In the North of Spain between mountains and vineyards sits one of the most charming villages I’ve ever visited. Laguardia, Spain is one of those towns you easily spend a few days soaking in the architecture, history, wine, food and views. If you want a weekend to enjoy life at a slower pace, this medieval village is the perfect escape.
Laguardia is located in the Southern part of the Basque Country. It’s not apart of the La Rioja autonomous region but it is apart of the El Rioja wine region. As you make your way into town, you’ll be surrounded by vineyards that come alive in the fall. The closest big cities are Logroño (20 minutes by car) and Vitoria (45 minutes by car).
Being in the Basque Country means that you’ll get to experience the unique ways of their culture. While most people grow up speaking Spanish, the Basques’ native language is Euskera, this super cool language that’s existed in the region for centuries. In fact, it has no tie to any other European language. So if you hear people speaking something that’s very different than Spanish and you see words you also know are definitely not Spanish, you now know what’s up! Don’t worry though as everyone can speak Spanish and some people can speak some English too!
Touring an underground winery
No weekend in Laguardia is complete without visiting a winery. In fact, you’ll have your choice of quite a few! The one we went to was a bit more unique.
Fun fact: Laguardia has tons and tons of underground wineries. Many are privately-owned. However there is one that you can tour and it’s called El Fabulista. The name comes from the word fable. Each bottle has a beautiful picture of a fable.
I went on this tour with a few friends about a month ago and enjoyed it. They explain to you the process of how they make wine and let you taste a few! It’s definitely one of the more affordable winery tours in the region.
There are many other wineries and even a wine museum that you can also experience. Bodegas Ysios is perhaps one of the more well-known wineries for their unique architecture. A few other wineries are Bodegas Campillo and Eguren Ugarte. Villa Lucia has a wine museum.
The food
You will definitely eat quite well when spending a weekend in Laguardia. In this region of Spain pinchos (small plates of food) are quite popular. Here are a few recommendations:
- Villa Lucia: I ate here one time and the food was fantastic. If you want something a bit more fancy and high-end, I would recommend this spot.
- Gastrobar Doña Blanca: If you want a place with some views, this is the spot!
- Apart from those spots, I would recommend just wandering around and trying food at all the different spots!
Go for a stroll
One of my favorite things to do in Laguardia is get lost in the streets. If you love photography, you’ll be able to capture some amazing shots. Definitely be sure to check out the mirador. The views of the surrounding villages and vineyards are absolutely stunning.
After that, I would recommend that you take a stroll around the outside of the town on a path called Paseo Las Cruces. Since it’s a very old village, it’s all sort of walled-in. This path makes for a very beautiful (and even romantic if you want it to be) walk.
Explore Laguardia’s very own lake
Just next to the village is an absolutely breath-taking lake that you can walk around. Since Laguardia is situated on top of a hill, you’ll have to either go down via their free elevator or walk down the hill. You then cross the street and will walk along a dirt path for maybe 5-10 minutes with the lake in front of you. This is a great opportunity to capture some shots of the entire village.
The entire lake takes maybe 45 minutes to an hour to walk around. There’s an observation deck where you can see the entire lake and a shelter where you can observe birds.
Where to stay
When spending a weekend in Laguardia, you will have ample choices of accommodation. I suppose it all depends on what you’re looking for and what your budget is. Most of the hotels are a decent price.
- Lower budget: a casa rural would be perfect! Plus you would be right in the center of the city. Casa Rural Erletxe or Pensión Biazteri would be a great spots if you want to stay in the 60-70€/night price range.
- Middle budget: Sercotel Villa de Laguardia. I stayed here with my boyfriend about a year ago. This 3-star hotel has an outdoor pool and a spa that guests can use! The only downside is that this hotel isn’t in the center of Laguardia. However a walk up to the village would take maybe 7 minutes.
- Slightly higher end: Hospederia de los Parajes. This hotel is located right in the center of the village, and also has a spa and a restaurant.
Have you been to Northern Spain? Would you like to spend a weekend in Laguardia?
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