La Rioja is a region of northern Spain and is bordered entirely by the regions of Navarre, Basque Country, Aragon and Castilla Leon. Its capital is the city of Logrono and other important cities and towns in the province include Haro, Calahorra, Arnedo and Alfaro. The region is characteristically dry and arid but also has a hint of the Mediterranean and some wonderful scenery in the north of the region with its high mountain ranges.



History of Rioja

Starting from the 10th century, the region of Logrono was a constant borderland dispute between the Kings of Navarre and the Kings of Castilla. The dispute was finally settled in the late 11th century when Henry I of England awarded it to Castilla. During the Peninsular War, La Rioja was taken by Napoleonic forces and the region stayed in French hands until 1814 when Constitutional Cort's declared La Rioja as an independent province at the time of the Liberal Constitution of 1812. It wasn't until the death of Francisco Franco that La Rioja was finally declared the autonomous community of Spain it is today primarily due to its economic distinction from the surrounding regions.

Logrono

Logrono is the capital city of La Rioja province. The city is the centre of the trade for Rioja wine, from which the region is most famous for. Logrono is quite a modern city built as a river port on the River Ebro that flows through the region. One of the main places of interest will be the Santa Maria de Palacio, the oldest church in the city. It dates from the 11th century and features a tall, graceful, pyramidal Gothic spire with magnificent cloisters and Romanesque features inside. Pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela to visit the tomb of Saint James, traverse the river Ebro over the city's oldest bridge, the Puente de Piedra.

Haro wine making town of Rioja

La Rioja is not a destination for most people who visit Spain, but one thing it does offer is some of the finest wines in the world. Haro is the main wine town of Rioja and wine making here dates back to Roman times. Life in Haro revolves around wine and on the major feast day of ?The battle of the wine?, locals are happy to dowse one another with the stuff. Many of the wine cellars near Haro are situated around the station, and there is also the Wine Museum to visit for those interested in finding out more.

San Mill'n de la Cogolla

Just 20km south of Santo Domingo de la Calzada can be found the town of San Mill'n de la Cogolla. The town is named after Saint Emilian who was born in 473. He was a shepherd who later became a cave hermit living to the ripe old age of 101. Many miracles have been attributed to him following his death and his tomb soon became an important place of pilgrimage. The town also contains a couple of monasteries including the ?Monasterio de Suso? with fine Visigoth and Mozarabic features, and the ?Monasterio de Yuso? which contains the first written example of the Castilian language by a monk in the 10th century when he lapsed into the vernacular whilst writing Latin text.