Discover the magic of Rioja Alavesa with Enobús ALAVA

Thanks to Enobús it will be easier for you to get to the most attractive and interesting spots of Rioja Alavesa as you will not need to use your own vehicle. This tourist bus travels through all the villages that make up the region across two routes. In both cases there are audio guides available for voyagers in four languages and they can get on and off the bus as many times as they want (within bus running hours). Buses can be caught in Bilbao, Vitoria and Laguardia, where the routes start. The service gives the opportunity to discover nature, history, art and regional gastronomy in a comfortable way. Of course, in the villages one must visit the wineries that have made this region famous.

Route 1: Rioja Alavesa: do it your way

This route has been especially designed for those that want to know the region their own way. The tour includes the following villages: Laguardia, Lapuebla de Labarca, Elciego, Baños de Ebro, Villabuena, Samaniego and Labastida. Participants will decide which winery or which tourist resource they want to visit.

Route 2: Aromas and landscapes of Rioja Alavesa

The second route has been designed for those who want to know Rioja Alavesa with a guide. After the guided tours to get to know the region and a winery (wine tasting included), the Enobús will leave the participants in Laguardia, where they will have enough free time before departing to the place they came from.

Additional information

Service will start on 17 April and will be operating until 31 October. Check calendar and fares in the attached document.

***Tickets can be purchased at the tourist offices of Laguardia, Labastida and Elciego, at the tourist service offices Thabuca and STI or in the bus.

For further information contact the bus company Autocares Hermanos Arriaga (Tel.: 0034 945285000) or Ruta del Vino de Rioja Alavesa (Tel.: 0034 945297004).

Armañón Natural Park (KARRANTZA HARANA/VALLE DE CARRANZA; TRUCIOS-TURTZIOZ - BIZKAIA)

Located to the west end of Bizkaia, in the border with Cantabria, the Armañon Natural Park or Ranero constitutes a relevant mountain massive in the landscape of Las Encartaciones. It extends between the cliffs of the rivers Carranza and Agüera, in a series of hills and mountain terrains covering a surface of 2,996 hectares. The highest point of this placed on the summit of Armanón (854 m.), although there are other outstanding tops, such as Ranero (737 m.), Surbias (638 m.) and Los Jorrios (837 m).

The nature of the massif is essentially calcareous and results in a surface landscape with amazing landforms, in which the karst shapes are common, with karrens, sinkholes, crevices... Moreover, it forms a subterranean landscape with more than 200 caves and chasms that have been catalogued and that have a remarkable geological, paleontological, speleological and biological value. Thus, the Pozalagua cave is an obligatory stop. It was discovered in 1957 and its importance rests in an exceptional phenomenon resulting in eccentric stalactites, that instead of growing downwards they grow in any direction. The cave is situated 2 km from the Ranero neighbourhood in the Karrantza Harana/Valle de Carranza and fitted out for tourist tours. Likewise, we must mention the Torca del Carlista, one of the biggest cavities in Europe, which is more than 400 metres long, 250 metres wide and 90 metres high.

Observations

There are several routes signed for walks going through the communities of Karrantza Harana/Valle de Carranza and Trucios and through the natural area. It is also interesting to visit the natural resources of Encinar de Sopeña, Hayedo de Balgerri, Turberas de Salduero, Zalama, megalithic monuments of Karrantza Harana/Valle de Carranza (itinerary from the necropolis to La Cabaña and Cotobasero), close monumental villages such as Balmaseda, the Abellaneda Assembly House and Karpin Abentura.

Celebrate the Jacobean Year in Euskadi! - ALAVA; GIPUZKOA; BIZKAIA

Euskadi is going to celebrate the Jacobean Year in style. Up until the end of the year, Alava, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa will play host to a multitude of activities closely linked to the Camino de Santiago. The wide range of activities in the programme includes exhibitions, plays, concerts, conferences and walks along the stages that make up the Camino de Santiago (the Way of Saint James) on their passage through Euskadi.

Furthermore, you can enjoy the plays Romería a Santiago (Pilgrimage to Santiago), Europa o la nave de los locos (Europe or the Ship of Fools) , El peregrino (The Pilgrim) and Mujeres coloniales (Colonial women) in various locations in the three historic regions. Music also ranks highly on the programme, with concerts at venues such as the cathedral of Santa María (Vitoria), the Basilica of Nuestra Señora de Begoña and the cathedral of Santiago (Bilbao), the collegiate church of Zenarruza (Bolibar) or the cathedral of the Good Shepard (San Sebastian), to name but a few.

Additionally, until mid-September, at the ARTIUM the "Ars Itineris: el viaje en el arte contemporáneo" (Ars Itineris: travel in contemporary art) exhibition can be viewed, and the story-tellers will tell some unforgettable stories to the young children.

The Association of the Friends of the Way of St. James in Alava, Gipuzkoa and Bizkaia have organized various kinds of activities: conferences and events, parties, outings and group walks along the various stages of the coastal route of the Way of St. James.

For further information, please refer to the attached document.