Nature

Nature

Rioja Alavesa has unique landscapes, flanked by endless vineyards, which are an ideal place for nature tourism and which can be visited on foot, by bicycle or on horseback. The area has an extensive network of roads and well-marked trails that extend throughout the 300 square kilometres of the region, allowing the traveller to discover our beautiful natural resources.

From the lands of vineyards in Oyón to the port of Bermeo, runs the so-called GR-38, which is a network of roads and trails covering Euskadi from south to north, running through the captivating landscapes of the historical path, it is known as the Wine and Fish Route. In the day, this route served to exchange products inland with fish from the coastal towns. In the Alavesa part a contrast of different landscapes can be experienced, ranging from wooded areas to oak and beech forests, brackish lagoons at Carralogroño y Carravalseca and coal producing areas where it is still possible to see how the coal was produced.

The GR-99 or The Ebro´s Natural Path is a long path of more than 1,200 kilometres, running from the source to the mouth of the Ebro river with several stages running through Rioja Alavesa lands. The differences and particularities of the landscape and the road itself can be appreciated while enjoying the amazing artistic legacy which is the result of human settlement in the coastal areas of the towns.

Two other important routes, which are rooted in historical religious references, are the Camino de Santiago (The Pilgrim´s Way), the route used by the pilgrims from Europe and the natives of the region, and the Ignatian
Way, recreating the path the noble man Ignatius Loyola took in 1522 from Loyola to the city of Manresa and from where he planned to get to Barcelona and then continue to the Holy Land. This route is increasingly used by pilgrims to follow his spiritual process.

Don´t forget the routes around the region itself, including those of the Lakes de Laguardia and the Dolmen of the Sorceress in Elvillar; the road connecting Nacedero and the massif of Monforte, in Kripán; the one connecting the Paridera del Monte and the Pinar de Dueñas, in Labraza, and the one running between the Chapel of Santiago and La Laguna, in Navaridas.

Get more information about hiking tours in Rioja Alavesa here.

But there are numerous other activities to enjoy in the surroundings, such as balloon rides, 4x4 routes, canoeing, mountain trekking and just about everything you can imagine as a visitor.