We welcome you to Laguardia, capital of the Rioja Alavesa region, where you will discover a medieval town where rural tourism has managed to conquer land in the best way.
The north of the peninsula is where it sits, delimited by natural elements such as the Sierra de Cantabria or the Ebro river, offering an authentic landscape spectacle for nature lovers.
One of the most noteworthy places is the Protected Biotope Lagunar de Laguardia Complex, formed by several lagoons that, due to their ecological importance, are included in the humid zones of international importance of the Ramsar Convention.
Do you want to immerse yourself in its history? The Middle Ages is the one that has left the biggest imprint on its current architecture, however the town’s origins go much further back. Prehistory also has its representation here, with places such as La Cueva de los Husos and several dolmens - Lazaya, San Martín or La Chabola de la Hechicera- that are originally from the Neolithic, while the Poblado de la Hoya is a settlement of the Iron Age dated to 4th century BC.
We return to the Middle Ages, as it is Sancho VII who decides to completely fortify the town in the 12th century, walling the town and reinforcing the Castle, which was previously built in the 10th century.
As a representative of religious architecture, two churches stand out: San Juan Bautista, with a spectacular baroque altarpiece inside, and Santa María de los Reyes, in which its polychrome portico from the 17th century should be highlighted.
In its network of streets, medieval architecture is also very present, mixed with more modern buildings from the Renaissance or more Baroque style, adorned by coats of arms.
Additionally the old cellars or family caves make up another underground network in much of the city’s location.
We already know a little more about his origins, so what if we delve into his way of life? Laguardia‘s economy is based on its wines, since its rich lands are an excellent place for the production of vineyards, having obtained its own designation of origin.
Around them, a wide sector has arisen with a wide range of possibilities, from wine tastings in wineries, wine tourism, or rural accommodation in full fields of vineyards.
And since we are talking about wine, the best thing to do to accompany these aromatic broths is to enjoy the typical gastronomy.
Do you want to know what to eat in Laguardia? Both meat and fish are protagonists in the most traditional dishes, such as trout or potatoes with Riojan chorizo, peppers stuffed with cod or ajoarriero.
Coming to the end of your meal, to sweetening your mouth, you have to try the puff pastry, although it is actually a homemade patty made with bread dough, oil, eggs and sugar.
To conclude, we can say that Laguardia is an outstanding town, appreciated by many travelers, so much so, that it is included in the List of Most Beautiful Towns in Spain.
So, go ahead and visit it, enjoy a stay and take advantage of the charm of rural tourism.
