Briones, a medieval village The majestic Renaissance Church of La Asunción Wine touring in the heart of the Rioja Alta After visits to the Barrio de la Estación in Haro and the small village of Ollauri, our next suggested stop on the wine trail comes a few minutes down the N-124 / N-232 highway past…
Author: iberiantraveler
Bespoke Travel Planner, Travel Advisor, Tour Operator, Director Maribel's Guides
Wine Touring in the Najerilla Valley
The Najerilla river flows from the mountains of the Sierra de la Demanda to the Ebro River, making this a special corner of La Rioja, with a unique style of wine, the lower part of the valley yielding the region’s most balanced wines. The valley, considered by many to be central to La Rioja vineyards,…
Wine Touring in Rioja’s Valle del Tirón
Valle del Tirón, La Rioja Alta West of Haro, in the Valley of Tirón, you will find several small villages, some with castles and all with a long history of wine making; Anguciana, Ternero (Castile-León) Sajazarra, Fonzaleche, Cuzcurrita de Río Tirón and Tirgo. The Río Tirón joins the Río Oja near Cihuri, before flowing into…
Haro and the Barrio de la Estación
Wine Touring in the Rioja Alta Haro, capital of the Rioja Alta We usually start our wine touring in the western end of the Rioja. Haro, the wine capital of the Rioja Alta, is an agricultural town of just under 12,000 inhabitants and has the largest concentration of centuries-old wineries in the world; CVNE, Gómez…
A Visit to Córdoba
Semana Santa came early this year and even through the weather wasn’t the best, we throughly enjoy it with stops in Córdoba, Sevilla and Málaga. On the Iryo to Córdoba We started our Semana Santa adventure this year on the new Iryo train from Madrid to Córdoba. The new service is still limited but excellent….
Hondarribia (Guipuzcoa)
This picturesque walled fishing village sits on the bay of Txingudi, across the estuary from the French Basque village of Hendaye. Featured in “The Most Beautiful Villages of Spain” (Hugh Palmer 2003), Hondarribia (Fundarribia in Spanish), is widely considered to be one of the most picturesque coastal villages in all of Spain from its charming…
Escaping to Navarra
Where To Stay in the Kingdom of Navarra Hotel Churrut There are a number of small, charming boutique hotels in Navarra where one can get away for a few days a peace and quiet, yet still be close to the action. One of our first discoveries a few years ago was this delightful 18-century family home…
Calle Ponzano, Still The Epicenter Of Cool
What’s happening on Calle de Ponzano Calle Ponzano continues to evolve since the end of the pandemic with several changes to the street, which is currently being upgraded. The city is widening the sidewalks, eliminating street parking and we would assume that the street will be one-way traffic only. We recently had lunch at Sala…
Portugal’s Alentejo Wine Region
A Land Of Endless Horizons This is a land of endless horizons and immense estates, latifundios, dotted with vineyards, undulating fields of wheat, olive groves and vast cork forests. A region populated by horses, goats, sheep, and the famed acorn-grazing black pigs, it boasting highly photogenic fortified hill towns, each with its own defensive fortress…
Dining in Rouen
Near the Place du Vieux-Marché Our gastronomic discoveries in Rouen included the sleek contemporary bistro Le 37, 37 rue St-Étienne-des-Tonneliers, opened by Michelin starred chef Gilles Tournadre, but sadly it has closed, as has the charmingly traditional le Bistrot de Panurge on Rue Ecuyère, where we feasted on its delectable gigot, roast leg of lamb….
Destinations by Maribel 