Last updated September 2022
We are taking a little break from Calahorra and La Rioja and we are moving to the neighbouring autonomous region of The Basque Country (El Páis Vasco, or in the Basque language, Euskadi). You have probably heard of The Basque Country before, even if only for the reason that it is where Bilbao is located, a modern city which is the home of the renowned modern art museum – Guggenheim Museum – see photo below. The beautiful coastal city of San Sebastián is also located in The Basque Country; it is famous for its Michelin star restaurants and for its international film festival in September. Vitoria, the capital of The Basque Country, is a beautiful city whose cathedral was the inspiration for Ken Follett’s book, World Without End. The TV adaptation of his novel, The Pillars of the Earth, is one of my favourite TV shows of all time!
But today we are looking at the beautiful Medieval town of Laguardia. Laguardia is a perfect place to go for a relaxed afternoon. We spent a happy Sunday afternoon there. Of course, you can make it a more action-packed day if you like but we were happy to wander its medieval streets, admire the views of the countryside – mostly hills and vineyards – watch the clock strike the hour and have some tasty food. It is high up so it offers wonderful views of the surrounding mountains and lots of vineyards. It is located in The Basque Country but it is very close to La Rioja so it would be very possible to visit it from Calahorra or Logroño.
Will you realise you are in a different area of Spain? In a word, yes. There is a different language in the Basque Country. Of course, the people all speak Castilian too but you will notice people using different words. Don’t let it dishearten you from learning Spanish, it is just that it really is a very different language! Even the street names look strange, the names do not look Spanish at all.
It is similar when you go to Ireland, a lot of the street names and information signs are in Irish (Gaeilge) as well as in English. I think anyone who has gone to Ireland will know just from looking at the words that Irish is a completely different language to English; they are not related at all. I was amazed that so many people were very surprised when I told them that I speak Irish, some of them thought it was English spoken with an Irish accent. It is not like that at all! Sorry to rant about Irish but this does annoy me. So I imagine it annoys Basque people just as much when people think their language is Spanish with a Basque accent.
Laguardia is high up, situated on the top of a hill. We parked on a low road and then we needed to take a very cool elevator up to the top. Or we could have walked, I suppose, but why walk when you have the free use of such an artistic looking elevator!
After you ascend in the elevator you are in the old town of Laguardia. You will immediately notice the old city walls and the narrow streets. It is really very pretty with its little streets, restaurants, cafés and a peaceful atmosphere. It was one of my favourite places we went to while I was in La Rioja for my 3 months. As it on a hill, it offers beautiful views of the surrounding countryside and as if this wasn’t enough, there is also an amazing clock! At various times of the day, 3 figures come out and dance to a traditional song. It is certainly worth seeing if you can time it right but even just to see the clock itself is worth it. It is what I’ve chosen as my picture for this post, after all. We don’t have clocks like this in Ireland so it is always exciting to see one! I was very surprised that such a small town has so many interesting things to see.
The clock is on the New Town Hall in the Main Square. It is a pendulum clock. The figures do not dance every hour, only a few times a day. The times are as follow:
Summer (June to September):
12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 17:00, 20:00 and 22:00
Winter (October to May):
12:00, 14:00, 17:00 and 20:00
The street names are beautifully presented too – pink and nicely decorated. Laguardia was the first place I had ever been to in The Basque Country so I thought this might be unique to the town but after seeing very similar street signs in Bilbao, I think it is particular to The Basque Country. It is a little something that makes you realise that you are in a different part of Spain which I think it a wonderful idea.
We just walked around the streets, admired some of the shops selling traditional art and had a very nice lunch in a Basque restaurant, El Pórtico (Calle Mayor, 2). Yes, the food is different in The Basque Country! For one thing, they eat pintxos, not tapas. Pintxos are little pieces of bread topped with a piece of meat, fish, vegetables etc. They are quite different to tapas but they are both similar in that they are small, just snacks. In this restaurant in Laguardia, I was able to eat one of their traditional dishes, Basque cake (Pastel Vasco). It is a sponge cake but it seems that the exact recipe depends on the restaurant. I really liked the one I had though!
Laguardia really does offer great views of the surrounding countryside, it can help you appreciate just how many vineyards there are in this part of Spain! If you have the time then you should definitely visit a wine bodega while you are here or while you are in La Rioja. We went to the Marques de Riscal wine bodega as it is very close to Laguardia, in the town of Elciego. It is even just worth going to Elciego to see the bodega from the outside as the hotel, part of the bodega, is designed by the American architect Frank O. Gehry who also designed The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. His buildings are very unique and quite futuristic, I would say. That’s twice I have managed to mention the Guggenheim in this one post! You can guess that means I really like it and that I will be writing on it in more detail soon. Anyway, it is well worth seeing the building but if you have the time and interest then it is also worthwhile going on the tour as you can learn all about the wine-making process and also do a wine tasting at the end.
So now I hope you are wondering how you can get to Laguardia as fast as possible! Well, worry no more!
How to get to Laguardia?
The most straightforward way is driving, especially if you are coming from La Rioja.
If you are in The Basque Country, in Bilbao, San Sebastián or Vitoria, it is possible to get a bus.
There is no train station in Laguardia. The closest train station is in Logroño, the capital of La Rioja.
Official website:
https://www.euskoguide.com/es/lugares-pais-vasco/espana/laguardia-turismo/
So there you have it, a snapshot of the beautiful medieval town of Laguardia and a brief introduction to The Basque Country. Same as La Rioja, it is a region that is well worth visiting for a multitude of reasons! I hope to write about them one day soon.