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martes, 30 de octubre de 2012

NAVARRA: ESTELLA AND LOS ARCOS


During the first three days of our trip to La Rioja we visited Logroño, Haro and Santo Domingo de la Calzada. The fourth day we went to Laguardia in the morning, a lovely village surrounded by vineyards located in La Rioja Alavesa (Basque Country).

In the afternoon of this fourth day we visited Estella and the charming village of Los Arcos, where you can feel the atmosphere of The Way of Saint James.


You can see below all the places I visited in La Rioja, Navarra and Aragón during this trip:


Days 1 and 2
  • Zaragoza and Logroño
Day 3
  • Haro
  • Santo Domingo de la Calzada
Day 4
  • Laguardia
  • Estella
  • Los Arcos
Day 5
  • San Millán de la Cogolla
  • Nájera
Day 6
  • Tarazona
  • Monasterio de Veruela


In Estella and Los Arcos we visited the following places:


Estella:


  • Church of San Pedro de la Rua
  • Palace of the Kings of Navarra
  • Plaza de los Fueros (Fueros Square)

Los Arcos:

  • Plaza Mayor (Main Square)
  • Church of Santa Maria
  • Puerta de Castilla


Estella  (Lizarra)



Church of San Pedro de la Rua in Estella
Church of San Pedro de la Rua in Estella




Church of San Pedro de la Rua in Estella
Gothic doorway of the church of San Pedro de la Rua in Estella



Estella in Navarra
Street of Estella The Way of Saint James passes through. At the end of this street the Palace of the Kings of Navarra appears



Palace of the Kings of Navarra in Estella
Palace of the Kings of Navarra in Estella



Palace of the Kings of Navarra in Estella
Palace of the Kings of Navarra in Estella from the staircase which leads to the church of San Pedro de la Rua





Plaza de los Fueros in Estella
Plaza de los Fueros in Estella



Los Arcos




City Hall of Los Arcos in Navarra
City Hall of Los Arcos in Navarra



Los Arcos in Navarra
Bell tower of the church of Santa Maria in Los Arcos



Main Square in Los Arcos
Main Square in Los Arcos



Main Square in Los Arcos
I really liked the relaxing atmosphere of this square in Los Arcos



Church of Santa Maria in Los Arcos
Church of Santa Maria in Los Arcos




Church of Santa Maria in Los Arcos
Gothic cloister of the church of Santa Maria in Los Arcos



Church of Santa Maria in Los Arcos
Bell tower of the church of Santa Maria from its cloister



Los Arcos in Navarra
Street in Los Arcos, a nice village in Navarra


Puerta de Castilla in Los Arcos
Puerta de Castilla in Los Arcos




Finally, other beautiful places you can visit in Spain are:


- Catalonia

- Basque Country

- Cantabria

- Granada

- Sevilla, Córdoba, Cádiz and Costa de la Luz

domingo, 28 de octubre de 2012

SPAIN: EL CAMINO DE SANTIAGO FRANCÉS

After having walked almost 120km along The Portuguese Way of Saint James from Valença do Minho in Portugal to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, I wanted to visit some villages of The French Way of Saint James. As we were going to La Rioja and Navarra some weeks later, we visited some of these villages and towns (but this time we went from one town to the next one by car):

  • Estella-Lizarra
  • Los Arcos
  • Logroño
  • Nájera
  • Santo Domingo de la Calzada

I really liked the Jacobean atmosphere of these towns and the fantastic churches, cathedrals and monasteries I could visit there.

Next I would like to show you some pictures of the places I like the most of these towns.

Estella-Lizarra



Curtidores Street in Estella
The Camino de Santiago enters the town of Estella by Curtidores Street. At the end of this street appears the Palace of the Kings of Navarra


Church of San Pedro de la Rua in Estella
Yellow arrow of The Camino de Santiago and the church of San Pedro de la Rua in Estella

Palace of the Kings of Navarra in Estella
Palace of the Kings of Navarra in Estella

Los Arcos


Puerta of Castilla in Los Arcos
Shell of The Camino de Santiago near Puerta de Castilla in Los Arcos, a lovely village in Navarra

Santa María church in Los Arcos
Bell tower of Santa María church in Los Arcos

Santa María church in Los Arcos
Sculpture of Saint James inside the church of Santa Maria in Los Arcos

Logroño


Camino de Santiago in Logroño
The Camino de Santiago enters Logroño by the Puente de Piedra and crosses the old city by Rua Vieja and Barriocepo streets

Church of Santiago in Logroño
Church of Santiago in Logroño

Nájera



Doorway of Santa María la Real monastery in Nájera
Shell of Camino de Santiago near the doorway of Santa María la Real monastery in Nájera

Sculpture of Saint James
Sculpture of Saint James inside the church of Santa Maria la Real monastery in Nájera


Santo Domingo de la Calzada


Shell of Camino de Santiago in Santo Domingo de la Calzada
Shell of Camino de Santiago in Calle Mayor near the cathedral of Santo Domingo de la Calzada

Santo Domingo inside the cathedral of Santo Domingo de la Calzada
Santo Domingo inside the cathedral of Santo Domingo de la Calzada

Pilgrim hostel in Santo Domingo de la Calzada
Pilgrim hostel in Santo Domingo de la Calzada in Calle Mayor

Pilgrim Monument in Santo Domingo de la Calzada
Convent of San Francisco behind the Pilgrim Monument in Santo Domingo de la Calzada

Pilgrim Monument in Santo Domingo de la Calzada
A closer picture of the Pilgrim Monument in Santo Domingo de la Calzada


Along The Portuguese Way of Saint James I could visit many interesting places like:




Finally, other beautiful places you can visit in Spain are:

sábado, 27 de octubre de 2012

BASQUE COUNTRY: LAGUARDIA IN RIOJA ALAVESA

During the first three days of our trip to La Rioja we visited Logroño, Haro and Santo Domingo de la Calzada. The fourth day we went to Laguardia, a lovely village surrounded by vineyards located in La Rioja Alavesa (Basque Country).



Vineyards in Laguardia
Vineyards in Laguardia



You can see below all the places I visited in La Rioja, Navarra and Aragón during this trip:


Days 1 and 2
  • Zaragoza and Logroño
Day 3
  • Haro
  • Santo Domingo de la Calzada
Day 4
  • Laguardia
  • Estella
  • Los Arcos
Day 5
  • San Millán de la Cogolla
  • Nájera
Day 6
  • Tarazona
  • Monasterio de Veruela


In Laguardia we visited the following places and a Wine Cellar, called Mayor de Migueloa:


  • Town Walls and Gates
  • Plaza Mayor (Main Square)
  • Streets of the Old Town
  • Church of Santa María de los Reyes
  • Plaza El Gaitero (El Gaitero Square)
  • Torre Abacial (Abattial Tower)
  • Visiting Wine Cellars
  • Paseo El Collado (El Collado Promenade)


Streets, Town Walls and Gates


Gate of the town walls of Laguardia
One of the gates of the town walls of Laguardia, which are two metres high and are thick and topped by a battlemented parapet that, in the past, could be walked all around. There are five gates that lead into the town


Plaza Mayor (Main Square)



Plaza Mayor in Laguardia
Plaza Mayor is a fortified square in the town’s centre of Laguardia. Here we can see the old town hall with the imperial coat of arms of Charles 5th, and the current town hall, with the town´s coat of arms



Streets of the Old Town




Calle Mayor en Laguardia
Main Street of Laguardia


Street of Laguardia
We enjoyed a relaxing walk along streets like this one of Laguardia


Laguardia in Rioja Alavesa
As Laguardia belongs to La Rioja Alavesa, famous for its wines, there are many wine barrels in the streets of Laguardia


Laguardia in Rioja Alavesa
One of the lovely corners of Laguardia



Santa Maria de los Reyes



Church of Santa Maria de los Reyes in Laguardia
Church of Santa Maria de los Reyes in Laguardia


Plaza El Gaitero



Plaza El Gaitero in Laguardia
Plaza El Gaitero in Laguardia




Plaza El Gaitero in Laguardia
Plaza El Gaitero beside the church of Santa María de los Reyes and the Abattial Tower



Torre Abacial


Torre Abacial in Laguardia
Torre Abacial is a military tower built in the 18th century. It has lost its battlemented finish as a result of the various modifications


Visiting Wine Cellars



Wine Cellar Mayor de Migueloa in Laguardia
 Laguardia, which belongs to La Rioja Alavesa, famous for its wines, gives you the possibility of visiting some of its wine cellars and have first hand information about the process of wine making, from the vintage to the bottling of our prestigious wines, and you can even taste different types. In Laguardia we visited the wine cellar Mayor de Migueloa.



Paseo El Collado



El Collado in Laguardia
"El Collado" is a beautiful promenade around Laguardia 


Castle El Collado in Laguardia
Castle "El Collado" in Laguardia



View from El Collado in Laguardia
From El Collado you can enjoy the majestic Cantabria mountain range, and how the Navarra, Castilla and Aragón lands open up to our feet





Other cities I visited during this trip in Zaragoza, La Rioja and Navarra were:




    Finally, other beautiful places you can visit in Spain are:


    - Catalonia

    - Basque Country

    - Cantabria

    - Granada

    - Sevilla, Córdoba, Cádiz and Costa de la Luz

    viernes, 26 de octubre de 2012

    SPAIN - LA RIOJA: HARO

    Haro is known as La Rioja Wine Capital. In this town you can visit a lot of wineries where you can learn all you want about wine. We visited La Rioja Alta winery and we liked a lot the tour and the wine tasting at the end of this tour.


    You can see below all the places I visited in La Rioja, Navarra and Aragón during this trip:


    Days 1 and 2

    • Zaragoza and Logroño
    Day 3
    • Haro
    • Santo Domingo de la Calzada
    Day 4
    • Laguardia
    • Estella
    • Los Arcos
    Day 5
    • San Millán de la Cogolla
    • Nájera
    Day 6
    • Tarazona
    • Monasterio de Veruela


    Next I would like to show you some pictures of the places I like the most of the town of Haro.

    Haro



    City Hall of Haro
    City Hall of Haro in La Rioja


    City Hall of Haro
    Wine barrels beside the city hall of Haro



    Haro in La Rioja
    Old town of Haro in La Rioja




    Haro in La Rioja
    Street in the old town of Haro in La Rioja




    Cathedral of Haro
    Cathedral of Haro



     La Rioja Alta Winery



    La Rioja Alta winery in Haro
    Vineyards in La Rioja Alta winery


    La Rioja Alta winery in Haro
    Here we waited for the beginning of the tour around La Rioja Alta Winery


    La Rioja Alta winery in Haro
    Tour in La Rioja Alta winery




    La Rioja Alta winery in Haro
    Wine cellar of La Rioja Alta winery




    Other cities and places I visited during this trip in Zaragoza, La Rioja and Navarra were:


    Finally, other beautiful places you can visit in Spain are:


    - Catalonia

    - Basque Country

    - Cantabria

    - Granada

    - Sevilla, Córdoba, Cádiz and Costa de la Luz