Between Vineyards and Villages in la Rioja and the Nervión Waterfall

Departing by car from Logroño, the route begins through the villages of La Rioja, bordering the river Ebro. The first stop is the village of Briones and more precisely the church with its tower that stands out above the rest of the buildings.
The narrow streets of Briones near the church are worth a walk. Emblematic stone houses such as the Casa Encantada (Enchanted House) seem to go back in time.
In the historic centre of Briones there is space to park the car.
Open Hours: All days: 9:00 - 20:00

Do you want to know why wine is so important in La Rioja? Take a look at this viewpoint, and you will know the answer.
From here you can see the valley of the river Ebro with the vineyards and the mountains in the background, a real paradise!

A few kilometres further on, after crossing the river Ebro, you reach Sonsierra, another of the charming villages of La Rioja. The car park is free of charge.

In the process of being restored, its outer perimeter is still in good condition, with the walls and one of the access gates. From what was once the interior of the castle, today we can see one of the access gates, the remains of the dwellings of the first settlers, the church and two towers.
If you want one of the best views of the Ebro valley with its vineyards, you will have them from the castle-fortress.
The tourist office has designed a route around the castle, which can be obtained by downloading an app on the official Sonsierra website and reading the QR codes.

Haro is the capital of La Rioja Alta and where the wineries and wine production is very important. This winery was the first to settle in the town and is now nearly 150 years old.
The guided tour of the winery takes you through the oak barrel room where more than 10,000 barrels are stored. After a review of the history of the Lopez de Heredia family, the artisanal production and its great star wine, Viña Tondonia, the tour ends with a tasting of three varieties of wine and the gift of a bottle.
If you only want to buy bottles of wine for gifts or personal consumption, the winery has a sales-only shop open Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 15:00.
Open Hours: Monday to Saturday: 10:00 - 15:00.

Parking to leave the car, have lunch and walk around the village and then continue on our way.

Pleasant Rioja mesón with traditional local cuisine such as cocido (stew), chuletón (T-bone steak) or the famous roast suckling lamb. There is also the option of snacking on casseroles at the bar for a quicker meal.
In this area you must try another of its specialities, mushrooms. They are used in different preparations such as stewed mushrooms, in salads or as an accompaniment to meat and fish.
Open Hours: All days: 13:00 - 15:30, 20:30 - 23:00, except Wednesday night.

This city breathes wine. Haro is the capital of the Rioja Alta, the region's most important wine-producing region thanks to its climate.
The historic centre can be explored in about half an hour, strolling through stately homes, the Plaza de la Paz, the church of Santo Tomas and finally the viewpoint overlooking the wineries and the valley of the river Ebro.
Such is the wine-making activity that in the Town Hall building, two of its four arches are covered with wine barrels as a way of decorating and representing the importance of this industry in the town.

After the tour through the historic centre of Haro, you have to return to the car park to continue on your way.

With six arches, this medieval bridge is another symbol of Haro and connects the two banks of the Ebro River.
Vineyards and a green landscape can be seen on both sides. There are even several hiking trails to do if you have more time.

There are three car parks to go to the Nervion waterfall. The third car park is the closest place to walk to the waterfall.

The highest waterfall of all peninsular Spain, with almost 300 meters of waterfall, is a wonder of nature. It is reached from the car park on a path of little slope and accessible to children.
The waterfall can be seen from the top of the canyon, so it can be appreciated in all its splendour. It is advisable to go during the thaw season or after storms, since it can happen that the waterfall is without water many days during the year, although the environment is still spectacular.

On the way back along the trail, the return to the city of Bilbao begins, after a stop for dinner in Orduña.

Meat, fish, salads, and portions. A restaurant to recharge your batteries after visiting the waterfall and leaving with a full belly on your way to Bilbao.
For traditional food, the menu offers options such as peppers stuffed with boletus and cod kokotxas al Pil-Pil. For dessert, you must try the goxua, a sweet with three layers: one of cream, one of sponge cake and the top layer of custard.
Open Hours: Monday, Wednesday and Thursday: 9:00 - 22:00; Friday: 9:00 - 23:30; Saturday: 10:00 - 23:30; Sunday: 10:00 - 22:00.

In just over half an hour, we arrive in Bilbao to finish the road trip. After 22:00 there is usually not much traffic at the entrance to the city.