at weekends and during harvest season.
Can you visit the Marqués de Riscal complex without staying at the hotel?
Yes. Even if you're not staying the night, you can access the complex's public areas to see Frank Gehry's building up close, and book a table at one of its restaurants or a guided tour of the historic winery.
Is Rioja Alavesa the same as La Rioja?
Not exactly. Rioja Alavesa is one of the sub-zones of the Rioja Qualified Designation of Origin (DOCa), located in the province of Álava (Basque Country). The other two sub-zones, Rioja Alta and Rioja Oriental, lie mainly within the La Rioja region, with Rioja Oriental also extending into Navarre.
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