Alava - Vitoria-Gasteiz and the center of Alava

The province of Alava is located in the west of the Basque Country on the Spanish side, it is the third province of the autonomous community of the Basque Country (with Biscay and Guipúzcoa). It is a unique territory, which differs from the others by its lack of coasts and by its landscapes. There are very beautiful natural lakes, protected and wild spaces, it is a place appreciated by sportsmen and outdoor enthusiasts. Gastronomy has its place in Alava, especially wine, the territories of Rioja Alavesa are known for the excellence of the vineyards. Vitoria-Gasteiz is the capital of the province and also of the Autonomous Community, it is a pleasant, pedestrian and spacious city where life is good (literally and figuratively). Moreover, the majority of the population (almost 80%) of the province lives there and the rest is rural and sparsely populated.

Map of Alava and its main cities

Vitoria-Gasteiz

So this is our starting point for discovering Alava: Vitoria-Gasteiz. It is the capital of Alava and Euskadi, you will barely have passed the city gate that you will feel good there. Clean, spacious, responsible (ecological), it is a pleasant and relaxing destination. Everyone will find something for them: lovers of heritage and history will be charmed by its medieval almond (the Almendra), its compact and preserved historic center, with the very beautiful Gothic cathedral Santa Maria which is at the very top and protects the city with its benevolent gaze. Many streets in the center are pedestrianized, which is pleasant for strolling, shopping, stopping in a small restaurant to eat pintxos then continue and observe the beautiful buildings. Walk the streets to see the other churches: San Miguel, San Vicente and San Pedro, the beautiful 8 century old buildings and the Renaissance style palaces. During your stroll, enjoy the monumental murals that adorn certain walls of the old town.

Vitoria-Gasteiz, the capital of Alava and Euskadi

Vitoria-Gasteiz

The colorful streets of Vitoria-Gasteiz

Culture lovers will be happy to visit the museums : The Basque Museum of Contemporary Art and its permanent and temporary exhibitions that change regularly. The Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art of Alava, the Museum of Natural Sciences of Alava and its geological and botanical collections, located in a beautiful medieval tower, the Museum of Archaeology, the Fournier Museum of Playing Cards, which will please lovers of queens of spades and kings of clubs, since it exhibits an impressive collection of 3000 decks of cards. The Museum of Fine Arts, and finally, the Armory Museum for lovers of weapons and helmets.

Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art of Alava

Vitoria-Gasteiz is a fairly large city, although its historic centre can be visited on foot, for the rest do not hesitate to take the tram and buses that efficiently serve the rest of the city. Another option, very appropriate in this ecological city, is the bicycle! Lovers of greenery will be happy with their stay in the capital of Alava, since a green ring (Anillo verde) of no less than 47 km surrounds the city with remarkable parks and gardens. Singing rivers, lagoons, oak forests, fauna and flora of character... Meadows, wetlands and all ecosystems are of great ecological and recreational value for the inhabitants and tourism. To the west there is the Zabalgana Forest Park, then to the east, it joins the Salburua Park, and that of Gamarra just after, and the green zone of Olárizu and finally, to complete the loop, the Armentia Forest.

The Vitoria-Gasteiz tramway

The green ring of Vitoria-Gasteiz

Vitoria-Gasteiz will most certainly be a perfect starting point for your escapades in the rest of Alava, do not hesitate to spend several days there. It is not (yet) an eminently touristic city, beyond the Jacquaire tourism, and its absence of coasts should not dissuade you from stopping there...

Trespuentes and the Salinas de Añana

West of Vitoria-Gasteiz, Trespuentes is a place on the plain, in the municipality of Iruña de Oca, to discover for its Roman bridge dating from Antiquity, composed of 13 semicircular arches. Nearby, venture into the ruins of the Monastery of Santa Catalina, worthy of a film and enhanced by a botanical garden, it is a pleasant place to stroll on a beautiful day. There is also, not far away, the very large and precious archaeological site of Iruña-Veleia, an ancient Roman oppidum, it is the most important in the Basque Country.

A little further west, embark on a total change of scenery at Salinas de Añana, in the salt valley. Classified as a national monument, the salt flats and salt mines take advantage of the mineral salts of the Muera River. Yes, you are far from the sea and yet... There is salt here and it has been collected since the 10th century, as evidenced by the wooden structures, the evaporation basins, the canals, the stores... Come and taste a fleur de sel like no other and take a guided tour of the farms. The best thing to do is to visit the site in summer, because evaporation is at its maximum, all the structures are covered in salt... Note, there is a small spa where you can bathe your feet and hands in the beneficial salt water... After the visit, stroll through the town which is spread out on the hill above the basins. We alternate between medieval and baroque... To the west of Añana is Tuesta, a small town that houses the 13th century Cathedral of Valdegovía. Observe the portal and its magnificent ornaments, it can be discovered on guided tours.

Saltworks of Añana

Salt basins with canals

Fine salt from Añana

A few minutes to the south, relax and take a walk at Lake Arreo, the largest natural lake in the Basque Country. It is a wetland that is home to a great diversity of flora and fauna. There is a small hermitage not far from the banks.

Sobron, Villanañe, Lalastra, parks and lakes

Sobrón continues on the Añana trail, to tell you the wonders of water. On the banks of the Ebro, it is an old spa town. The nature around the town is classified as a Site of Community Interest, for the richness of its biodiversity. Children and adults who love adventure will enjoy spending a day at the Sobrón Adventure Center theme park, to go canoeing, diving, paddle boarding, and other nature sports such as archery. To complete the discovery of the town, do not miss a visit to the Water Museum (Museo del Agua), which offers modern and attractive educational content.

Villanañe, a little to the north, is interesting for seeing a tower that contains a local legend. Imposing, rectangular, the Torre-Palacio de los Varona is a national monument inhabited by the direct descendants of the Varona family for 9 centuries. It is said that in all these years, the family has only produced male descendants...

Sobron and its great waters © AdobeStock_Alexey Fedorenko

Villanañe and its tower © AdobeStock_Noradoa Villanane

Lalastra in the far west of Alava is located in the Velderejo Natural Park, a very small park with magnificent viewpoints over the peaks where a colony of vultures has taken up residence. A place with few tourists where walkers will appreciate the 9 marked trails. Go to the Park House for information on the routes and before that visit the Rural Interpretation Center. Children are welcome in this region where there are playgrounds as well as agrotourism visits to farms. Numerous megalithic monuments, ruins, ancient Roman trails and medieval paintings are scattered throughout the small hamlets of the park.

Aratz and Andoin

We now head back east of Vitoria-Gasteiz, towards Aratz, in the Aizkorri-Aratz Natural Park, bordering Gipuzkoa, a limestone massif with high peaks ideal for climbing and mountaineering. 16,000 ha for hiking and soaking up Basque legends, mythology and the old disused mines of this region. On the border between the two provinces, go to the San Adrian Tunnel (starting at Zalduondo, 5 km walk, not always easy...), which shelters at the end of its 70 m, a chapel in a setting of rocks, pilgrims, walkers in medieval times used to take this route. In the same area, near the town of Araia, there is a hike to the Castillo de Marutegi, the ruins of a fortified enclosure and a castle from the 19th century: a beautiful view of the surrounding countryside awaits you from up there, but you will have to climb and be careful not to hurt yourself! For a more child-friendly walk in the same area, go see the waterfall at the source of the Zirauntza River.

A few kilometres towards Andoin, the Cascada de la Tobería is also worth a visit after about 2 kilometres of walking, on a fairly uneven path. In the same area, there are megaliths, at the site of Cromlech Mendiluze and towards Salvatierra, the Dolmen de Aitzkomendi and that of Sorginetxe, in the Sierra de Entzia where you will be surprised to see animals in the wild, including many Pottoks (small wild ponies).