Laguardia is a small town in the region of Álava in La Rioja. This beautiful medieval village make you feel like you’re going back in time, as walking through its streets takes you back to the 15th century. Founded in the 10th century as a defense town for the kingdom of Navarra, this beautiful walled town is located in a hill overlooking the vineyards of La Rioja, with the Cantabrian Mountains in the background. It is without a doubt the most known, but also the most attractive, town of the region. Enjoy the walk through the medieval narrow streets and stop at one of the multiple bars to try some local wine accompanied by a ración or a pintxo.Apart from the wall, the other main characteristic of Laguardia is its tunnels. They were dug under the town to keep the inhabitants safe during battles and had openings that exited to the hillside in case they needed to escape. After the town was no longer needed for its strategic military position, it was noticed by the inhabitants that the climate in these tunnels were perfect for storing wine. The tunnels are still in use today and many people have their private cellars in them.Laguardia was originally built as a walled town and was used primarily as a military fort. Apart from the wall, the other main characteristic of Laguardia is its tunnels. They were dug under the town to keep the inhabitants safe during battles and had openings that exited to the hillside in case they needed to escape. After the town was no longer needed for its strategic military position, it was noticed by the inhabitants that the climate in these tunnels were perfect for storing wine. The tunnels are still in use today and many people have their private cellars in them.
We highly recommend a visit to one of these cellars. Bodega Viñaspre offers one such tour and you can take a trip back in time to see how the wine was made for centuries. Some steps of the production are now completed in a nearby facility, however, until a few years ago everythin
