A small and relatively unknown city is located in Spain and there a glass of wine costs a little more than 1 euro.
It’s Logronio, the capital of the Rioja region, a place that is unrelated to the mass tourism phenomenon.
In Logronio you’ll find plenty of choice when it comes to tasty wine and pintxos, according to Telegraph, and it’s pointed out that you don’t have to spend a lot of money on expensive bottles of wine.
There’s no need to spend a lot of money, as each glass of wine paired with a creative pintxo snack and served al fresco under atmospheric street lights was enjoyable.
Logronio, the capital of the La Rioja region in northern Spain, is, first and foremost, a wine town. Perched on the river Ebro, it sits at the intersection of the Basque Country, Navarre and La Rioja, with many places named in both Basque and Spanish.
Logronio hosts La Rioja’s wine harvest festival, with autumn offering incredible scenery when the rows of vines take on shades of ochre and copper and temperatures hover around 23 degrees Celsius.
A city far from mass tourism hidden in Spain
But the city doesn’t attract many tourists, compared to its popular Basque neighbours Bilbao and San Sebastian. Nevertheless, the city centre is a paradise of car-free neighbourhoods, dotted with ruins of 16th-century walls and backed by the two towers of the Cathedral of Santa María de la Redonda.
The colourful 15th-century buildings lead to the Plaza del Mercado, and you can learn about the history of the city and the surrounding area from Roman times to the present day at the Museo de la Rioja.
Logronio is also a stop on the Camino de Santiago route, with the Puerta del Camino welcoming pilgrims to the city at the imposing Puente de Piedra bridge, making heavy-backpacked hikers a common sight enjoying breakfasts of churros and chocolate in the city’s cafes.
For a day on the trails, you can follow long-distance hiking trails, including sections of the Camino, from the city centre – or simply follow the urban trail along the wide river Ebro as it flows through the city into the greater Rioja region, criss-crossed by a patchwork of vineyards, mountains and canyons.
Using Logronio as a base, one can visit the hundreds of wineries in La Rioja, many of which are within a 30-minute drive of the city.
Although the vast majority of wine in La Rioja is produced by only a few major brands, it is still possible to find handcrafted gems.
Logronio: A “hidden” town in northern Spain
Logronio is about 90 minutes by car from Bilbao, where the nearest international airport is located, or two and a half hours by train.
To get the most out of La Rioja, it’s best to rent a car.
However, there are several local bus routes between the larger towns and tourist villages, for those who wish to avoid driving on winding mountain roads.
