La Rioja
Wine country with Rioja vineyards, San Millán's UNESCO monasteries and Logroño's tapas bars, in a region small enough to cover by car.
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La Rioja is an autonomous community in northern Spain, a single province with Logroño as its capital and largest city. It borders the Basque Country, Navarre, Aragón and Castile and León. The Ebro crosses the north of the region, and the Iberian Range runs across the south, where Monte San Lorenzo, at 2,271 m, is the highest peak in the province. About 40% of the region is protected natural area.
The region is famous for its wine. Rioja is Spain's oldest denomination of origin for wine, and Rioja DOCa wine comes from valleys along the Ebro, from Rioja Alta to Rioja Baja. In Logroño, Calle Laurel and Calle San Juan are lined with tapas bars, where visitors move from bar to bar sampling small dishes with Rioja. The monasteries of Suso and Yuso in San Millán de la Cogolla are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and the Camino de Santiago crosses the region. The north has a Mediterranean climate, the south is wetter with a continental climate, and the Cierzo wind blows often in winter.
La Rioja in five
- Book bodega visits aheadMost wineries need a booked visit, especially at harvest in September and October. Choose one or two a day rather than four, and leave time to eat.
- Rent a car, or book a driverCellars and villages are spread out and public transport is thin. If you plan tastings, arrange a tour, a taxi or a designated driver.Getting around Spain
- Learn the three zones before you planRioja Alta lies around Haro, Rioja Alavesa across the Ebro near Laguardia in the Basque Country, and Rioja Oriental toward Alfaro. They differ in landscape and style.
- Time harvest and the Haro wine battleHarvest runs through September and October, and Haro's Batalla del Vino takes place each year on 29 June. Both are lively but fill rooms, so book early.
- Add San Millán de la Cogolla for a break from wineThe Yuso and Suso monasteries, near Nájera, are a UNESCO World Heritage site and worth a half day. Check visit rules and hours before you go.
Things to do in La Rioja
See all attractions in La Rioja
Need to know
- Airport
- Bilbao (BIO), about 1.5–2 hours by road, is the usual gateway
- Getting there
- Car or bus from Bilbao, Pamplona or Burgos; train to Logroño
- Getting around
- Car for cellars; buses link Logroño and Haro but not most villages
- Best base
- Logroño for food; Haro or a village for cellars
- Time needed
- 2–3 days for Logroño, Haro and a bodega or two
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh10°Low2°Cold, quietJanuaryPartly cloudy
Poor
- High
- 10°
- Low
- 2°
- Precipitation
- 54 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, quiet
- FebruaryPartly cloudy8 rainy daysHigh13°Low3°Cold, quietFebruaryPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 13°
- Low
- 3°
- Precipitation
- 45 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, quiet
- MarchPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh14°Low4°Cool, bare vinesMarchPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 14°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 60 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, bare vines
- AprilPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh17°Low6°Bud-break, coolAprilPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 17°
- Low
- 6°
- Precipitation
- 64 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Bud-break, cool
- MayPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh22°Low10°Green vinesMayPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 22°
- Low
- 10°
- Precipitation
- 58 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Green vines
- JunePartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh27°Low14°Warm, long daysJunePartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 27°
- Low
- 14°
- Precipitation
- 63 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, long days
- JulyClear4 rainy daysHigh30°Low16°HotJulyClear
Best
- High
- 30°
- Low
- 16°
- Precipitation
- 21 mm
- Rainy days
- 4
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot
- AugustClear5 rainy daysHigh31°Low16°Hot, dryAugustClear
Good
- High
- 31°
- Low
- 16°
- Precipitation
- 25 mm
- Rainy days
- 5
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, dry
- SeptemberClear7 rainy daysHigh25°Low13°HarvestSeptemberClear
Best
- High
- 25°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 38 mm
- Rainy days
- 7
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Harvest
- OctoberClear8 rainy daysHigh21°Low10°Harvest, colorOctoberClear
Best
- High
- 21°
- Low
- 10°
- Precipitation
- 54 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Harvest, color
- NovemberRain12 rainy daysHigh14°Low6°Cool, quietNovemberRain
Mixed
- High
- 14°
- Low
- 6°
- Precipitation
- 67 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, quiet
- DecemberPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh11°Low4°Cold, quietDecemberPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 11°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 47 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, quiet
Average daily high and low in Logroño, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in La Rioja
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
5
- Feels like
- 3°
- Humidity
- 75%
- Wind
- 13 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 0%
La Rioja
09:47 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today12°2°0%Monday: Cloudy. High 12°, Low 2°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Tue6°0°10%Tuesday: Drizzle. High 6°, Low 0°. Chance of rain 10%.
- Wed8°0°2%Wednesday: Partly cloudy. High 8°, Low 0°. Chance of rain 2%.
- Thu10°0°8%Thursday: Clear. High 10°, Low 0°. Chance of rain 8%.
- Fri11°0°13%Friday: Partly cloudy. High 11°, Low 0°. Chance of rain 13%.
- Sat10°1°14%Saturday: Drizzle. High 10°, Low 1°. Chance of rain 14%.
- Sun16°5°46%Sunday: Cloudy. High 16°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 46%.
Updated 09:32 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Every year
- Feb–MarCarnivals of LantzPamplona, a day trip
- May–JunBaby jumpingBurgos, a day trip
Before you go to La Rioja
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Rules for La Rioja, checked
- Spain is in the Schengen Area. Check your entry requirements on the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs site (exteriores.gob.es) before you fly.
- Non-EU travellers may be fingerprinted and photographed at the border under the EU Entry/Exit System. Check the European Commission's EES page for current rules.
- Camino pilgrims need a credencial to stay in albergues. Get it from a pilgrim office or parish on the route and have it stamped each day.
Plan around La Rioja
Cities, coast and trains across the country
Read the guideLogroñoLa Rioja's capital and its pintxo streets
Read the guideBurgosGothic cathedral, 1.5 hours west
Read the guidePamplonaNavarre's old town, a short drive east
Read the guideBilbaoThe usual airport gateway for Rioja
Read the guideGetting around SpainTrains, buses and rental cars in the north
Read the guideLa Rioja FAQ
How many days do you need in Rioja?
Two or three days covers Logroño, a village such as Haro and one or two cellars. Add a day for the Basque side near Laguardia or for the monasteries of San Millán.
Do you need a car in La Rioja?
For most wine routes, yes, or a driver, since cellars sit outside the villages. Logroño and Haro can be done without one, with buses between them, but you will miss the countryside.
Where should you stay in Rioja, Logroño or Haro?
Logroño for restaurants, nightlife and transport, Haro for a village base close to many historic cellars, and a rural hotel in Rioja Alavesa for views and quiet. Many travelers split nights between two.
When is the best time to visit Rioja?
September and October for harvest color and festive towns, and May and June for green vines and long days. Summer is hot, and winter is cold and quiet, with some cellars closed.
Can you do Rioja as a day trip from Bilbao or San Sebastián?
Yes, with a car or a tour, though it is a long day. Bilbao to Logroño takes about 1.5–2 hours, so a night in Rioja gives you time for more than one cellar.