EuroVelo 1
Section 5 Section 7

Section 6 - La Rioja

Logroño - Nájera - 33Km

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Leaving Navarra behind, EuroVelo 1 enters the land that tastes of wine par excellence: La Rioja. The route reaches Logroño through a surprising landscape among vineyards along the historical and cultural itinerary of the French Pilgrims’ Route to Santiago.

Logroño is reached through an area bordering on the River Ebro until the historical Stone Bridge is crossed. On the other bank of the river the old quarter of the city invites us to explore its winding streets where it welcomes us with its well known oenogastronomic offerings. Calle Laurel, Calle de San Juan, and many other spaces in the centre serve tapas and high quality meals, which are always accompanied by wines famous the world over. History and art are also represented by monuments such as the Cubo del Revellín and its Walls, the Concatedral de la Redonda, the Churches of Santiago and San Bartolomé, and the Church of Palacio with its peculiar cupola in the form of a steeple.

The route advances through the outskirts of the city, crossing the Parque de la Grajera and its reservoir to take up again the natural landscapes and the vineyards as far as Navarrete. There you can enjoy a heritage associated with the Pilgrims’ Route to Santiago, such as the Hospital de San Juan de Acre and the imposing church of the town.

We continue pedalling among vineyards through Ventosa until we reach Nájera, the birthplace of kings and the nerve centre of the medieval kingdom of Nájera-Pamplona. Crossing the bridge over the River Najerilla, the banks of which deserve a walk, we come to the town. History and culture come together in a visit not to be missed to the Church of Santa María La Real, where we can see the Panteón Real with the sepulchres of kings and princes of Pamplona, Castiila, and León. No less interesting is the exquisiteness of the choir stalls, which were carved in about 1495, and the decorative richness of the cloister with its fine stone tracery.

Another visit that can be recommended is that of the Museo Najerillense, where part of the history of the town is exhibited.

Points of Interest

Heritage: 9

  • La Rioja is on the French Pilgrims' Route to Santiago on a section containing a large part of the symbols which explain why it has been declared the First European Cultural and Universal Culture of Humanity Itinerary. Eurovelo 1 in La Rioja covers a large percentage of this route.

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  • The town is of medieval origin and was fortified in particular as from the 15th and 16th centuries. The Walls of El Revellín are the remains of the former fortifications of Logroño, of which the Cubo del Revellín remains (a tower located on the northwest corner of the enclosure) and the gateway facing west.

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  • The Concatedral de Santa María de la Redonda is in the heart of the old town of Logroño. It was built on a primitive Romanesque church which in 1435 became a collegiate church. The Concatedral dates from the 16th century but underwent numerous alterations in the 17th and 18th centuries, which give the exterior a purely baroque appearance. The oldest part of the church is the central section. It is a hall church with three naves of the same height separated by large columns and covered with star shaped vaulting and tiercerons. The construction of the church is that of a model which is very widespread in the north of Spain. It was declared a natural monument in 1931 and was      elevated to the category of Concathedral in 1959 by Pope John XXIII.

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  • It is located in Calle Marqués de San Nicolás, which is better known as the Calle Mayor, and is the only one to retain its cloister. Its origins date back to the earlier Church of Santa María la Vieja which was founded by the Order of the Holy Sepulchre; the remains of this church appeared in the patio of the cloister. It appears that thanks to a donation made by Alfonso VII “The Emperor” the decision was taken to build a new construction, the current Santa María de Palacio, which was later visited by Charles I in 1520. The oldest part is that of the Romanesque work carried out in the late 12th century. Work continued from the 16th to the 18th centuries. Over the central nave rises a lantern which is octagonal in shape and known as “The Steeple”; this is one of the most noteworthy elements of the town. It is a Gothic church which is pyramidal in shape and has dormers containing lancet windows.

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  • Located on the plaza of the same name, this is the oldest surviving church in the town. Its construction must have been initiated in the        second half of the 12th century; the ground plan corresponds to this period and is typically Romanesque in style with its three apses and     part of the tower. It was declared a national monument in the 19th century.

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  • This baroque building was built in the 18th century and was owned by Doña Jacinta Martínez de Sicilia, the Duchess of La Victoria and the wife of General Espartero. It currently houses the La Rioja Museum and contains exhibits which reflect the history, the culture, and   the art of the region.

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  • Navarrete was an obligatory stage for the pilgrim following the Route to Santiago and it was in 1185 (in the 12th century) when the Hospital de San Juan de Acre was founded with the aim of taking in and assisting pilgrims bound for Santiago. Today the archaeological ruins of the 13th-century Romanesque church can be seen.

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  • One of the finest monuments of Navarrete and the whole of La Rioja is the gateway to the current cemetery, which was not however built either on this site or with this layout; it was transferred from its original location, the former Hospital de San Juan de Acre, in 1887, And whose remains it is possible to see at the entrance of the town. The gateway and two windows are in the late Romanesque style and represent one of the few constructions of the period to survive in La Rioja.

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  • This church is located in Calle Barriocepo on the Pilgrims' Route to Santiago on the site of an earlier church which was destroyed by fire in about 1500. Construction of the new church was initiated in the early 16th century. The design of the 17th-century doorway takes the form of a triumphal arch which holds a sculpture of Santiago the Pilgrim.

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Nature: 1

  • This section explores the cultural landscape of the vineyards of La Rioja after crossing the only nature reserve in the Region on the outskirts of the town, the Parque de la Grajera. In the vicinity of this reserve there is also a golf course.

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Gastronomy and wine: 4

  • La Rioja has a rich and varied gastronomy with a Mediterranean influence. It has large extensions of crops which provide fresh produce on a daily basis. There is a wide range of establishments: traditional restaurants, signature restaurants, carveries, cheap eating-houses... and of course tapas bars.

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  • Enjoying varied tastes and combining them with good wine is the custom on this “Pathway”. The heart of the old town (Calles Laurel, Albornoz, Travesía del Laurel, and San Agustín) will delight you with the “smell”, “taste”, “appearance” and “texture” of our tapas; and why not, also with the “sound” of locals and visitors alike as they raise their glasses. Become an expert in sensory gastronomy and join in!

  • There are many wine cellars in Logroño and the surrounding area which you can visit during a halt on your route. In this way you can get to know what is not just a way of life in La Rioja but the true culture of wine;  passion for the land and the production of quality wines.

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  • The Rioja Alta Wine Route is the centenary landscape of wine. It is so named because it is the region with the most density of centuries-old wineries in the world. That´s right, this landscape where wine is legend and it´s reality. It’s no wonder that it homes the greatest number of centennial wineries in the world... Read more

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Shops and cycling services: 12

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Section 6

Logroño - Nájera - 33Km: 33

  • Elevation
  • Heritage
  • Nature
  • Gastronomy and wine
  • Shops and cycling services