4 Essential Things To Do In Haro, La Rioja
Haro is a beautiful town in La Rioja strongly linked to winemaking. Although it also stands out for the multitude of monuments that it preserves or for its exquisite cuisine. Below we reveal the best plans that can be carried out in this municipality. Can you come with us?
1. Tour the historic center
Haro has a rich artistic and cultural heritage. Much of it can be discovered by walking through the “Herradura”, the old town of Haro, declared a Site of Cultural Interest since 1975.
One of the landmark buildings is the Town Hall, the most important and best-preserved civil work in the municipality. It was built in a neoclassical style during the time of King Carlos III.
In the same location, in the Plaza de la Paz, there is also a characteristic kiosk and the Bendaña Palace, a three-story building built in ashlar stone. Its two facades stand out, each one belonging to a different century, and the Mudejar gallery with intertwined stars and flowers. Currently it houses the Municipal Tourism Office.
Other civil buildings
Another of the palaces that Haro has is that of La Bezaras, which stands out for its large dimensions. To this must be added the palace of the Counts of Haro, that of Tejada and that of Los Salazar, in which the transition between the Plateresque and Herrerian styles is clear. There is more: the palaces of Plaza de la Cruz, Las Sevillanas and the Pisón House, a baroque palace from the 17th century.
On the other hand, the historic center of Haro was walled and three gates gave access to it, of which only two remain: the San Bernardo gate, which today is an austere semicircular arch, and the Puerta de Santa Barbara. Another section of the wall that is still standing is a 14th century ashlar tower, in which a museum has been installed.
2. Visit the churches and museums of Haro
Religious architecture is an important part of Haro’s heritage. The basilica of the Virgen de la Vega stands out, in baroque style and in which the baroque altarpiece of the main altar, built in 1740, stands out.
Another temple is the parish of Santo Tomás, located at the foot of the hill of La Mota. The most special thing about it is the tower, which set a precedent in later ones such as that of Santa María la Redonda in Logroño.
A little further from the center of Haro is the hermitage of San Felices. This sanctuary offers beautiful views of the Ebro or the vineyards, as it sits on the cliffs of Bilibio. For this reason, it is not surprising that it was chosen “The Best Corner” by the Repsol Guide in 2014. In addition, the place is famous for being the scene of the famous Battle of Wine.
Regarding museums, you should visit the Torreón Museum, which houses a collection of contemporary art by various authors from La Rioja; or the Open Air Museum, where you can see different sculptures of traditional, artisan and artistic trades, such as the espadrille or bottler. The objective is to recognize the work of many inhabitants of the town.
3. Do wine tourism
Haro and wine maintain a very close relationship, hence it is known as “Costa del Vino” or “Capital of Rioja”. The production is mainly focused on red wine, but white wine, rosé and cava are also produced. Tourists have the opportunity to buy them in one of the many wine shops or wineries that populate the municipality.
In fact, Haro can boast of having some of the oldest wineries in La Rioja, including Bodegas Berceo, built in 1801. Likewise, the Barrio de la Estación has the largest concentration of centennial wineries in the world. One of them is Bodegas CVNE. Visiting it is a good way to learn about the history and the making of Rioja, as well as to participate in one of its tastings.
Those who want to know even more can stop by the Rioja Wine Interpretation Center, located in the mythical Oenological Station, inaugurated in 1892. The aim of the center is to disseminate oenological knowledge with interactive information, panels and video projections.
4. Taste its delicious cuisine
Gastronomy is one of the main attractions of Haro, since it has many quality products typical of the area. Of these , vegetables and vegetables grown in the gardens of the area, slaughter products and desserts stand out. Hence, some essential dishes are vegetable stew, potatoes with chorizo, stuffed peppers or cutlets with vine shoots.
One of the best ways to taste all this is through a gastronomic route: that of the Plaza de la Paz, where you can enjoy succulent pinchos, good wines, varied mixed dishes or coffees, while at the same time seeing architectural jewels such as the City Hall ; or La Herradura, where Calle San Martín stands out.
