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Wine
and Gastronomy |
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THE
ENJOYMENT OF THE SENSES
Experiment,
try , enjoy and choose, In La Rioja you will
discover great acclaimed wines, wine makers
world-wide famous for their quality , small
wineries with an individual character that
will make you know different features of the
same produce: The Rioja Wine. A produce that
gains a different character depending on the
way each winery makes it. A enjoyment for
the senses. |
THE
RIOJA COOKING STYLE (RIOJA CUISINE)
The Marriage between
Rioja wine and the Gastronomy of the region
is also an Art that brings pleasure and satisfaction
of good eating and drinking to its highest
degree.
The traditional Riojan cooking is specially
based on the produces that grow from the land
and that are processed by its inhabitants:
Asparagus, a variety of Peppers, Vegetable
Minestrone, Potatoes with Red Sausage, Meat
Stew cooked in Red Wine, Roast Lamb, sweets
and fruits are composing a dish symphony that
represent a true fest for the senses.
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Sports
and Adventure |
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ACTIVE
TOURISM
The variety
of Landscapes in Rioja, Mountains, rivers,
natural spaces, paths, footpaths, unmetalled
roads, besides its animal life offer various
possibilities to do sports and outdoor activities
in Nature, that are a complement to the offer
of cultural and rural tourism. |
ACTIVITIES
FOR ALL TASTES
The Mountains of
the ´Sistema Ibérico`(Iberian
Mountain Range), make possible to practice
winter sports, in winter and Mountain Hiking
all the year. The winter sports resort of
Valdezcaray , which currently is being remodelled
to improve its ski runs and facilities, attracts
skiers from Rioja and many other regions arround.
The waters of the González Lacasa dam,
between El Rasillo and Ortigosa de Cameros,
offer the possibility of practising many water
sports such as: Rowing , Canoeing, Windsurfing
and Sailing, whereas the running waters of
the High rivers Iregua and Najerilla are the
locations chosen to hold on certain days of
the year down river canoeing races.
The web of paths in Rioja allows to go along
the most attractive natural sceneries, ranging
from the pilgrimage road to Santiago to the
Long hiking path GR-93, or the Green Waus
of the Cidacos and the Oja Rivers, making
use of the old railways`tracks. The classic
mountains routes get to the 28 summits more
than 2,000 metres high.
Mountain Bike routes,
Climbing activities and speleology , parachute
jumping and hang-gliding are an interesting
offer of sports activities in Nature for all
tastes and taking place all the year. Some
activities are organized by the different
National Sports Associations or through the
offers of different companies and associations
specialized in active tourism.
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Nature |
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TAKING
A STROLL IN RIOJA
Taking a stroll
in Rioja is a delight for the senses at any
time of the year. There is a contrast of landscapes
and colours that invite you to visit this
Northern lands, between the Cantabrian and
the Mediterranean Seas, that have mountains
and valleys and a bit of everything . A Natural
Surprise. |
PROTECTED
NATURE RESERVES
The variety of the
Riojan Scenery is due to the influence of
the different climates in this small region.
The two ecosystems that represent the diversity
of the Riojan Landscape. The mountains and
the valleys have preserved territories: The
Nature Reserve of ´Sierra de Cebollera`
and ´Sotos de Alfaro`. Besides , its
natural wealth can be observed through six
natural spaces included in the Natura 2000
web: Sierras de la Demanda, Leza and Jubera,
the Obarene Mountains, Peñad de Arnedillo,
Peñalmonte and Peña Isasa and
the groves and banks of the Ebro River.
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Monasteries |
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MORE
THAN TEN CENTURIES OF HISTORY
There are
more than ten centuries old places that used
to be spiritual centres, places to retire
and pray and cultural centres. They were built
in country lands far from the decading Roman
cities, in the times of the Visigoths. |
CULTURAL,
RELIGIOUS AND ARTISTIC TOURISM
They started as caves
for the hermits, that is the example of the
Suso Monastery from the Sixth Century that
afterwards became a small monastery and then
a big one where an anonimous monk wrote the
first words in Castilian and in Basque , translating
a text from Latin: ´Glosas Emilianenses`(glossary)
from the book nº 60
The Lands of La Rioja are full of History
through its monasteries. Some of them have
only some remaining ruins that is the example
of the San Prudencio Monastery in Laturce
Mountain. In other instances there are documents
or reports of the Middle Ages that certify
their influence as repopulators of Christianity
and Culture expanders, that is the example
of the Monastery of San Martin de Albelda
and its "Codice Albeldense"(Book
of Albelda).
However , many of them still have their buildings
untouched as well as the activity of their
religious communities throughout the centuries
, now they are centres that attract rural
, religious and cultural tourism. This fact
makes the route of the Monasteries one of
the most consolidated destinations of the
tourism in La Rioja. |
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Pilgrimage
route to Santiago de Compostela |
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FIRST
EUROPEAN CULTURAL ITINERARY
The Santiago
pilgrimage route, first European cultural
itinerary , is a Heritage for Mankind, it
is one of the tourist routes that travellers
use most in order to know about History ,
Art and Culture of The Riojan Region.
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A ROAD OF
TRADITION
In Logroño
there is a junction of the French Road to
Santiago, that comes right from the Pirinees
through Navarre and Aragón, with
the Pilgrimage road of the Ebro River, that
comes from the Mediterranean Sea using the
old Roman Road between Tarragona and Astorga,
passing through the Riojan cities that used
to be Roman Cities: Alfarro, Calahorra and
Varea.
The Riojan part of the pilgrimage Route
to Santiago is short in the Maps but it
contains a great number of the Symbols that
are the reason why this Road has been appointed
as the First European Cultural Itinerary
and Manking Heritage.
The most ancient
pilgrim to Santiago with a known identity
is reported to have passed through it. Here
we can observe the scenery of the mythical
battle of ´Clavijo`that was used to
justify the Vow of Santiago. In Navarrete
, the ground plan and the façade
of the old pilgrim hospital can be observed
the same they were in the 12th century.
It is also remarkable the town of Santo
Domingo de La Calzada, which has its origin
arround the Grave of one of the most famous
Saints of the French Pilgrimage Road and
one of the most remarkable men in the 11th
century in Europe.
There are no records of other ancient assistance
centres for pilgrims but this one of the
´Fraternity of the Saint` which was
founded in the 12th century clearly intended
for helping the pilgrims. This is the place
where the wonderful miracle of the hung
pilgrim took place, the best known miracle
of the Middle Ages. But above all it is
remarkable the hospitality of these people
who are accustomed to the pilgrin´s
passing since very long ago.
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High
Rioja |
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FROM
THE EBRO RIVER TO THE IBERIAN MOUNTAIN RANGE
(SISTEMA IBERICO)
The high rioja
is located in the western part of the region
and it occupies all the Ebro valley from the
part in which enters the Rioja region to Logroño.
It also includes the valleys of its different
tributaries as it goes on its way to the Mediterranean
Sea, it reaches the beginning of the ´Sistema
Ibérico` (Iberian Mountain Range). |
In
the north of this small area , due to its
particular microclimate and to the type of
soil, an intensive cultivation of vine is
practised, meanwhile, in the southwest plains
we find extensive wheat, potatoe and beet
plantations but little vine.
WINE,
GASTRONOMY AND HISTORIC AND ARTISTIC HERITAGE
The High Rioja is remarkable for its famous
wines, very appreciated for their quality
and refinement. They have attracted numerous
visitors since more than 140 years.
In the High Rioja there are some of the monasteries
which have more historic and artistic value,
among them it is the Suso Monastery, and the
Yuso monastery.Both of them have been appointed
as Mankind Heritage by the UNESCO.
Besides, High Rioja is rich in Natural and
Landscape resources.The most important natural
heritage of the area is the vineyards and
the lands along the Ebro River and its tributaries,
mentioning as well the fauna, fishing waters
, hunting places and the natural footpaths. |
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The
Low Rioja |
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BETWEEN
THE VALLEY AND THE MOUNTAINS
The western
part of the Rioja takes its name from the
little height of its mountains and from the
fact that is the part nearest to the mouth
of the Ebro River.In the Low Rioja we can
distinguish between the valley and the mountains:
The Industry and the irrigated lands, whereas
in the south there is an area with small mountains
, hilly area in which there is still farming
and cattle raising. |
HISTORIC
AND ARTISTIC HERITAGE
Numerous sources
lead us to the Paleolithic times . Since that
time until now there have been several civilizations:
Celts, Romans, Visigoths, the christenized
civilization of the same and the Arabs leaving
all of them a rich historic and artistic heritage.
There are Sites with some celtiberian vestiges
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The most remarkable one is the Contrebia-Leukade,
in Inestrillas. This Site is one of the most
complete examples of the Celtiberian towns.
One of the first Roman colonies founded in
Spain was the one of Gracurris, Alfaro nowadays.
Some vestiges of the Roman settings are the
San Martin Site and the Roman Ninfeo, which
has been appointed as National Monument.
We can also find some remains of numerous
castles, belonging to a period of instability
and constant wars.There are also some religious
monuments and buildings such as the Santa
Maria Cathedral in Calahorra or the San Miguel
Colegiate in Alfaro.
NATURAL
RESOURCES
The Low Rioja has a singular beauty thanks
to the landscape variety that it offers as
well as the several examples of this natural
wealth. Two of the natural ´Rioja Baja`monuments
is ´El Picuezo` and ´La Picueza`
to big sand stone monoliths carved with lots
of patience by the wind that blows in the
Cidancos River Valley. |
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The
Riojan Mountains |
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THE
VALLEYS AND THE MOUNTAINS
The Riojan
´Sierra`(Highlands) stretches to all
the Southern region and it belongs to the
´Sistema Ibérico` (Iberian Mountain
Range). Its Relieve as well as its climate
create a great difference with the Ebro banks
and its several valleys.
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HISTORIC
AND ARTISTIC HERITAGE
History has witnessed
the presence of Celtiberians and Romans in
the Riojan Mountains. It is written with gold
after the creation of the MESTA (Sheperds
and cattle raisers´Association) in the
13th century by Alfonso the 10th . The splendour
times of the heritage from this region is
the Baroque.
The economic wellbeing is the base on which
numerous religious and civil buildins were
constructed: churches , ermits, towers…
they shelter artistic vestiges of great value
such as paintins sculptures, stalls, as well
as very valuable goldsmithing and silversmithing
pieces.
NATURAL
HERITAGE
Skiing in Valdezcaray, the Nature Park of
Cebollera and the dinosaurs`footprints (pawprints)
are some of the most interesting suggestions
that the natural heritage of the Riojan Mountain
offers to visitors. |
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