In 1863, the railway reached Haro. In 1859, the French arrived in Haro in search of wines to supply their markets, as a result of the phylloxera suffered in their country, and the first wineries were opened. In 1888, the bullring was inaugurated. In 1890 electric street lighting was installed. In 1891 the Queen Regent María Cristina granted the town the recognition of “Ciudad”. In 1892 the Oenological Station and the Bank of Spain were built.
A visitar: Iglesia Parroquial de Santo Tomás (declarada Monumento Histórico-Artístico Nacional en 1931), Basílica Virgen Ntra. Basilica Virgen Ntra. De la Vega, Ex-convent of San Agustín (nowadays Los Agustinos Hotel), Bretón de los Herreros Theatre, Medieval Tower (nowadays Museum of Contemporary Art), Palace of the Counts of Haro, Palace of Tejada, Palace of Los Ángeles, and a walk through the historic quarter, Plaza and Calle de la Vega, and finally the Barrio de la Estación, where the largest number of centenary wine cellars are concentrated. Hermitage of San Felices de Bilibio and Riscos de Bilibio.
The village of Briones, which belongs to the Association of the quaintest villages in Spain. In the square is the Church of Nuestra Sra. de la Asunción and the Palace of the Marquis of San Nicolás. It is also home to the Vivanco Museum of Wine Culture, considered one of the best in the world. Briones hosts the Jornadas Medievales (Mediaeval Days), declared a National Festival of Tourist Interest.
San Vicente de la Sonsierra has the title of "villa divisera". The Hermitage of San Juan de Arriba which, together with the church and the castle, forms the fortified complex of the walled enclosure. Medieval bridge over the river Ebro, renowned wine cellars. Within its jurisdiction is the hermitage of Santa María de la Piscina, the most complete and well-preserved Romanesque building in La Rioja from the 13th century, next to which is a necropolis.
Ábalos, a wine-producing town with many wineries (the wineries of La Real Divisa, dating back to 1367). These are some of the oldest wineries in production in La Rioja and Europe. The Church of San Esteban Protomártir, declared an Asset of Cultural Interest in the Monument category, stands out. The hermitage of the Virgen de la Rosa, the house of the Viceroy of Naples, the house of Cantón or of the Ramírez de la Piscina family and the Palace of the Marquises of Legarda.
The rivers in the region give rise to valleys rich in the diversity of cereals, leguminous plants, potatoes, beet, etc. and today, with intensive agriculture and thanks to the existing irrigation plans, peas, carrots, sunflowers, poppies, rapeseed, etc. are being grown, creating a palette of attractive colours.
In this valley, right by the Sierra, we find Ezcaray, a village focused on rural tourism and winter sports thanks to the Valdezcaray ski resort.
We continue on to Santo Domingo de la Calzada, the meeting point of the French Camino route and the Basque-Riojan inland route. Its great cathedral is remarkable and bears the name of the founder of the town, Domingo de la Calzada. The Plaza de España, built with the 14th century walls, in which we can see the Town Hall, the Corregimiento building, the Cárcel and the Alhóndiga. Convent of San Francisco, and the Cistercian Abbey, Casa de Trastámara, Casa de la Cofradía del Santo, Casa del Corregidor, Casa del Marqués de la Ensenada and Casa del Secretario de Carlos V.
Bañares, crossroads of a Roman road and the Camino de Santiago. Romanesque chapel of Santa María de la Antigua, Church of Santa Cruz, which maintains the 12th century Romanesque wooden chest of its patron saint San Formerio, spectacular altarpiece. Castle of Bañares. La Salceda recreational park and marsh.
San Torcuato, a small village where the Roman road (Tarragona to Astorga) also crosses the Camino de Santiago del Interior. In this village there is an amateur airfield and a farm school.
Cidamón, a small hamlet where there is a Franciscan convent of Our Lady of the Angels. The estate is property of the Counts Hervías and Montalvo. Currently the largest urban centre is located in Casas Blancas, with agricultural activity and owned by Count Cadagua. Another settlement of landlords is Madrid de los Trillos, through which the Camino de Santiago del Interior runs.
Other towns of interest in the valley are Castañares de Rioja with its large wood cabin campsite next to the river Oja. Casalarreina with its Monastery of Nuestra Señora de la Piedad, declared a Historic-Artistic Site in 1514, Palace of the Marquis of Vargas, Palace of the Constables of Castile.
Zarratón, the village of the 7 hermitages, one in each neighbourhood: La Esclavitud, San Andrés, San Blas, San Lázaro, San Martín, San Miguel and Santiago. It is also called the village of the 7 dances. The majestic Church of the Assumption. It belonged to the Counts of Mortara and Casa Fuerte. Nowadays the palace is used as a hotel and restaurant. It was a royal villa, and no one exercised Lordship in it.
Rodezno, an agricultural village with an extense ensemble of "calados" (wine caves) on the slope of a hill opposite the town, where cereal and other crops are grown together with vines.
Ollauri, downstream of the Zamaca, was a hamlet of Briones, granted a charter by Alfonso X The Wise and the royal privilege granted by King Sancho IV, and boasts several palaces such as those of the Marquises of Terán, Count of Rodezno and Count of Portalegre. In 1790 it joined the Royal Economic Society of La Rioja.
Another remarkable village is Cihuri with a Roman bridge over the river Tirón, Casona del Priorato.
Also, Sajazarra with the Castle-Palace of the Velasco family, the remains of the wall and the Arco gate.
We continue on to Anguciana, also on the banks of the river Tirón, with an ashlar Fortress Tower, recreational areas and wonderful walks along the river.
Tirgo, its Romanesque church of El Salvador, belonged to the Templars. Houses of Sillería and coats of arms from the 17th and 18th centuries.
Cuzcurrita de Rio Tirón, with its Castle of the Velasco family, the Baroque-style Church of San Miguel, the Hermitage of Nuestra Señora de Sorejana, declared an Asset of Cultural Interest in the category of Monument, and the Hermitage of Nuestra Señora de Tironcillo. And lovely recreational areas and riverside walks.
In the Najerilla valley, we have the towns of San Millán de la Cogolla, which houses the Monasteries of Yuso and Suso, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where the first words were written in Romance, which evolved into Castilian or Spanish. Today this historical, artistic and cultural site is known as the Valley of the Language.
Cañas, a small town with the magnificent Cistercian Monastery of Cañas, in the Gothic style of the 12th, 13th and 14th centuries. Santo Domingo de Silos was born in Cañas.
Nájera, Kingdom of Nájera - Pamplona 923-1076. The king of Pamplona, Sancho Garces I conquered Nájera, leaving it under the rule of his son García Sánchez, who named it the Kingdom of Nájera. Sancho III was the great promoter of Nájera, where he held court. After his death, his kingdom was divided among his sons García el de Nájera, Fernando I of León, Ramiro I of Aragón and Gonzalo Sánchez, thus making Nájera the cradle of the kingdoms of Navarre, Castile and Aragón. Visit the Monastery of Santa María la Real, Castillo de la Mota, Alcázar.
San Asensio, a town dedicated 100% to viticulture, with several wine cooperatives and wineries. Visit the Sanctuary of Santa María de la Estrella, Davalillo Castle, Emblazoned Houses and the Church of La Ascensión.
