SPAIN-LA RIOJA

ALFARO
Restaurants
●Restaurante Asador San Roque – 2 Calle de San Roque; 011-34-94-118-2888; asadorsanroque.com.

Sights & Sites
●Colegiata de San Miguel – Plaza de España; 011-34-94-118-0133; alfaro.es; built in 16^th-17^th Centuries; inside admirable reredoses, among which Main Reredos (Saint Michael image) by Gregorio Fernández, Central Reredos (Virgin of Rosary), Chapel of San Ildefonso (magnificent La Dolorosa image), and Chapel of San José (13^th Century Gothic Christ); known for storks’ annual return and nesting (festival in February), creating largest colony in world.



ANGUIANO
Shopping
●Quesería Tres Puentes Anguiano – 13 Carretera de Lerma; 011-34-67-936-4696; quesostrespuentesanguiano.blogspot.com; cheese.

Sights & Sites
●Monastery de Santa Maria de Valvanera – 3 miles west of LR 113; 011-34-94-137-7044; abadiavalvanera.com; monastery’s name comes from Latin Vallis Venaria, which means “valley of veins of water”, because set in valley with springs, streams, and waterfalls; church visible today dates from 15^th Century, but origins go back to Visigoth temple.



BRIONES
Sights & Sites
●Dinastia Vivanco – 232 Carretera Nacional; 011-34-90-232-0001; dinastiavivanco.com; wine museum.



DAROCA DE RIOJA
Restaurants
●Venta Moncalvillo – 6 Carretera del Medrano; 011-34-94-144-4832; ventamoncalvillo.com; superb; worth special trip for innovative, local cuisine.



ENCISO
Sights & Sites
●Museo de Paleontologico – town center; 011-34-94-139-6080; encisonet.com/museo-palontologico; showcases local finds; there is also “Dinosaur Route”; follow signs to rocky area with many 3-toed prints.



ENTRENA
Hotels
●Finca de los Arandinos – Carretera LR-137 (km 4-6); 011-34-94-144-6126; fincadelosarandinos.com; countryside setting; built in concrete and glass; interior decorated in modern, playful style.

Restaurants
●Tierra – Carretera LR-137 (km 4-6, at Finca de los Arandinos); 011-34-94-144-6126; fincadelosarandinos.com; try pochas (white bean stew).



EZCARAY
Shopping
●Mantas Ezcaray – 10 Calle González Gallarza; 011-34-94-135-4034; mantasezcaray.com; wool products.



HARO
Restaurants
●Restaurante Terente – 17 Calle Lucrecia Arana; 011-34-94-131-0023; terete.es; horno asado (restaurant specializing in roasts) since 1867; beloved by locals for roast suckling pig; service is discreet, food savory and succulent, dishes prepared according to traditional regional recipes; local peaches in season make best dessert.

Sights & Sites
●Iglesia Parroquial de Santo Tomás – 5 Calle del Santo Tomás; 011-34-94-130-3801; haroturismo.org/iglesias/parroquia_de_santo_tomas; single-naved Renaissance and late Gothic church completed in 1564; intricately sculpted plateresque portal on south side and gilded baroque organ facade towering over choir loft.



LOGROÑO
Bakeries, Coffee, Ice Cream, Juice & Tea
●Chocolateria Moreno – 612 Calle Peso; 011-34-941-222-029; hot chocolate and churros.

Restaurants
●La Taberna de Baco – 12 San Agustin; 011-34-94-121-3544; facebook.com/pages/La-Taberna-de-Baco/135749649815947; great tapas in seeming hole-in-wall; famous for ensalada.

Shopping
●Alejandro Sausages – 80 Calle Las Canas; founded in 1987 by Rituerto family; choricera.



NAJERA
Bars & Nightclubs
●Bar Virginia – 1 Calle del Samaniego; 011-34-94-136-2585; inajera.es/guiadelnajerilla/gu%C3%ADa-comercial/602-Bar-Cafeteria-Virginia.html; specializes in Riojanos Caprichos, elaborate miniature riojanos traditional dishes with creativity.

Sights & Sites
●Monastery de Santa Maria La Real – Plaza de Santa María; 011-34-94-136-1083; santamarialareal.net; originally royal foundation; ceded by Alfonso VI to Cluniac order; important pilgrimage stop on Camino de Santiago; particularly well-known for church choir woodwork.



SAN MILLAN DE LA COGOLLA
Sights & Sites
●Suso Monastery – LR 421; 011-34-94-137-3082; monasteriodeyuso.org/suso; Suso is older building; believed to be built on hermitage site where Saint Emilian (Spanish: San Millán) lived; major claim to fame is as place where Basque and Spanish language phrases 1^st written; uninhabited since Ecclesiastical Confiscations of Mendizábal in 19^th Century.
●Yuso Monastery – Calle Prestiño; 011-34-94-137-3049; monasteriodeyuso.org; this monastery and Monastery de Suso are UNESCO-designated world heritage sites; 2 monasteries’ names Suso and Yuso (meaning “upper” and “lower,” respectively, in archaic Castilian); Yuso developed as Benedictine community; abandoned for some years in 19^th Century, but then reoccupied; currently houses Augustinian community; monastery partly converted into hotel.



SORZANO
Hotels
●Casa Josephine – 8 Calle Concejo; 011-34-94-144-7166; casajosephine.com.
●Casa Rural Hermedaña – 20 Iruela Street; 011-34-69-559-1734; lahermedana.es; rustic, small.

Shopping
●Lola Barazoain Almazuelas – Finca el Molino de Sorzano; 011-34-94-144-7215; lolabarasoain.com; Spanish quilts made in restored mill.



VILLABUENA DE ALAVA
Hotels
●Hotel Viura – Plaza Mayor; 011-34-945-609-000; hotelviura.com; affordable; architectural marvel (glass and reinforced concrete cubes, stacked off-kilter on top of one another); friendly staff.